Estonia opens two foster family homes in Ukraine

Two group homes for foster families funded by Estonia were officially opened on Tuesday in Ukraine (January 14) by Minister of Foreign Affairs Margus Tsahkna (Eesti 200) and Ukrainain First Lady Olena Zelenska.
Estonia has partnered with the Olena Zelenska Foundation to build homes for large forster families who lost their homes during Russia's fullscale invasion.
At least 80 foster family homes have been affected by the war, with 40 families in critical need of new housing, the foundation says.
Estonia issued the design procurements while the foundation managed the land acquisition, found the families and handled the legal aspects of transferring the homes to their new owners.
The new homes facilities are situated in Zhytomyr, an area Estonia has committed to help rebuild. A similar facility was opened last summer.

Zelenska said Estonia is the first international partner to independently scale the foundation's "Room for Childhood" project in Ukraine.
"We are sincerely grateful to our Estonian partners for their support and for advancing such an important initiative," she said on Tuesday.
In total, three group homes for large foster families and two bomb shelters will be constructed. The project cost €1.97 million and shows off the best practices in Estonian spatial design and family house construction.
It also aims to support Ukraine as it aligns its national social welfare system with European standards, the Estonian Center for International Development (ESTDEV) said in a statement.
Tsahkna said Russia's war of aggression has caused immeasurable suffering to thousands of children, many of whom have lost homes, families and loved ones.

"The two family homes handed keys today will allow more than 10 children to continue their childhood in the safe warmth of home," said Tsahkna. "In order to bring the war to a victorious end, it is necessary for Ukrainians to maintain hope for a better and safer future. Supporting the reconstruction of Ukraine will undoubtedly provide this much-needed hope."
The first home was given to Ruslana, an art teacher, and her family of six. The family's eldest daughter, Kateryna, is pursuing a degree in social work. The other children are Makar (9), Lidiia (11), Taisiia (12) and Stanislav (14). Ruslana began taking in foster children four years ago. However, her house was on the front line, so the family was forced to move to temporary housing in Zhytomyr when the war broke out.
Oksana and Serhii will live in the second home with their seven children: Mykhailo (19), Hanna (17), Khrystyna (14), Valentyna (12), Daria (15), Oleksandra (13), and their biological son, Serhii (19). Oksana and Serhii have been foster parents for over ten years and took in two more girls last year. When the war broke out, their home in the Kherson Region was completely destroyed, and they moved to a dormitory for internally displaced persons.

"Moving into permanent housing allows these children to settle into a safe, stable living environment," ESTDEV said in a statement.
ESTDEV Executive Director Klen Jäärats said the agency will continue its cooperation with the Zhytomyr region and the Olena Zelenska Foundation this year.
All foster parents living in the homes built by Estonia have undergone training in Estonia focused on raising children with trauma. Child protection and social welfare experts in Ukrainian local governments have also completed study tours to Estonia.
Additionally, ESTDEV supported summer camps in Estonia for children with war trauma, organized by the Olena Zelenska Foundation, with a €100,000 contribution.
Today, Estonia opened 2️⃣ family-style group homes in Zhytomyr, Ukraine, offering displaced foster families a safe place to heal. The third house will be completed in the coming months.
— ESTDEV #StandWithUkraine (@ESTDEVestonia) January 14, 2025
These homes, backed by a €1.97M investment and the @Zelenska_FND, provide hope and… pic.twitter.com/PMuIitDiRH
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Editor: Helen Wright