In October 2024, my son and I will embark on a 200km paddle over 6 days and 5 nights along the Murrumbidgee River in NSW as part of Paddle for the Children of Ukraine, raising funds to support UNICEF’s efforts for children and families in Ukraine.

By making a donation, you’ll be helping UNICEF provide access ro essential services, including water and sanitation, immunization and healthcare, schooling and learning, psychosocial support and emergency cash assistance for up to 7.5 million children.

Thank you in advance for your support.

More than two years of destruction and displacement, violence, separation from family members and friends, as well as disrupted schooling, health care and social services, have led to a mental health crisis and a learning crisis among Ukraine’s children. 

Despite their resilience, for many children inside and outside Ukraine the war has wiped out two years of schooling, playtime with friends, and moments spent with loved ones, robbing them of their education and happiness, wreaking havoc on their mental state. 

UNICEF was in Ukraine before the war escalated and has since increased its reach, staying to deliver for children. We stand with the children of Ukraine and will continue working with partners to support them through the war and beyond.  

Ukraine’s children are paying an extraordinary price in lives lost and upended. The war has resulted in death, injuries and mass displacement, with millions of people forced to flee their homes. Some children have fled alone, increasing their exposure to abuse, sexual exploitation, and human trafficking. Children are being robbed of their childhoods, of time with friends and family, of a peaceful life. They bear invisible scars and trauma that may take a lifetime to heal.

The war has caused significant damage to vital infrastructure, severely impacting access to electricity, heating, water and telecommunications. Families’ incomes and access to services have been decimated. Pre-schools, primary and secondary schools have been damaged or destroyed by bombing and shelling, disrupting the education of Ukraine’s children, with potentially lifelong consequences. The upheaval of war has created a particularly challenging situation for displaced children, those living in institutions, and children with disabilities.

Source: https://www.unicef.org/emergencies/war-ukraine-pose-immediate-threat-children