From Survival to Support: Our Mahala Orphanage Program Transitions to UNICEF

We’re thrilled to announce a powerful milestone: as of February, Bird of Light has officially completed its role in the Mahala Orphanage Psychosocial Program—and UNICEF has now taken over funding to continue and expand this transformative initiative.

Launched in partnership with Social Synergy and the European Disability Forum, this pilot project was part of Ukraine’s national push to reform institutional childcare and move toward family-based care—an essential step in Ukraine’s journey toward EU accession. Remarkably, Ukraine is the first country in history to pursue such systemic reform in the midst of an active war.

Mahala, one of the most challenging residential institutions in the country, is home to 53 children with disabilities. When we first visited in 2022, the conditions were bleak—staff overwhelmed, children under-stimulated, and emotional care almost non-existent. With your help, we intervened.

In summer 2024, we hired a full team of four psychosocial therapists and four social workers. Through structured play, routine, and individualized emotional care, these specialists helped children overcome severe developmental delays, trauma, and neglect. The results were nothing short of remarkable.

One especially moving story comes from local coordinator Maryna Zemfir, who described a boy who arrived frightened and silent. Today, he eagerly talks with staff, expresses his emotions, and engages with his peers—evidence of the power of consistency, care, and human connection.

This project wasn’t just about improving conditions—it was about showing what’s possible when we believe in children’s potential and invest in systems that nurture rather than warehouse. It laid the groundwork for lasting change, and thanks to your support, we demonstrated to large institutions like UNICEF that this work is not only urgent—it’s viable and scalable.

As UNICEF now leads the next phase, we look forward to seeing Mahala continue to evolve as a model for reform across Ukraine.

To our donors: thank you. Your belief in dignity, care, and long-term vision helped bring a forgotten institution back to life. And to every child at Mahala: you are not forgotten—you are the future.