Dear Sponsor,
My name is Yana, and I am 8 years old. I live in a small city in western Ukraine. I live with my mom, my sisters, my brothers, and my great‑grandmother. My dad left us, and he doesn’t visit or help. My mom is looking for a job now. Before, she worked in a shop and in a restaurant kitchen. I have four sisters and two brothers. My sister Sasha plays with me the most. My best friend is Maksym — he is brave and fun, and we play together in the yard.
I love Christmas because our home feels happy, and I get presents. But my favorite time is the school holidays, especially summer, because I can sleep in and play outside with my friends.
I am in the 2nd grade. I walk to school because it is very close. My classes end at 1:00 PM. I like listening to the teacher, but I don’t like when kids shout loudly. My favorite food is milk porridge. I also love pelmeni and holubtsi. In my free time, I like watching cartoons.
When I grow up, I want to be a doctor and help people.
I would really like to get a letter from you and learn more about you. Thank you so much for helping me and my family.
With love,
Yana
Caseworker Comments:
Yana is the youngest child in her family, and she is a bright, cheerful, and constantly smiling little girl. She is well‑mannered, neat, and friendly with everyone she meets. Even at her young age, she helps her mother by sweeping the floors and washing the dishes — small acts that show her gentle heart and desire to contribute. At school, her favorite subjects are PE and Geography because she loves learning about other countries and imagining what the world looks like beyond her own neighborhood. Yana truly is a special girl.
But behind her joyful personality lies a very difficult family situation. Yana’s mother, Liudmyla, is raising all the children completely on her own. The children’s father left the family and no longer visits or provides any support. At first, he paid child support, but now he has disappeared from their lives entirely. Liudmyla is doing everything she can to care for her children, but it is incredibly hard. She used to work as a shop assistant, but after losing her job, she registered with the Employment Center and is still searching for work. The family receives no social assistance, leaving them in a severe financial crisis.
Their meals are simple and limited. When asked about their favorite treats, the children mention only buckwheat and pasta — the foods they can afford. All the children wear second‑hand clothing, passed down from the older siblings to the younger ones.
Despite these hardships, their home is filled with love. The children adore their mother, and she does everything she can for them. They smile, they laugh, and they find joy even in the most difficult circumstances.
The family lives in an apartment owned by Liudmyla’s relatives, so they do not have a home of their own. The apartment is in deplorable condition and urgently needs renovation. The wallpaper is peeling, the floors and walls are worn, and the furniture is old. Although there are three rooms, the space is still too small for so many people — especially because their elderly great‑grandmother, who can barely walk, also lives with them and needs constant care.
There is an indoor toilet and bathroom, but both are in neglected condition and require repairs. Each child does have their own bed, which is a blessing, but there is no proper study area. The children do their homework at the kitchen table, the same place where the entire family eats. The apartment is cluttered simply because there is not enough storage space for nine people. Even the windows are old and drafty, making the home cold in winter.
This family urgently needs material, emotional, and spiritual support. Yana’s mother attends church services, and the children participate in at the Church’s Day Center, which has been a positive influence on their development and values. But the challenges they face are overwhelming.
Sponsoring Yana through HART’s Child Sponsorship Program would make a life‑changing difference. Your support would help provide food and improved living conditions. It would give Yana stability, hope, and the chance to grow up in a safer, healthier environment. And it would ease the enormous burden on her mother, who is doing everything she can to keep her family together.
Yana is a joyful, curious, and kind‑hearted little girl with so much potential. With the help of a sponsor, she can have the childhood she deserves — one filled with opportunity, security, and hope for a brighter future.
