On October 7, 2024, the Ukrainian School of Elites supported the initiatives of GoFriends NGO on the psychological and physical rehabilitation of veteran families, internally displaced persons, and vulnerable populations affected by Russia’s aggression.
The financial support was provided generously by the supporters’ community of the Business Coalition of the World Evangelical Alliance, supervised the coalition’s Director Timo Plutchinski.
Since the onset of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Yevhen Moiseyev, Founder of GoFriends IT Academy for orphans, evacuated the academy’s students and his family from Kyiv to Western Ukraine — first to the city of Stryi, where he initiated social care for the internally displaced people, and later to Morshyn, where he established an organized social center.
People who lost or left their homes, mostly coming from the occupied areas of the Eastern Ukraine, all actively set to work, and organized a farm in a village near Morshyn town that not only fed them but also supplied food to other social centers! That captured our attention and we decided to support that responsible and proactive community.
In 2024, GoFriends NGO created the environment for psychological rehabilitation of and mental care for the IDPs, Ukrainian veterans and their families, and others who suffered from the war. The Friends provide both emotional and physical healing. Those seeking spiritual support also have an opportunity to receive soul care.
Rehabilitation at the farm is enhanced by the natural setting: a few lakes, spacious meadows, and clean air — exactly what all psychologists recommend for healing.
Every month, 20—100 people undergo rehabilitation ministry of GoFriends.
In October 2024, thanks to our international friends at WEA BC, we were able to transfer a portion of financial aid to support these amazing efforts of GoFriends.
For more details on GoFriends NGO, see our blog here. What an honor to be part of these life saving initiatives!
On October 24, 2024, the President of the Ukrainian School of Elites (USE), Yuriy Safonov, within the framework of a charitable project aimed at overcoming psychological trauma, donated 150 copies of the book “5 Steps to Eternity” by Canadian author Leanne Paetkau, for free use to representatives of community organizations in Cherkasy.
The coordinator in Cherkasy is Maxim Hryhorovych Sahaidak, pastor of the Church “House of the Father.”
Leanne Paetkau is a Canadian author and missionary who lived in Ukraine for 20 years. At one point in her life, she and her husband John faced tragedy when their daughter Lanea died during a skiing trip in the rocky peaks of Kockreyn.
To cope with the trauma of her loss, Leanne kept a diary of prayers and reflections, where she poured out her soul, emotions, and anger at God, struggling to understand why this happened. The endless “Why?” is familiar to anyone who has lost a loved one.
The book has been translated into Ukrainian and published in Ukraine with the efforts of patrons and the authors themselves for free distribution among those in need of support.
During the war, Ukrainians are losing their loved ones—military personnel, medics, volunteers, and civilians. Every Ukrainian family has felt the pain of loss.
Leanne Paetkau‘s book aims to support all those who know this pain.
Yuriy Safonov, the President of the Ukrainian School of Elites, voluntarily oversees this project, distributing the books to those categories of Ukrainians who need psychological support during this time.
On February 16, 2018, leaders of the NGO Ukrainian School of Elites — Anzhela Danelian and Olena Polkhovska — joined a charitable initiative to support children with special needs who required transportation to access the rehabilitation center.
To believe in kindness, one must start by doing good! We are proud to announce that today, February 16, 2018, the keys to a bus for the Strong in Spirit Foundation were handed over!
This celebration was made possible thanks to the compassion and efforts of many individuals who took part in organizing and supporting two charity auctions, “Gift a Child a Fairy Tale.” The result is a newly purchased minibus that will enable children facing serious illnesses to reach the “Fairy Tale World” rehabilitation center on their own magical bus.
Our heartfelt gratitude goes to the organizers and all auction participants: the Kyiv Museum of History, Tetiana Kostenko, Anzhela Danelian, Olena Polkhovska, Varvara Sukhenko, Lesya Kornichenko, Rivil Kofman, Valentina Dzyganskaya, Svitlana Bondarenko, Irina Serbin, Iryna Baranovska, Alla Sokol, Serhii Husovskyi, Sergii Ovsiienko, Vasyl Koldra, Oleksii Polkhovskyi, Petro Suslensky, Sergii Kharchuk, Yevhen Vytochkin, and Mykola Zinchenko.
Special thanks to the artists whose works were sold at the auction: Albert Feldman, Volodymyr Podlevsky, Volodymyr Mykytenko, Matviy Vaisberg, Vladyslav Shereshevsky, Konstantin Kalynovych, Nataliia Roi, Roman Minin, Igor Abramovych, Vadim Bondero, Andrey Tsoy, Lika Spivakovska, Konstantin Kozemyaka, Olena Priduvialova, Misha Sydorenko, Tetiana Korol, Petro Smetana, Alla Alekseeva, Dina Rozen, Yura Shapoval, Vartan Markarian, and Liza Repko.
None of this would have been possible without your participation.
May your kindness and generosity return to you a hundredfold!
On November 16-18, 2018, the NGO Ukrainian School of Elites, represented by its director, Olena Polkhovska, joined a charitable initiative in partnership with the Museum of Kyiv, directed by Tetiana Kosenko, and the Strong in Spirit International Charity Foundation, which has rehabilitated over 1,700 children thanks to the inspiration of its founder, Rivil Kofman — the charity auction “Gift a Child a Fairy Tale.”
The event’s goal is to provide children with special needs with a vehicle to enable them to visit the rehabilitation center.
As announced by Tetiana Kosenko, Director of the Kyiv Museum, as of November 20, 2018, the following artists’ works were purchased during the exhibition for the Second Charity Auction “Gift a Child a Fairy Tale”:
The Kyiv Museum, the Strong in Spirit International Charity Foundation, and the NGO Ukrainian School of Elites extend their gratitude to each artist, buyer, and donor. Special thanks to the exceptional host, Yevhen Vytochkin! The organizers also expressed particular appreciation to the board of the NGO Ukrainian School of Elites — Anzhela Danelian and Olena Polkhovska — for their support.
On April 21-22, 2017, the First Charity Auction “Give a Child a Fairy Tale” took place, co-organized by the NGO Ukrainian School of Elites, represented by its director, Olena Polkhovska.
The Museum and Exhibition Center “Museum of Kyiv History,” in collaboration with the NGO Ukrainian School of Elites, held the Charity Auction “Gift a Child a Fairy Tale.”
“A timely told fairy tale for a child means as much as a therapy session for an adult. The difference is that a child isn’t required to voice conclusions or analyze what’s happening to them; the work takes place on an internal, subconscious level.”
— Rivil Kofman
The main goal of the Auction is to raise funds to purchase a minibus for transporting children with cancer from hospital departments to the “Fairy Tale World” Rehabilitation Center, which operates under the international charity foundation “Strong in Spirit.”
The Auction items include works by renowned Ukrainian and international artists. The Strong in Spirit Foundation, for which the Auction is held, focuses on the rehabilitation of children with cancer, HIV, and multiple sclerosis.
The foundation’s founder, Rivil Kofman (awarded “Pride of the Country” in 2006), is a mother of four and a qualified psychologist. Rivil overcame her own “incurable disease” and now helps children in their fight against cancer.
Rivil works with children using fairy tale therapy and art therapy — creative modeling through imagination. These methods don’t replace traditional treatment but create a positive environment that aids a child’s recovery. Rivil has been practicing these techniques for over 15 years and believes that without a positive mindset and faith, overcoming illness is much harder.
For children in need of rehabilitation, Rivil (known to everyone as “the Fairy”) created the “Fairy Tale World” — a children’s center with themed rooms located at 25 Observatory Street in Kyiv. Children from all oncology departments in Kyiv come to visit, enjoying the chance to leave the hospital and, if only for a while, forget about their illness.
The Foundation currently needs a minibus for comfortable transportation of these children. At present, trips to the center are made by taxi, but the nature of the illness and the condition of the children require specially equipped transportation.
“Strong in Spirit” brings fairy tales, positivity, and faith in the best, helping children return to life!
