For children growing up in a country at war, a few days of safety and joy are anything but ordinary. To them, they mean a great deal.

From June 28 to July 2, 2026, 20 children took part in a psychosocial recovery camp in Batyovo, Zakarpattia. For five days, the camp provided a safe space where they could relax, make new friends, work together, and simply enjoy being children.

Some of the participants came from Marhanets, a frontline community in the Dnipropetrovsk region, where air-raid sirens, shelling, and constant uncertainty are part of everyday life. Others came from the Batyovo community, many of them from families deeply affected by the war, including those of veterans, active service members, fallen defenders, and internally displaced people.

The camp was organized by VESTED together with our partner Tabula Rasa for the Future Generation. Science4People made the children’s participation possible by arranging and funding their travel, accommodation, and meals throughout the camp.

The program combined psychosocial support with creative workshops, outdoor activities, STEM experiments, team challenges, and excursions into nature. The children painted, made slime, played games, visited a lake, explored the geology of the Carpathians, and took part in exercises designed to strengthen trust, emotional awareness, and self-confidence.

What the children took home

What stayed with them most was the sense of community:

“What was special about this camp were the people and the team. We always worked together. Even when we did not know each other well at first, we tried to do our best as a team.”

Another child remembered the shared activities most fondly:

“My favorite moments were working in a team, making slime, painting, and going to the lake.”

Voices from the parents

The feedback from parents was equally moving:

“Our children came home with sparkling eyes and so many positive emotions. […] You gave them a real little summer celebration.”

Another parent wrote:

“My daughter was delighted and kept asking, ‘Why was it so short?’ The program was relaxed, varied, and at the same time incredibly engaging. The encouragement and constant little surprises made this experience unforgettable.”

One message captured the importance of this support especially clearly:

“Thank you sincerely for giving our children this opportunity to rest and for not forgetting about us […].”

Made possible together

Making the camp possible was also a joint effort by our community. Through our fundraising campaign on betterplace.org , we raised more than half of the €2,000 needed. We are deeply grateful to everyone who donated.

We would also like to express our heartfelt thanks to VESTED for organizing the camp, to Tabula Rasa for the Future Generation for designing and delivering the program with such professionalism and care, and to all the teachers and accompanying adults who supported the children throughout the journey and the camp.

Together, we created five days of safety, friendship, and joy – and memories that will stay with the children long after the camp has ended.