With support from Vodafone, Children of Heroes Charity Fund purchased and distributed 303 tablets to children who have lost one or both parents due to the war. The devices were delivered before the start of the new school year, so the children could use them for learning from September.
“Thanks to you, the child will be able to learn on an equal footing with other pupils,” says the guardian of a child under the Fund’s care.
Access to education today also depends on access to technology. Online lessons, tutoring, educational platforms, homework and communication with teachers all require a device that a child can use regularly.
Not every family can afford one. Twenty-three per cent of families receiving support from the Fund are experiencing financial hardship. After the loss of one or both parents, a family budget may need to cover basic needs, medical care, housing and other essential expenses at the same time, which can mean that buying a dedicated device for learning has to be postponed. This is why the Fund takes a family’s financial circumstances into account when selecting participants for programmes that provide devices, although financial circumstances are not an eligibility criterion for most of its education programmes.
A tablet removes one specific barrier. With their own device, a child can join online lessons, complete homework, read, draw and access learning materials and educational platforms.
Through the Fund’s Education and Development programme, children can also access tutoring, study foreign languages and prepare for Ukraine’s National Multi-Subject Test (NMT). Having their own device allows children for whom a lack of technology was previously a barrier to take part in this learning regularly.
“Kira was delighted with the tablet. It will give her more opportunities to develop both academically and creatively. The tablet is excellent — she really likes it and it has all the features she needs,” the family shared in their feedback.
This is not the first time Vodafone has supported the Fund. The company previously contributed UAH 3 million to support children who had lost a parent due to the war. As part of that initiative, 300 children received financial assistance, while a further 90 received tablets and laptops for remote learning.
This time, with Vodafone’s support, 303 children received their own devices before the start of the school year. The initiative reached children across 22 regions of Ukraine. The total cost of purchasing the tablets was UAH 1,996,164.
We thank Vodafone for its continued support and for helping children access education and opportunities for development.
