Olena Zelenska Foundation provides specially adapted minivans to three large foster families in Dnipropetrovsk and Kharkiv regions

The Olena Zelenska Foundation has provided three specially adapted minivans to large foster families in the Dnipropetrovsk and Kharkiv regions. The vehicles were delivered as part of the Foundation’s initiative to support family-based care, in partnership with the Lithuanian International Partnerships Center (CPVA), with funding from Lithuania.

Juozas Olekas, Speaker of the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania, joined the Foundation’s team in visiting the families and handing over the keys to their new vehicles.

For large foster families, having their own vehicle is essential to meeting children’s everyday needs — from medical appointments and rehabilitation sessions to attending school and extracurricular activities. In regions close to the front line, reliable transportation also allows families to evacuate quickly in an emergency. This is particularly important for families caring for children with disabilities, including those who use wheelchairs.

Among the recipients is the family of Oksana Sobol and Serhii Rybianets from Solone in the Dnipropetrovsk region. The couple is raising ten children, six of whom have disabilities.

Two other minivans were provided to large foster families in the Kharkiv region. Maryna Chaika was forced to leave her hometown of Vovchansk with her children due to shelling. She is now raising six children on her own, including one who uses a wheelchair. Nataliia Kolieva, from the village of Ostrivshchyna, is raising eight children on her own, three of whom require ongoing medical care.

“For large foster families, being able to travel when needed is an essential part of everyday care, especially when raising children with disabilities or living close to the front line. Having their own vehicle gives parents greater independence and helps ensure that children can receive timely medical care, attend school, and take part in activities important for their development. Practical solutions like these help create the conditions for children to grow up in a family,” said Viktoriia Romanova, Director of the Olena Zelenska Foundation.

In total, through its partnership with the Lithuanian International Partnerships Center (CPVA), the Foundation will provide 18 minivans to large foster families in the Dnipropetrovsk, Kharkiv, and Zaporizhzhia regions. Nine of these vehicles will be specially adapted to accommodate children with disabilities.

Supporting family-based care is one of the Olena Zelenska Foundation’s core priorities. Through its Room for Childhood project, the Foundation has already provided new homes to four large foster families in the Dnipropetrovsk region, in Dnipro, Kryvyi Rih, Pidhorodne, and Znamenivka.

The Foundation also implements projects in the region to expand children’s access to education and psychosocial support. Through its Safe School initiative, seven shelters have been established in educational institutions across the region, while approximately 10,000 laptops and tablets have been provided to support remote learning.

Kryvyi Rih is also home to a 12–21 Youth Space, offering young people access to psychosocial support, guidance, and opportunities for personal development. Meanwhile, children undergoing long-term medical treatment can continue their education at School of Superheroes educational centers in Kryvyi Rih and Dnipro.