Creating Safe Spaces for children in Zaporizhzhia

A few weeks ago, we announced that the local “YES” NGO would implement a new project in Zaporizhzhia. Called “Safe Space for Children in a Dangerous Time,” this project aims to help working parents with care and safe leisure for children.

This week, the project team met with stakeholders to discuss the first steps of cooperation to create such spaces. The meeting involved officials from Zaporizhzhia City Council, specialists of the City Development Institute of Zaporizhzhia and Children’s Hospital No. 5, as well as managers of charitable organizations “Posmishka UA” and “Caritas Zaporizhzhia.”

The partners exchanged their views on how safe children’s spaces would work at the premises of the children’s hospital, how to arrange them and recruit personnel. Another subject for consideration was the sustainability of the project, specifically who would support the work of spaces after the project’s completion.

For now, it is agreed that “Caritas Zaporizhzhia” and “Posmishka UA” would help to organize different activities for children in the Safe Spaces. The administration of the hospital and city authorities will also provide the necessary support to ensure the project’s success and further work of Safe Spaces.

The project “Safe Space for Children in a Dangerous Time” is implemented as part of the GIZ Project “Strengthening resources for the sustainable development of host communities in Eastern Ukraine”.