Over 2.9 million children are in need after three years of the war in Ukraine and 11 years of conflict in the country’s eastern region.
Over the past year, the war in Ukraine has intensified, devastating the lives of 1.5 million children in regions on either side of the frontline. Tragically, more than 2,520 children have been killed or injured, and 1 in 5 children in Ukraine have lost a relative or friend since February 2022.
The war is robbing children and teenagers of their childhood, especially along the frontline, where they have been forced to spend up to 5,000 hours – nearly seven months - sheltering underground. The immense loss and deprivation every child across Ukraine is enduring is deeply affecting their development and wellbeing.
More than ever, UNICEF needs your support today so that we can continue to provide critical lifesaving support while focusing on recovery and long-term development for children and families in need.
Ukraine Crisis
After three years of war, children need you more than ever. Donate to UNICEF's ongoing efforts in Ukraine.
The ongoing war is severely impacting young people during crucial stages of their lives.
After losing his dad in 2023, it has just been 10-year-old Andrii and his mum. “I really don’t like living without Dad,” he says. “But Mum does everything for me, she tries to make sure I’m okay. And I try to support her in return.”
Born in a frontline city in 2014, the year the fighting began, Andrii learned early how to stay safe, especially after the full-scale war started on 24 February 2022.
“It's scary when a shell whistles because that's when you have to drop to the ground quickly. When a drone is coming, you have to run in a zigzag – that way, it has less chance of hitting you,” explains Andrii.
In Andrii’s city, where shelling happens almost daily, each second can make the difference between life and death.
For the past three years, families like Andrii’s have had to live without schools or safe places to play and be with friends. Adolescence is a critical time for growth and development, yet many teenagers in Ukraine face uncertainty and hardship.
The war has triggered an education crisis.
Thousands of schools have been damaged or destroyed, and many students struggle due to displacement, unsafe learning environments, limited access to technology, and the psychological toll of war.
Education is more than acquiring knowledge; it builds resilience, critical skills, and hope for the future. UNICEF is working to ensure every child can continue learning by repairing and improving school shelters, providing essential learning materials, training teachers, offering catch-up classes, and strengthening both in-person and online education. Every child has a right to learn, grow, and build a brighter future.
Ukraine Crisis
After three years of war, children need you more than ever. Donate to UNICEF's ongoing efforts in Ukraine.
How will my donation help support children in Ukraine?
UNICEF and our partners are responding to the needs of the most vulnerable children while building a foundation for long-term recovery for all. Here's how you could help:
- $108 could help provide 18,000 water purification tablets, each able to create up to five litres of clean drinking water.
- $196 can help provide four first aid kits, which could help treat a range of injuries and ailments during emergency situations.
- $340 could help supply two School-in-a-Carton kits, each containing enough learning materials for 40 students and one teacher.
With a smaller monthly donation, you can make an even bigger impact by giving children in places like Ukraine the ongoing support needed to rebuild their futures.
Donate to support Ukraine’s children.
- 80¢on average, 80 cents to every dollar spent for the past three years went directly to helping children in need, including long-term programs, emergency response and community education.
- 20¢on average, 14 cents to every dollar spent for the past three years went to essential fundraising costs that helped us generate more impact for children, 6 cents went to admin costs, such as keeping your personal data safe.
How do we use each dollar donated?
Your gift will support children impacted by this emergency, and crisis around the world. If you choose to donate monthly or should we receive more funds than is needed for this emergency, your gift will support UNICEF's work where the need is greatest. Find out more about our financial management in our annual report.
The war in Ukraine FAQs
The war in Ukraine has resulted in widespread displacement, limited access to basic necessities such as food, water and healthcare, and a significant increase in child poverty. These conditions have had a devastating impact on the lives and wellbeing of children in Ukraine.
UNICEF has been working to provide support to children affected by the conflict in Ukraine since the start of the war and will continue to support them long after the war has ended as the country rebuilds. This includes providing essential supplies such as food, water, and medical aid, as well as supporting programs to help children recover from the trauma of the conflict.
One of the most effective ways to support UNICEF's efforts in Ukraine is by making a donation. Your contribution will help UNICEF provide critical support to children and families affected by the conflict, inside Ukraine and in neighbouring countries.
UNICEF has been in Ukraine since 1997, delivering for children in need. Since the escalation of the war, our teams have strengthened our presence in Ukraine, working alongside our partners to provide urgently needed humanitarian assistance in a constantly changing and volatile situation.
Thanks to our international community’s incredible support and generous donations, we have provided more than 5 million children with continued access to education. Through the online learning systems UNICEF helped set up during the pandemic, millions of children have resumed their studies. We train teachers, run mobile education teams and build child-friendly spaces in underground shelters. And we have helped the millions of children who've fled to neighbouring countries start at new schools with language classes, learning supplies and assistive devices for children with disabilities.
We have provided the children of Ukraine with access to safe water, sanitation and healthcare, even after infrastructure was damaged or destroyed. At the beginning of the war, in partnership with UNHCR, we set up Blue Dots; safe spaces along border crossings that provided children and families with critical services to help them with their onward journey. Our psychosocial services offered essential support to over 2.9 million children and caregivers, and our cash assistance programs helped meet the needs of families with children who are most affected by the war.
Before, during and after emergencies, UNICEF is always there, for every child in need.
The war in Ukraine has profoundly impacted children in the region, including displacement, limited access to basic necessities, increased poverty, and trauma. UNICEF is working to help children recover and overcome these challenges.
Your donation will help UNICEF continue providing critical support to children and families affected by the conflict in Ukraine. This includes delivering essential supplies and supporting programs that allow children to continue their education, have a safe place to live, and recover from trauma. We're also working to provide long-term support to communities.
Looking for other ways to support Ukraine's children?
