A new family-type children’s home has been established in Lviv, providing a true home and a mother for five children, three of whom were evacuated from the Dnipro region.
The family’s journey to Lviv was a difficult one: evacuation to Turkey following the full-scale invasion, a long stay in the Zakarpattia region, and finally, a move to the city that has now become their home. Today, the children are being raised in a family environment rather than within the walls of an institution. Their family is led by Maryna, an educator who previously cared for them in the institution and has now become their mother.
The creation of this family-type home is the result of a collaboration between Ridni Foundation, the Lviv City Council, and the Lviv Children’s Service, with the support of UNICEF.
“Our task, along with our partners, was not just to help the children return to Ukraine, but to ensure they could live here in a family environment. Today, we have an incredible result – all the children have been placed in families. And one of these families was created just now. A wonderful educator, who previously cared for them in the institution, has now become their mother. This is a victory of love over the system,” – Mariana Romaniak, CEO of Ridni Foundation.
Five children aged 4 to 17 live in the new home. All of them have disabilities, including Down syndrome and developmental delays; however, within the family circle, each child has already found space for self-realization. A special workshop has been set up in the house where the children draw, make clay crafts, and create art. 17-year-old Sofiia enjoys beadwork and helps her mother with household chores, while Sashko dreams of becoming a chef and is already preparing pizza and burgers with the family. 12-year-old Viktoriia proudly shows off her own room, filled with toys and a sense of complete safety.
“I lived with these children before, and they had already become like my own. I truly wanted us to be a big family, to give them something more than what they had in institutions. Now, we are doing everything possible for their socialization: we are helping Sofiia choose her future profession, and the children are working with a speech therapist, a psychologist, and social workers. The support from the city and the foundations is deeply felt,” – Maryna, the foster mother.
Every child in the family is provided with professional systemic support, including a personal assistant to help with studies and accompany them to school and extracurricular activities. This approach aims to guarantee the stability of their upbringing and prevent the children from returning to institutional care in the future.
“The most important thing is here – love. These children have a mother, and no institution can replace that. Such an atmosphere is made possible through the joint efforts of the City Council, Ridni Foundation – with whom we have a long-standing partnership and UNICEF, which supports such initiatives,” – Andriy Sadovyi, Mayor of Lviv.
Today, these children live in an environment defined by daily care, creativity, and, most importantly, the feeling of a true home. Ridni Foundation continues its work to ensure that family-based care becomes a reality for every child in Ukraine.
Photos by Roman Baluk
