Help children and mothers have a chance to rest

Ptakha Camp is a safe space in the Severynivka village (Vinnytsia region) where children learn to smile again, and mothers regain their inner strength. Here there are no alarms or constant danger – only psychological support, nature, silence, and simple things that help restore a sense of stability. The program runs for 7 days and includes group and individual psychological support, art therapy, nature-based recovery, and physical activities (walks, kayaking, cycling), all of which help reduce stress levels and gradually restore emotional balance. This is not a conventional holiday, but a structured recovery process that combines a safe environment, psychological support, and activities that help lower stress and restore a sense of stability.

Since 2022, more than 3,367 people have participated in the program, and in 2025 alone – 1,267 mothers and children. Each year, the number of requests exceeds our capacity, and some families have to wait or are unable to join the program at all.

In 2026, part of the program costs are already covered through organizational resources and donor support, and seven sessions have already been funded and scheduled. However, demand continues to grow. That is why we are raising 300,000 UAH to implement one additional session for 10 families (30 mothers and children) who are most in need of recovery. These are families from frontline and affected regions of Ukraine – primarily internally displaced people, as well as families living in communities that are constantly impacted by the war. These are mothers with children and teenagers from the Zaporizhzhia, Donetsk, Kherson, Mykolaiv, Kharkiv, and Sumy regions who have experienced evacuations, the loss of their homes, prolonged stress, and adaptation to life under wartime conditions.

Over 7 days, participants will take part in group and individual psychological sessions for mothers and children, "women's circles" for emotional support and resource-state work, art therapy and creative workshops, body practices and yoga, outdoor activities (kayaking, walks), sports and team games, evenings by the campfire, and informal socializing. Parallel programs for mothers and children are organized separately, allowing each group to receive appropriate support while remaining within a shared family space. The camp's unique quality lies in mothers and children being together throughout.

These children and their mothers have no physical wounds, but they carry the consequences of prolonged stress: fear of loud sounds, anxiety, sleep disturbances, and a constant sense of danger. The mothers experience exhaustion, fear, and the heavy weight of responsibility for their children. That is precisely why recovery must happen together, in a shared safe environment.

One story: a mother with two children from an eastern region who has relocated several times due to combat operations. Despite relative safety now, the children have heightened anxiety, fear of loud sounds, and disrupted sleep. The mother is in a state of emotional exhaustion from the constant responsibility and uncertainty about the future.

Another family: a mother with a teenager who, after evacuation, became withdrawn, avoids social interaction, and struggles to adapt to a new environment. The main challenge for this family is rebuilding trust, restoring a sense of safety, and returning to a normal emotional state.

Such stories are typical of the majority of program participants. That is precisely why Ptakha Camp creates a space where families can gradually restore inner stability, trust, live communication, and a sense of groundedness.

The funds raised through this project will cover food, transport, materials for psychological sessions, art therapy, and the organizational support of the program. For these families, this is not simply participation in a camp – it is the chance to reclaim a sense of safety, stability, and life without constant fear.