Adapted Story from the Field. Special Contribution by UNICEF Ukraine (Original).

Milena and Varia both have wild blonde curls, tamed in ponytails at the back of their heads. Their brown eyes convey identical expressions: thoughtful and observant of their surroundings. Today, the only noticeable difference between the twins is that one wears a green shirt, and the other, an orange one.

At three years old, Milena and Varia’s entire lives, to date, have been set against the backdrop of war. As a result, caution and fear are all too familiar feelings for the young sisters.

Sitting in a bright makeshift kindergarten in Dnipro, Ukraine – nearly 370 km from their home in Kherson – they are able to forget the outside world for two hours and simply color, do crafts and learn about animals with children their own age.

The newly established classes for young children, located in a basement room, were set up by UNICEF and Caritas Ukraine with funding from Education Cannot Wait (ECW), the global fund for education in emergencies and protracted crises within the United Nations. These biweekly two-hour classes, which prioritize socio-emotional learning, and mental health and psychosocial support for children, are facilitated by trained educators and psychologists, guiding children to develop essential skills.

The classes have become a safety net for families in the crisis-affected city where public kindergartens have been closed and private ones are not affordable.