Supporting Children in Ukraine
Healing, Resilience, and Hope
Ukraine’s children will inherit the country that emerges from this war. Yet the effects of displacement, loss, disrupted education, family separation, uncertainty, and chronic stress threaten the well-being and development of an entire generation. In February 2026, UNICEF estimated that more than 2.5 million Ukrainian children remained displaced, including more than 791,000 within Ukraine.
These challenges are tangible in Vinnytsia, which hosts displaced families and children affected by conflict. In April 2025, two dedicated spaces for psychosocial assistance to war-affected children and their caregivers opened in the city with OSCE support.[2] Such initiatives underscore the importance of safe environments, professional mental health care, play, friendship, and opportunities simply to experience childhood.
The Sister City partnership already has concrete examples of this commitment. A central pillar of IITS is the training of Ukrainian clinicians and graduate students to support children and their families. Rotary clubs and international partners supported a therapeutic playground at Vinnytsia Regional Children’s Clinical Hospital for children receiving psychiatric care; it opened in October 2026. The partnership also helped children from Vinnytsia attend Dreamland Summer Camp in the Carpathian Mountains, offering respite, recreation, friendships, and renewed hope. A twice weekly set of “resilience calls” with students of Vinntysia brings them a deep connection with Boulder and special guests where the students feel seen and heard at a profound level.
Building on these efforts, future collaboration could strengthen trauma-informed care, therapeutic play, youth recreation, opportunities for creative expression, and supportive connections between children and families in Boulder and Vinnytsia. Supporting children is both an immediate humanitarian responsibility and a long-term investment in Ukraine’s human potential.
A journey toward healing, friendship, and hope! Children from Vinnytsia, Ukraine, arrive at Camp Dreamland in the Carpathian Mountains in summer 2026. Joining them is Michael Brady, a board member of both the Boulder–Vinnytsia Sister City Foundation and Frontier Horizon, whose partnership helped make this restorative camp experience possible for 40 children.
Building Hope Through Play: A New Playground for Vinnytsia's Children
Every child deserves a safe place to play, explore, and experience the joy of childhood. Through the Boulder–Vinnytsia Sister City partnership, Rotary clubs and community leaders in Boulder, Vinnytsia, and the Netherlands joined forces to create a therapeutic playground for children affected by war.
Spearheaded by Sister City Board member Michael Brady and Boulder Rotarian Bill Meyer, the project demonstrates the power of international collaboration to support children's well-being, encourage healing, and strengthen community connections.
More than a place to play, this initiative represents a lasting investment in the resilience, happiness, and future of Vinnytsia's children.
Camp Dreamland: A Summer of Healing, Friendship & Hope
In the summer of 2026, the Boulder–Vinnytsia Sister City Foundation partnered with Frontier Horizon to provide 40 children from Vinnytsia with the opportunity to attend Camp Dreamland, a restorative summer camp nestled in Ukraine's Carpathian Mountains.
For children growing up amid the uncertainty and emotional toll of war, Camp Dreamland offers a much-needed opportunity to simply be children. Through outdoor adventures, creative activities, meaningful friendships, and moments of joy, campers experienced a supportive environment where they could reconnect with the wonder and freedom of childhood.
More than a summer getaway, Camp Dreamland provided opportunities for emotional healing, resilience, and renewed hope. This collaboration reflects the power of the Sister City partnership to turn compassion into meaningful action—connecting organizations and communities to make a tangible difference in the lives of Ukrainian children.
Together, we're helping create brighter childhood memories and a more hopeful future.
The future site of a therapeutic playground in Vinnytsia, Ukraine, before construction began. Through international collaboration and community support, this space will be transformed into a welcoming place for children to play, connect, and heal.
Foundation News
Every Child Deserves the Chance to Thrive
For children affected by war, moments of safety, friendship, play, and connection can make a meaningful difference. From trauma-healing initiatives to therapeutic play and summer camp experiences, our Sister City partnership is helping create opportunities for children to heal, grow, and rediscover the joy of childhood.
Together, we can help nurture the next generation of Ukraine's future.