How Art is Healing Kyiv’s Children

A few days ago, I had the privilege of visiting a very special place in Kyiv, Ukraine—a children’s art school that offers free lessons to young people affected by war. This school is much more than a classroom. It’s a sanctuary where children can paint, draw, sculpt, and express themselves freely. It’s a space where they can be children again.

When I arrived, I was greeted by the school’s director, teachers, and students with warmth and openness. Inside, the rooms were bright and alive with creativity. Paintings of fantastical creatures—dragons, mermaids—hung alongside delicate studies of flowers and landscapes. There was joy in these works, and courage too.

Thanks to your generous donations, I was able to collect funds and purchase much-needed art supplies—paints, brushes, pencils, and sketchbooks. I made several shipments over the past months, but this visit was the first time I saw the children using them. It was deeply moving to witness how these simple tools became a means of expression, hope, and even healing.

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One girl was carefully coloring a magical scene filled with swirling stars and bright yellow moons. Nearby, other students sketched and painted buildings they remembered, scenes from home, and places they longed to visit again. In their hands, art became a way to make sense of their experiences and to imagine a brighter future.

What struck me most was how they transformed objects of destruction into vessels of beauty. In one classroom, I saw a military shell casing, once a symbol of violence, now turned into a canvas. Painted on its surface were delicate yellow irises and blue flowers—an act of reclaiming, of hope. Another shell depicted the face of Sergei Parajanov, the legendary Soviet-era artist and filmmaker.

Parajanov suffered greatly for his art. His visionary work, which defied Soviet censorship and conformity, led to his imprisonment and persecution. Yet he never stopped creating, never stopped believing in the transformative power of beauty. To see his image here, painted by children who themselves are living through hardship, felt profoundly moving. It was a tribute not only to Parajanov’s courage but also to the enduring spirit of these young artists.

Everywhere I looked, there was life, energy, and a determination to reclaim joy. Some paintings depicted familiar places—golden fields, Kyiv’s churches, and peaceful streets. Others captured memories of times before the war or dreams of a future filled with light.

The fundraiser for the school continues. If you’d like to support this work, your donation—no matter how small—makes a direct impact. Together, we can continue to provide these children with the materials and space they need to create, heal, and thrive.

To Donate in USD. To Donate in EUR.

Art restores. In times of darkness, it becomes a light.

With love and gratitude from Ukraine, Victoria