Youth Volunteers Help Children Catch Up on Learning in Ukraine

When shelling in Kharkiv, Ukraine, forced classes to move online, Sofiia, now 17, learned just how difficult remote learning can be. "It's hard to stay disciplined and actually learn, because you're constantly interrupted: power cuts, the connection drops," she says. "Miss one lesson and at the next you sit there with your head spinning, not understanding what's going on." In 2023, Kharkiv Lyceum launched a learning recovery program with support from UNICEF. Children in grades 3 to 10 could attend math and Ukrainian language classes twice a week in the school's shelter, filling in the gaps created by online learning. Hardworking and ambitious, Sofiia was one of the first to enroll. The joy of returning to in-person classes led Sofiia to launch a volunteer project to help children catch up on learning. Now she and her friends are sharing their knowledge and giving back to younger students in their community. "It's wonderful to see their eyes light up with happiness," she says. "It's great." Subscribe to UNICEF USA's YouTube Channel for the latest updates. To learn more about UNICEF and UNICEF USA, visit: https://www.unicefusa.org Read our stories about UNICEF in action: https://www.unicefusa.org/stories Follow UNICEF USA here: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/unicefusa Twitter: https://twitter.com/UNICEFUSA Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/UNICEF-USA