By Chloe Fuller

As Kidsave CEO Randi Thompson stepped onto Ukrainian soil again after nearly four years away, she was reminded of how far her organization’s work in Ukraine has come. While life has been extremely difficult in Ukraine over the last 18 months of the war, the Kidsave team has continued its work of helping children without families find love and support and thrive.

Although much of Ukraine is still an active warzone, Randi felt it was important that she make the trip to connect with the team on the ground there who have risked their lives to continue this vital work.

“I felt it was time to go and see for myself the important projects we’ve been working tirelessly to support,” said Randi.

One of these projects is the future Kidsave Miracles Center, now under construction. Located in the mountains of western Ukraine, the plans for the center include a multi-functional campus providing war trauma therapy and training, connection events where orphans can meet and get to know families looking to foster and adopt, and opportunities for internships and events for emancipated orphans and teens.

“I needed to see the vision, scope, and progress made so far,” said Randi. “And now, having seen the Miracles Center and its potential to play an instrumental role in restoring and rebuilding Ukraine, I feel I can better advocate for funding this amazing project.” Kidsave has committed to support half of the construction costs for the $2.5 million project.

Tatiana Stafford, Kidsave’s VP, led the development of Kidsave’s efforts in Ukraine and continues to oversee its work today. For Tatiana, the Kidsave Miracles Center is a dream come true.

Through the Miracles Center, older youth and teens participating in Kidsave’s Corporate Mentoring Program, Pathways to Success will have a safe space where they can host events and activities and meet with their mentors. There will also be opportunities for internships and employment. “The Miracles Center will provide new opportunities for personal and professional growth for the youth participating in the Pathway to Success program by providing them with training, hands-on experience, and job opportunities,” said Tatiana.

One of the unique opportunities the Kidsave Miracles Center will offer is the opportunity to work in one of the center’s several social entrepreneurship projects, the Colyba Cultural Café. The Colyba, which will serve authentic Ukrainian food and be located on campus, will employ young adults who grew up in foster care, orphanages, or institutions. They will gain meaningful

employment experience and contribute a service to the local community. The Colyba will serve another important role at the Kidsave Miracles Center in that all revenue from the cafe will support the Center’s ongoing social programs.

The Kidsave Miracles Center is still under construction, but in addition to the cafe, it is set to feature training, conference and office spaces, modular housing for children and prospective families, a wellness center s, a fishery, a commercial kitchen, and sports, playground and recreation activity areas Additional funding is needed to realize the full vision of the Miracles Center, and sponsorship and naming opportunities are available throughout the campus.

Natalia Kravchuk, the Director of Kidsave’s Office in Ukraine, has been involved with the development of the center from the very beginning, watching it transform from an idea and a plot of land into the beginnings of buildings, play areas, and bright, airy rooms for children to stay when they come to meet prospective families.

“It was inspiring to have Randi here in Ukraine visiting the Kidsave Miracles Center. I am glad she was able to see how the project is progressing day by day, and it is so important for everyone working on the Center to know that we have the full support of Kidsave,” said Nata.

Like all of the Kidsave team, Nata has big dreams for what the Miracles Center will accomplish.

“The Kidsave Miracles Center will be a place where many Ukrainian orphans will find their forever families, where social workers and our NGO partners will receive training on our programs and trauma-informed practices,” said Nata.

The vision for the Miracles Center came from Pavlo and Olena Shulha, the Ukrainian couple who are invaluable partners and true leaders for the Kidsave team. Before the war, Olena ran a successful pilot of Kidsave’s Weekend Miracles program in the Mykolaiv region, and Pavlo served as the President of the National Mentoring Association, the organization implementing Kidsave family placement and mentoring programs in Ukraine. Since the start of the war, Pavlo has also led the volunteer group known as the Angels of Hope, which is responsible for helping evacuate over 31,000 people to safety and delivering more than 2,000 tons of humanitarian aid. Today, Pavlo splits his time between the Angels of Hope, overseeing the construction of the Center, and working to raise funds to support its completion. Olena is the future Director of the Kidsave Miracles Center, and its existence is, in many ways, thanks to her. Even during the war, Olena worked tirelessly to find 150 orphaned children and new Ukrainian families. The land the Center sits on was gifted to Olena to further that work, and it was through her partnership with Kidsave the Kidsave Miracles Center became a possibility.

“We are so happy and grateful to be able to create a safe place that will give hope and loving families to orphans for years to come,” said Olena. “This work would not be possible without the hard work of our team, volunteers, and supporters, and we are so thankful to them all.”

The Kidsave Miracles Center has truly been a labor of love. All work on the site has been done by local Ukrainians, including several youth from Pathway to Success, providing jobs to many who have been without work because of the war. Our team and volunteers have been working alongside the construction crews to ensure the Center will be a safe space where children and youth feel loved and supported.

“I can imagine the light in the children’s eyes when they arrive for the first time at this place of hope, healing, and connections,” said Randi. “My hope for the children in Ukraine is that they have the opportunity to grow up in peace, connected to loving, supportive families. We are all working hard to finish the first phase of the Kidsave Miracles Center so we can open it to children in the next year.”

Learn more about the Kidsave Miracles Center and be part of the rebuilding of Ukraine as an early supporter!