Knowledge day in wartime: support the kids! 4

September is usually associated with new notebooks, favorite pens, fresh diary pages, and the excitement of meeting classmates again. For many Ukrainian families, however, preparing for a new school year has become a serious challenge for several years in a row.

For more than 16 years, the International Charitable Foundation "Life with Excess" (Keeplife) has been supporting children from vulnerable groups: children with disabilities, children from large and low-income families, children deprived of parental care, and families forced to leave their homes because of the war.

Every year before the start of the school year, we receive dozens of requests from parents asking for help in purchasing basic school supplies. For many families, rent, utility bills, medicines, rehabilitation services, and food remain the highest priorities. In such circumstances, even buying a backpack or a set of notebooks is often postponed until the very last moment.

The challenge is particularly difficult for families raising children with disabilities. A significant portion of their household budget is spent on treatment, rehabilitation, and specialized educational or therapeutic services. Yet these children dream of going to school just like their peers – with a new backpack, colorful notebooks, and everything they need to learn.

Through this project, we plan to provide 20 primary school students with complete school supply kits. Each kit will include a backpack, notebooks, pens, pencils, paints, drawing albums, pencil cases, and other essential learning materials.

To an adult, these may seem like ordinary school supplies. To a child, they mean confidence among classmates, motivation to study, and the opportunity to begin the school year without feeling left behind.

This is not the first year we have implemented this initiative, and we have seen how meaningful such support is for both children and their parents. When a child receives a new backpack and a full set of school supplies, they receive much more than stationery – they receive attention, care, and the feeling that someone remembers and believes in them.

By supporting this project, you help children take another step toward education, personal growth, and a brighter future. Together, we can ensure that war does not take away their joy of learning or their childhood dreams.