Automatically translated version. May contain inaccuracies compared to the original.
Public Association "Mercy and Health" presented a new direction of systemic support for the children of Ukraine's defenders — STEM education programs that they plan to scale to different regions of the country.
What is STEM education STEM education combines natural sciences, technology, engineering, and mathematics with practical work — programming, robotics, and creating one’s own technical projects. Read also: Summer without worries: children of Ukraine’s Heroes underwent rehabilitation in the Carpathians The first educational project is already operating in Kyiv, where STEM programs have covered more than 100 children. The next step is to develop such programs in other cities and regions of Ukraine. An important priority A special priority of the program is for the children of the fallen defenders, as well as service members who are missing or are in captivity. The director of the NGO "Mercy and Health" Kateryna Bogadelniskova emphasized that such children need not episodic help but long-term support during maturation, education, and career choice. "Help for these children should be systemic; it should not be pointwise or episodic. That is why we created the project "Summer without War", and now we are creating an educational project. We believe the most important thing we can give our children is to support their health and provide them with quality education. Because our children are the future of our country," said Kateryna Bogadelniskova. According to her, the loss of one parent for a child means the loss of an important support. Therefore the organization's task is not only to help cope with the consequences of the war but also to create opportunities for the child’s development during growing up, study, and choosing a profession. A special emphasis of the program A separate emphasis in the new program is placed on engineering-technology education. Children get the opportunity to engage in programming and robotics, work with technologies, create their own projects, and also communicate with peers and receive mentorship support. "Considering the speed at which the engineering-technology potential of our country is developing, by opening such schools we can invest in it, training future specialists for this field. By supporting the children of our Heroes, we continue what they fought for — the future of Ukraine," said Bogadelniskova. The organization plans to involve Ukrainian business in developing the program. Companies can help equip new STEM spaces and laboratories, provide premises, fund teachers and children’s education, and join career guidance and practical programs. From recovery to education The NGO "Mercy and Health" operates in two main directions: physical and psychological rehabilitation of current service members and veterans, and systemic support for children of fallen defenders of Ukraine, as well as children of service members who are missing or held in captivity. The new educational direction is to continue this support model: from rest and recovery to systemic education, career guidance, and support on the path to a future profession. During the forum, the contribution of Yevhenii Yerin, CEO of the participating company NAUDI "Ukrainian Armored Vehicle" Vladyslav Belbas, was also noted for supporting the children’s programs of NGO "Mercy and Health". The award was presented to him by Yevhenii Yerin. Belbas noted that the company financially supports the NGO’s work, while the development and implementation of programs is handled by the NGO team. "For what they do, we support it financially, but we do not implement it physically. All organizational matters are handled by the foundation, so I would like to express gratitude to Kateryna for her work, which they do with an open heart," said Vladyslav Belbas. According to him, "Ukrainian Armored Vehicle" also helps the military, provides equipment, and participates in charitable and donor initiatives. At the same time, the company aims for the support of defenders’ children to become an example for other players in the defense industry. "We are trying to create a precedent, to attract other companies. To companies that work with weapons, we would like to show a good example," said Belbas. The NGO "Mercy and Health" calls on Ukrainian business to join the development of the new educational direction — from equipping STEM spaces and supporting teachers to creating practical and career-guidance programs for children. The goal is to gradually make high-quality STEM education accessible to the children of defenders in various regions of Ukraine.
Recall that one of the organization’s largest children's projects is "Summer without War". Over four years, the program for recreation and recovery has covered more than 6 thousand children, of whom more than 1,5 thousand were during the summer of 2026 year.
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