Bringing Back Childhood: How Children from Frontline Areas Find Support and Peace in Caritas-Spes CFSs

As of the end of 2024, around one million children were registered among internally displaced persons. These are small brave hearts who know the horrors of war all too well, so we want to give them at least a little bit of happy childhood memories.

In 2024, when life in Zaporizhzhia became unbearable under constant shelling, Alina (name changed for ethical reasons) evacuated with her family to Kamianets-Podilskyi. She and her husband, both teachers of social sciences, found remote work, which helped them adapt a little more easily to their new surroundings.

At the beginning of summer, when the school year ended, Alina took her young daughters to the Caritas-Spes CFS. They participated in various activities, including improving their speech skills with a speech therapist.

Due to the stress they had experienced, the older daughter had sleeping issues and began seeing a psychologist. “She sleeps poorly and has nightmares. After the sessions with the psychologist, things got better, and the nightmares stopped. Now, I rarely notice her having restless sleep. She really enjoyed working with the psychologist, and I am personally very pleased with the results. Visiting the psychologist helps me too; honestly, it’s been a salvation for me. Working with him provides significant support. It helps develop values of goodness and a positive attitude towards the world in general,” Alina shares her observations.

The daughters also love the activities in the space and always attend with pleasure. We thank our partners from Caritas Österreich, NACHBAR IN NOT, Caritas Schweiz, and Caritas Zagrebacke Nadbiskupije for the opportunity to provide children who face the challenges of war daily with a safe space for development and a happy childhood.