The war in Ukraine has hit not only Ukraine itself but also the surrounding countries, including Slovakia, which has had to cope with a large-scale humanitarian crisis. The Slovak Province of the Salesians of Don Bosco evacuated 46 children and young people from an orphanage in Lviv. The SAVIO o.z. project entitled “Immediate humanitarian aid for Ukrainian youth affected by the war” helped the evacuated young people the moment they arrived in Slovakia.

In the first phase of the project, immediate humanitarian aid and psychological support were provided to the 46 children and young people. The next stage focused on supporting their adaptation to life in Slovakia, including creating suitable living conditions, securing permanent accommodation, meals, education and leisure activities, as well as professional mentoring for these war-affected young people.

The target group of the project consists of Ukrainian orphans, half-orphans and children from broken families who found refuge in Slovakia after the outbreak of war. Of the 46 boys evacuated to Slovakia in February 2022, 12 young people aged 15–17 decided to stay and continue their studies here. The ongoing project will support their education in Slovakia until the end of the 2022/2023 academic year. The remaining boys returned to the orphanage in Lviv once the situation there had calmed down.

We thank the Swiss Salesian organization Don Bosco Jugendhilfe Weltweit for the financial support of the project in the amount of €40,000. Co-financing of the project in the amount of €4,000 is secured by the Slovak Province of the Salesians of Don Bosco.