Initiative commenced for constructing eco-friendly dwellings for defenseless kids in Ukraine
In the face of the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, SOS Children's Villages Denmark has announced a new initiative, the Children's Living Project, to provide sustainable homes for children without parental care. The project is part of the global SOS Children's Villages organisation, the largest NGO dedicated to supporting children without parental care and families at risk.
The Children's Living Project aims to address the high rate of children living without a stable home in Ukraine, a problem that was already one of the most significant in Europe before the war. The project will see a cluster of buildings created in three different locations across Ukraine, each featuring homes for foster families, shared recreational and social spaces, and social centres providing mental health support.
The VELUX Group, a partner of the Children's Living Project, is contributing to the scheme to secure a more promising future for children without parental care in Ukraine. The company's Living Places concept emphasises building healthy homes with a low carbon footprint, ensuring the new establishments will not only provide a safe space for children but also have a positive impact on the environment.
Lars Petersson, CEO of the VELUX Group, hopes that the Children's Living Project will inspire others to take action, both in terms of supporting the rebuilding of Ukraine and transforming the building industry. He believes that the project's goal, to inspire better ways of caring for children without parental care and help move toward de-institutionalization, will resonate with other organisations and authorities.
SOS Children's Villages Denmark's priority is to ensure children around the world have their needs and rights met to enable them to grow up in a caring home, thrive, and become their strongest selves. In addition to the Children's Living Project, the organisation is also engaged in the Ukraine Humanitarian Response Plan, providing critical support to vulnerable children and families impacted by the conflict.
Their efforts include providing care and protection for children separated from their families or at risk of losing parental care due to the war, supporting displaced children and families, helping keep families together, and offering alternative care where family reunification is not possible. They also offer access to healthcare, education, nutrition, and psychosocial support to children affected by the war.
Furthermore, SOS Children’s Villages amplifies children's voices through international campaigns like “Stomping for Peace,” empowering children to demand safety, peace, and protection from violence, which is especially relevant for children living through conflicts such as Ukraine’s.
In summary, SOS Children’s Villages Denmark, as part of the larger network, helps children in Ukraine by ensuring they receive care, protection, and support during displacement caused by the war, advocating for their rights, and working to prevent family separation. This support is crucial in addressing the immediate and long-term impacts of the conflict on children’s wellbeing.
References: [1] SOS Children's Villages International. (n.d.). Who we are. Retrieved from https://www.sos-kinderdorp-international.org/who-we-are/ [2] SOS Children's Villages International. (2021). Stomping for Peace. Retrieved from https://www.sos-kinderdorp-international.org/stomping-for-peace/ [3] SOS Children's Villages Ukraine. (2022). Ukraine Humanitarian Response Plan. Retrieved from https://www.sos-ukraine.org/en/ukraine-humanitarian-response-plan/ [4] SOS Children's Villages Denmark. (n.d.). About SOS Children's Villages Denmark. Retrieved from https://www.sosbørnebyerne.dk/om-os/ [5] SOS Children's Villages Ukraine. (2022). Our Work. Retrieved from https://www.sos-ukraine.org/en/our-work/
- The VELUX Group's contribution to the Children's Living Project, a sustainable homes initiative in Ukraine by SOS Children's Villages Denmark, will not only offer a promising future for children without parental care, but also promote home-and-garden solutions with a low carbon footprint, aligning with the company's Living Places concept.
- SOS Children's Villages Denmark's work in Ukraine goes beyond the Children's Living Project, as they also engage in the Ukraine Humanitarian Response Plan, aiming to provide essential services like healthcare, education, and psychosocial support for children affected by war-and-conflicts, while advocating for children's rights in general-news.
- Amidst the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, SOS Children’s Villages Denmark amplifies the voices of children, not only by providing care, protection, and support during displacement, but also empowering them through international campaigns like “Stomping for Peace,” encouraging children to demand safety, peace, and protection from violence, influencing lifestyle changes and politics in the process.
