Ukraine needs help in its fourth winter of war

Mies katsoo Ukrainassa ohjusiskussa tuhoutuneen luokkahuoneen kattoa.
Principal Tamara Mykolaivna Yemelianenko surveys the damage caused by Russian military operations to the school building of Bohodukhiv Lyceum No. 2. Located in the Kharkiv region, just 18 kilometers from the Russian border, the lyceum suffered damage in March 2025. Its students are continuing their studies mainly remotely due to the war. PHOTO: Antti Yrjönen / FCA

Finn Church Aid has supported 118,566 Ukrainians in the midst of war since 2022. Ukrainian children and young people still need unwavering support to see them through their darkest hours. 

On February 24th, Ukrainians will mark an anniversary that no one wanted to see. Russia’s war of aggression began four years ago and continues today. It is crucial to maintain aid and support to Ukraine. 

In 2025, the war in Ukraine claimed the highest number of civilian lives since 2022. This winter, Ukrainian have had to cope with extensive power cuts and an energy crisis amid Russia’s intensified missile and drone strikes.
 
Cities have set up tents and used generators to provide their residents with opportunities to heat their homes and charge their electronic devices. However, the destruction is enormous and its effects will extend far beyond emergency aid into the future. In addition to homes and infrastructure, Russian bombing has destroyed hundreds of schools. Last year alone, the war destroyed 340 educational institutions in Ukraine. 
 
Finn Church Aid (FCA) supports Ukrainians evacuated from cities on the front lines of the war with temporary accommodation, for example, with blankets, generators, and hygiene supplies. FCA has directed its support mainly to the Chernihiv, Dnipro, and Kharkiv regions. Earlier this year, FCA also launched a joint fundraising campaign with the Ukrainian Embassy in Finland to support Ukrainian civilians. 

This is the harshest and most difficult winter Ukraine has experienced since the full-scale invasion began,” says FCA’s Country Director in Ukraine, Patricia Maruschak.

“Unfortunately, the needs are constantly growing. We are doing everything we can to make the conditions for Ukrainians more bearable,” Maruschak says.

Ohjus on iskenyt kerrostaloon Ukrainassa. Kerrostalon ehjäksi jääneet ikkunat on suojattu vanerilevyillä.
Adults working with children also live in dangerous conditions. A Russian missile struck this apartment building in the Saltivka district of Kharkiv in November, just a few hundred meters from the house where one of Finn Church Aid’s psychologists lives. Three people were killed and 30 wounded in the attack. PHOTO: Antti Yrjönen / FCA

FCA works with education and mental health support 

FCA has been working to help Ukrainians since the first week of the war. The country office was established in Ukraine in the same year. In recent years, aid has focused particularly on supporting the schooling of children and young people. The Ukraine country office is currently one of FCA’s largest country offices worldwide. 

Since the country office was established, FCA has helped a total of 118,566 Ukrainians to the end of 2025.
 
Amongst other activities, FCA equips and builds bomb shelters for schools, repairs schools and organises psychosocial support training for teachers.
 
War significantly increases the risk of mental health problems, and children in particular need support to deal with their trauma and believe in the future. Last year, an independent evaluation showed that children, parents and teachers benefit significantly from the support provided by FCA in the midst of the crisis. The evaluation highlighted that more support is needed, especially in rural areas, and that more psychologists are needed. Ensuring the continuity of children’s schooling and long-term support were also identified as important areas for further support.
 
FCA’s Executive Director Tomi Järvinen points out that the large-scale relief work is thanks to the support of donors.
 
“The situation in Ukraine is now extremely difficult. We are very grateful that, despite the protracted war, Finns have continued their support. This has enabled children and young people to attend school, receive support in dealing with trauma, and have the presence of safe adults in a turbulent environment. Together, we have been able to main hope and ensure that children’s right to attend school and build a future is realised as well as is possible,” says Järvinen.

Olena Mykhailivna Loboda is a mathematics teacher in Chernihiv, Ukraine. She has to teach her students remotely via computer, as it is often too dangerous to come to school. PHOTO: Antti Yrjönen / FCA

Examples of FCA’s work in Ukraine

Since 2022, 109,805 children and 8,761 teachers in Ukraine have benefited from the work of Finn Church Aid. We have repaired 45 schools (with a total of 22,521 students), repaired and/or equipped 132 bomb shelters (benefiting a total of 29,868 students). 
 
A total of 7,805 children and young people and 5,862 teachers have participated in FCA’s psychosocial support programmes. We have also trained 2,910 teachers in psychosocial support skills.

A total of 9,641 children and young people in Ukraine have participated in summer clubs organised with FCA’s support. 4,970 people have benefited from 34 digital learning spaces, and 920 students have been able to use 15 different temporary learning spaces.

Photos for media use

Further information and interview requests

Executive Director Tomi Järvinen, tomi.jarvinen@kua.fi

Head of Communications Erik Nyström, erik.nystrom@kua.fi

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