Young people in Ukraine team up to tackle effects of war

The UPSHIFT Youth Innovation Programme in Ukraine is bringing together its alumni to create new projects that aim to overcome the effects of war in their communities.

So far, 41 teams of motivated and experienced graduates of the programme have met with mentors to start work on their projects. They hope to use their previous experience of UPSHIFT, a global innovations project that works to empower young people and develop their social entrepreneurial skills, to make a difference amid the crisis in Ukraine.

Four months of war in Ukraine has had a devastating impact on children and families, leaving over 7 million people displaced, including nearly two-thirds of the child population. At least 201 children have been killed and 299 have been injured.

As a result, the needs of communities have increased significantly and the UPSHIFT programme hopes to encourage participants to respond.

The UPSHIFT programme is run by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and implemented in more than 40 countries around the world. In Ukraine, the programme has been running since 2018 and, since then, around 1,400 participants have received training and launched more than 100 successful projects.

In the near future, all 41 teams will present their ideas on addressing the urgent humanitarian needs of communities and on providing comprehensive assistance to civilians in the regions most affected by the fighting.

Successful teams will be able to receive funding for their initiatives of up to UAH 75,000. The implementation of the projects will take place over the next three months.

For more information about the programme and UPSHIFT Ukraine news, visit Instagram, Facebook and UPSHIFT website.