The war has taken away childhood from Ukrainian children – more than 5,000 have lost their parents and hundreds have been wounded. Beginning in March these children have been receiving comprehensive support from the fund “Children of Heroes.” As part of EPAM’s ongoing support, earlier this month EPAM Ukraine donated $100,000 to the “Children of Heroes” charity fund to help provide Ukrainian children with education, warm clothing, medical and psychological assistance, and long-term assistance.
Katia, an 8-year-old girl from Bucha, a ward of the fund, lost her dad to a rocket strike on their house. Her mother has been fighting cancer for many years. Now they are to fight yet another enemy – the cold winter. Katia’s story is just one of many from the 1,300+ wards of the fund.
“Unfortunately, the phrase ‘children of the war’ is becoming a common term in Ukraine. Thousands of children have had their childhood taken – losing family members, their homes, their schools, and hundreds losing their lives. The sadness and tragedy are beyond words. At EPAM, we stand with Ukraine and the Ukrainian people. We have a long history of supporting education programs and the children in our communities. However, today, due to the war, we understand that Ukraine’s children need more of our assistance and need it urgently. That is why we are supporting the ‘Children of Heroes’ fund.”– said Natalia Koliadko, director of talent management at EPAM Ukraine.
All of the Fund’s efforts are directed at forming a strong and healthy Ukrainian society. The Fund includes several lines of assistance: urgent material and psychological help, regular assistance, education and development, health protection, socialization, and mentorship. In addition to the urgent response, the Fund also provides long-term assistance for children through their growth into adulthood as well as providing opportunities for internship and work when the children grow up. The Fund addresses the needs of every child individually, no matter who they are.
As a Fund contributor and partner, EPAM is:
- Providing financial support in the amount of $100,000 for the project “Warmth to children” whose goal is to provide children with warm clothes, footwear, and heating devices for their homes.
- Supporting a charity collection of warm clothing across EPAM offices throughout the month of December (1-22).
- Supporting a charity fundraising fair to support additional raising of funds.
- Providing access to the Company’s educational initiatives. In November, 25 children had an opportunity to join EPAM’s eKids program to get acquainted with the basics of programming. High school-aged children will be able to study technology concepts as part of a Pre-Junior program. The Company will also host several “Girls in Tech” sessions to teach young girls about the benefits of a career in IT.
EPAM is committed to supporting Ukraine. Since the war began, EPAM’s top priority has been ensuring the safety of its Ukrainian teammates, their families, and the comprehensive humanitarian support of Ukraine. To date, the total amount of EPAM’s humanitarian help, medical response, and protection for EPAMers and Ukrainians in general (including fundraising campaigns) exceeds ₴90 million.
Preparation for the winter season in the conditions of war is continuing in Ukraine. The “Children of Heroes” charity fund is greatly appreciating and welcoming everybody willing to help purchase warm clothes.