«Ukrainian Helicopters» initiated the creation of the Charity Platform «For the Children of Heroes»

On February 4, the first meeting of socially responsible businesses in support of children of the fallen heroes took place. The platform was initiated by the Aviation Company «Ukrainian Helicopters» in partnership with the Ministry of Veterans Affairs of Ukraine, the Ukrainian National Committee of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC Ukraine) and Kyiv Regional Military Administration.

Help that changes lives

Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, “Ukrainian Helicopters” has provided charitable assistance totaling UAH 228 million. Of this amount, UAH 167 million was allocated for military aid, UAH 35 million for the families of fallen defenders, and almost UAH 13 million for orphans of fallen heroes.  The company has taken 18 orphans of fallen heroes of Kyiv region under its financial care. Every month, the company allocates UAH 10,000 for their needs of every child and organizes entertainment, educational and recreational activities for them. It also plans to take financial care of children of fallen Kyiv defenders. 

That's why the Aviation Company  wants to expand its initiative and have caring, conscious businesses from other regions unite to take care of orphans to cover the needs of orphans of Ukrainian soldiers from all over Ukraine.

«Each story is a pain felt by the whole country. We cannot return their parents to them, but we can give them support, security and hope  for  the future. That is why we have created the Charity Platform «For the Children of Heroes» and want to find like-minded people in this cause. Representatives of 28 companies that pay taxes responsibly are present here. They don't hand over salaries in envelopes, hiding money from the military tax. They are called white business. We all share the same blood. That smile of orphans of fallen heroes that appears after communicating with benefactors, after receiving help, means a lot. To reach out to all these children, we need to do a lot of work. But this work is already starting now. I think there are a lot of us and we are planning to hold more regional meetings,» said Volodymyr Tkachenko, Chairman of the Board of Directors of «Ukrainian Helicopters».

Every day in Ukraine, the number of children who have lost their fathers or mothers at the frontline is growing. These are not just numbers - these are broken children's lives, empty seats at the family table, dreams that did not come true.

How the platform will work

At the first stage, socially responsible businesses take care of orphans of fallen Heroes from the regions chosen by the companies themselves. Next, they determine the number of children and how they will help them. As part of the initiative, businesses unite to meet the real needs of orphans - from financial support to education, treatment, psychological assistance and talent development.

«I am glad that businesses are not only working responsibly and transparently, but is also ready to lend a shoulder where the state does not have the resources to support the children of our Heroes. This is especially true for those who live in remote parts of the country, where access to the necessary resources and assistance may be limited. It is our duty to provide them with proper care, education and opportunities for development, as they are the future of Ukraine,» added Ruslan Prykhodko, Deputy Minister of Veterans Affairs of Ukraine.

Each company that joins our initiative decides the amount of money they want to spend and a child they want to help. This is a flexible, transparent and fair way that allows us to use resources efficiently and really change the lives of children.  

«I am grateful for this initiative and glad that Ukrainian businesses have responded. We will appoint a responsible person to run this area of business charity. I would like us to meet on a regular basis and summarize the results. So, that is not a one-time event. We are also taking responsibility to spread information about the Charity Platform «For the Children of Heroes,» said Volodymyr Shchelkunov, President of the Ukrainian National Committee of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC Ukraine).

Any business can join, regardless of the size. It's not just about money - help can be different: financial support, entertainment, visits to health camps, vocational courses, and psychological support.

«We are ready to join in and provide monthly financial support to the children of fallen heroes. There are a lot of these kids in Zakarpattia region, where I have my business, as being a rear region we take in Ukrainians from the frontline territories,» said Ivan Synetar, construction and development companies founder, including C&P Building Corporation.

Imagine a toddler who waits every night for their mom or dad coming back home. Imagine a teenager who dreamed of hearing at graduation: «I'm proud of you.»  Imagine a child who now knows they will never feel the warm hugs of the closest person again.

And now imagine this child receiving support, understanding there are people around who are going to help, give them a chance to get education, opportunities for development and having a good future. They will understand they are not alone.

«Today, more than ever before, we need to be united and to give our country a hand. Children who lost their parents defending our country should not be left alone with their grief. It is our shared responsibility to support them, to give them care, opportunities for development and the feeling that they are not alone. Together we can do more. We want every child who lost a parent to feel that they are not alone. The whole country is behind them, people who care,» added Lesya Chervinska, Communications Director of «Ukrainian Helicopters».

This project of socially responsible businesses the Charity Platform «For the Children of Heroes» is not just about charity, it is about humanity, the power of community and our future. When we support these children, we are building Ukraine their parents fought for.