For a year now, Yehor (pictured) has been studying at a school that no longer exists.  

His school was destroyed like much of his native Bakhmut in Donetsk Region. No longer safe in their home, he travelled with his family to Vinnytsia where they now live in a collective centre with 55 displaced families.  

A lack of a physical building did not stop Yehor's teachers and school administration from wanting to ensure that he and his classmates continued their education. To make his online studies easier, the International Organization for Migration (IOM), through support from the European Union, provided the 14-year-old with a tablet.  

"This is a very useful gift," he said.  

"My phone was running out of power quickly. It was very inconvenient. Also, small print is hard to see on a small screen, especially presentations. The tablet will be much more comfortable."  

During the distributions in Vinnytsia and Khmelnytskyi Regions, IOM psychologists helped the children make souvenirs, ensuring a positive experience and leaving them with skills to improve their mental health, while their parents received tablets. 

Seventh grader Ania is also happy with her new gadget. As she is living with a disability, she studies under a special programme. Her family came from Dobropillia but now also live in a collective centre in Vinnytsia like Yehor’s due to the war.  

"Teachers send us assignments, and it's very difficult to do them on the phone. Everything is small, and my eyesight is deteriorating," said her mother Olena who helps Ania out with her homework.   

While in Zakarpattia region, IOM provided tablets to children living in a residential care facility who had been relocated from Dnipro, eastern Ukraine. 

"Immediately after the first shelling, it was decided to move to the Zakarpattia region," said Natalia, who has been caring for children for 20 years. 

"The little children woke up in the middle of the night-scared by the sirens and crying all the time. We didn’t have a shelter, so staying in Dnipro was extremely dangerous. Thanks to the relocation, our children's childhood remains happy. And that means we are doing our job well."  

To improve the quality of their online learning, on the eve of International Children's Day on 1 June 2023, IOM team provided the young learners living in the care facility with tablets. Now the children do not have to share devices, making it much easier for them to do their homework. 

According to IOM data, 37 per cent of internally displaced people in Zakarpattia Region are under 18. IOM distributed 120 tablets in 14 collective centres to improve the educational opportunities of these young, displaced persons. 

In total, under this partnership with the European Union, IOM is distributing tablets to over 1,500 children across 14 regions of Ukraine. IOM is targeting children aged 6-17 years residing in collective centres, classified as vulnerable, to facilitate e-learning and support them in attending their online education. 

Text and photos by Maryna Orekhova and Dariia Dovzhenko