On June 25, 2023, the first group of children from Zhytomyr region headed to a summer camp in Tuksi, Estonia, as part of a joint project of the BGV Charity Fund and its Estonian partners. The project aims to support children of Ukrainian defenders from Zhytomyr region.

During their week at the camp, the children will have an active program: excursions, workshops, games, and meeting Estonian peers. One of the key events is participation in the XIII Youth Song and Dance Festival, where children will learn more about Estonian culture and traditions.

“We are grateful to our partners in Estonia and the BGV Foundation for their continuous support of Zhytomyr region. A lot of work has already been done in various directions. Estonia not only supports the region but is a true friend of Zhytomyr, helping to restore infrastructure facilities destroyed by Russian shelling and regularly delivering humanitarian aid. The BGV Charity Fund is also a reliable partner for the region, with whom in February, the Zhytomyr Regional State Administration signed a memorandum of cooperation to combine efforts in supporting the region during and after the war. The partnership with the Foundation covers many areas, including the supply of humanitarian aid, medical goods, children’s kits, support for the elderly, assistance to military and rescue services, setting up Points of Invincibility, and much more. We feel the support and the stability that is priceless today,” emphasized Olena Gryshchuk, Director of the Department of Social Protection of the Zhytomyr Regional State Administration.

The project was initiated by Tallinn Mayor Mihhail Kõlvart and funded by the Tallinn City Assembly (Tallinna Linnavolikogu). The international logistics and organizational aspects are handled by the team of the BGV Charity Fund.

BGV Charity Fund Director Polina Aldoshina emphasizes the scale of the Foundation’s cooperation with Estonia:

“Our cooperation began at the onset of the full-scale invasion, for which we are very grateful. The Estonian government and the Tallinn city authorities are reliable partners who help Zhytomyr and the country as a whole in various ways: through humanitarian aid and financial support for our initiatives. It is wonderful that the children of Ukrainian defenders can spend time at a summer camp abroad after a difficult school year that was accompanied by air raids and shelters. Moreover, most summer camps in Ukraine are unfortunately closed due to security concerns. We currently have several large joint projects with our Estonian partners, including a program for free prosthetics and rehabilitation of Ukrainians who lost limbs in the war. In the future, we plan to implement more projects for medical rehabilitation and psychological support for both soldiers and children.”