BGV Charity Fund, in cooperation with the German non-profit organization #WeAreAllUkrainians, implemented a regional humanitarian response project in Ukraine. The charitable initiative aimed to provide 1,200 children among internally displaced persons (IDPs) from socially vulnerable groups, who were starting first grade in in-person schooling, with backpacks containing all the necessary school supplies.

All backpacks were shipped by BGV at its own expense to families via its logistics partner, Nova Poshta. Other project partners included Hanseatic Help, ROZETKA, Lamy, SAP, Edding Deutschland, abcPremium, and others.

The organizational activities of the BGV Charity Fund within the project were supported by the Secretariat of the Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights. The regional representatives of the Ombudsman’s Office and local social services helped identify families with children who met the project’s criteria and were in need of such assistance. Staff from the regional offices of the Ombudsman’s Office also assisted families in registering and submitting applications to participate in the project.

Who could receive a backpack?
Assistance was provided to children among IDPs who started first grade in in-person schooling in 2024, as well as to children with special educational needs and children from families in difficult life circumstances who were under social support, including:

• children with disabilities;

• children from large families;

• children from low-income families;

• orphans;

• children deprived of parental care.

Where was the project implemented?
The project was initially implemented in Zhytomyr, Kirovohrad, Mykolaiv, Odesa, Poltava, Rivne, Khmelnytskyi, Cherkasy, and Vinnytsia regions. Parents could apply through one of the regional offices of the Ombudsman’s Office in these regions. Later, the project was expanded to cover the entire territory of Ukraine, except for temporarily occupied territories. An additional registration option was introduced via the Fund’s website.

What did the backpacks contain?
A total of 1,200 backpacks with school supplies were distributed: pens, notebooks, pencils, markers, a pencil case, a lunchbox, and more.

Required documents included:

• the child’s IDP certificate;

• a certificate of enrollment in first grade at a school in one of the above-mentioned regions;

• a certificate confirming inclusion in one of the listed socially vulnerable categories.

Project impact:
1,200 backpacks were delivered to 490 settlements in 23 regions of Ukraine.
528 boys and 672 girls starting first grade in 944 educational institutions participated in the project.

Recipients by category:
1% – orphans;
4% – children deprived of parental care;
14% – children with disabilities;
21% – children from low-income families;
60% – children from large families.

The BGV Charity Fund thanks the donors and partners for their joint efforts and for providing such timely and vital assistance to young Ukrainians!