Leaders of Change Camp: Empowering Ukrainian Teens Who Lost Parents to War

Goal: $25,400 to fund one full 8-day camp session for 35 teenagers
Cost per child: $725
Target group: Ukrainian teens aged 13–17 who lost a parent due to the war
Location: Carpathian Mountains, Ukraine

Why This Project Is Urgently Needed
Since the start of the full-scale invasion in 2022, tens of thousands of Ukrainian families have lost a mother or father due to war—whether through combat deaths, missile attacks, or captivity. Behind each number is a child forced to grow up too quickly, navigating grief, trauma, and uncertainty.
The Children of Heroes Foundation currently supports over 13,000 children who have lost one or both parents due to the war. Many of them are teenagers silently bearing emotional pain, struggling with isolation, school disengagement, and survivor’s guilt.
Without structured emotional intervention, their trauma can grow into lasting consequences—chronic anxiety, academic failure, or complete withdrawal from social life. Leaders of Change Camp offers these teenagers a safe and supportive environment to process their grief, regain a sense of connection, and begin rebuilding their self-confidence and motivation.

What Is the "Leaders of Change Camp"?
Leaders of Change is a therapeutic, informed leadership camp designed for teens who have lost a parent due to war. It's a space where they can process grief, reconnect with peers, and begin to rebuild their identity and confidence.
The program takes place in the Carpathian Mountains and is delivered over 8 days. Each camp session hosts 35 teens carefully selected based on psychological need and readiness. Activities are conducted by licensed psychologists, youth mentors, and trauma-trained facilitators.

What the Camp Includes?
The curriculum blends mental health support with personal development and leadership. Key elements:
- Leadership and teamwork workshops
- Nature-based healing (hiking, ecology, mindfulness)
- Sound therapy, art, and movement sessions
- Conflict resolution, communication, and storytelling circles
- Peer bonding and post-camp follow-up projects
This is not a summer vacation. It’s an emotional reset for teenagers trying to make sense of a broken world—and their place in it.

What is Your Donation Supports?
Funding one full camp session includes:
- Travel, lodging, meals for 35 participants
- Salaries for therapists, facilitators, and support staff
- Camp venue rental and insurance
- Therapeutic materials and activity supplies
- Psychological pre-screening and post-camp integration support
Total fundraising goal: $25,400
Average cost per child: $725
All logistics are managed by the Children of Heroes Foundation in partnership with certified psychological centers and licensed camp operators.

Measurable Impact
Campers leave with:
- Reduced symptoms of anxiety and isolation
- Renewed motivation for school and learning
- Strong peer support and new friendships
- Increased resilience and leadership potential
- Action plans for community or school-based projects
Post-camp assessments and mentor check-ins help ensure long-term outcomes and connection.

Why It Works?
- Fully trauma-informed and built by experts in adolescent grief
- Structured environment with clear goals and safe boundaries
- Holistic recovery approach: emotional, social, and educational
- Proven positive outcomes from past camp sessions
- Integrated with the Foundation’s long-term child support ecosystem

Your Impact in Real Terms:
$725 = full camp journey for 1 child
$1,450 = 2 children
$5,075 = 1 full team group (7 teens)
$25,400 = full camp for 35 teens
Any amount = contributes to meals, therapy, or learning tools
Every dollar turns grief into growth. Your support builds leaders, not just survivors.

Help Us Create a Generation of Resilient Leaders!
With your help, we can offer 35 teenagers the life-changing experience of healing, purpose, and peer support.
Donate via Benevity today and help Ukrainian teens transform loss into leadership.

Contact us: info@childrenheroes.org
Learn more: childrenheroes.org

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