Dear Sponsor,
Hello! My name is Volodymyr, and I am 9 years old. I live in a small village. There aren’t any jobs here, so my dad works wherever he can, sometimes he herds cattle or helps in other people’s gardens. He earns a little money or sometimes gets food for helping. My mom is on maternity leave because she’s expecting a baby soon and takes care of my little sister at home.
I have a brother named Valerii who goes to a special school. I really love it when he comes home for holidays. He’s my best friend. I tell him my secrets, and he always shares his sweets with me. That makes me really happy.
Christmas is quiet in our house. We don’t have anything fancy, but I’m always excited when it snows and our grandfather comes to visit. I love summer the most because I don’t have to carry firewood for the stove or go to school. My brothers and sisters and I play outside a lot and swim in the river. I already know how to swim!
I’m in the fourth grade. We go to school by bus to another village. If the bus doesn’t come, we stay home. I’m at school for half the day, and I like riding the bus back because I get to look out the window and think about things. I’m not very good at Math, so it’s not my favorite. We also learn reading, writing, and Ukrainian history. My favorite subject is PE because I love playing football!
At home, we usually eat potatoes, cereals, and pasta. On holidays, we don’t always have special food, but I really like cutlets, pilaf, and dumplings when we get them. When I have free time, I like riding my bike, playing football, and spending time with my brothers.
When I grow up, I dream of becoming a sportsman or a professional football player. That would be amazing! Thank you so much for choosing to help me. Your support means a lot to my family. I would be very happy if you wrote me a letter — I’d love to hear from you.
Your friend,
Volodymyr
Caseworker Comments:
Meet Volodymyr: A Brave Young Boy with Big Dreams. Volodymyr is a cheerful, energetic 9-year-old boy with a heart full of hope and a love for life. He’s in the fourth grade and absolutely adores physical education and active games, especially football. His eyes light up when he talks about playing sports, and he dreams of one day becoming a professional football player. Despite the hardships he faces, Volodymyr remains open, friendly, and quick to join in with others, though he’s understandably cautious in new situations.
From a young age, Volodymyr has taken on responsibilities far beyond his years. He helps carry firewood, cares for the family dog, and assists with household chores. His health, however, is a growing concern. He needs an eye examination and likely glasses, and he has a history of heart problems that require follow-up care, appointments the family simply cannot afford to arrange. Still, Volodymyr keeps a sincere smile on his face and finds joy in the little things, especially when he’s outdoors or playing football with his siblings.
Volodymyr is one of six children in a large, loving family living in the remote village of Shkurat, more than an hour’s drive from Lutsk. Only about 40 people remain in the village, eight of whom are this family. The village is slowly disappearing—there are no jobs, no school, no kindergarten, no shops, no internet, and not even a proper store. The local shop offers expired food from 2020, often spoiled or eaten by mice, with only a few cereals and bread available.
The family’s home is a small, aging house with two rooms and a corridor. Every inch is filled with beds, though many are too short for the children to stretch out properly—Volodymyr often sleeps curled up. The mother is currently pregnant with their seventh child. There is no toilet in the house, so the children use an abandoned shed. There’s no washing machine, and heating comes from a wood-burning stove. In summer, they cook outside under a makeshift shelter; in winter, they cook on the stove indoors.
Both parents come from generations of poverty and hardship. They lack basic skills in hygiene and housekeeping, and their garden remains mostly uncultivated. The father suffers from severe psoriasis and eczema, with painful wounds on his hands that make it difficult to find work. The mother has had vision problems since childhood and cannot afford an eye exam or glasses. Despite these challenges, the family maintains a warm and peaceful atmosphere. The children grow up without harmful influences from the internet or negative behaviors.
All the children except the youngest, Sofiia, attend school. They work hard and have received certificates of achievement and letters of appreciation. But health issues persist. A 12-year-old sibling has serious vision problems and developmental delays and attends a specialized school, though his disability is not officially registered. Volodymyr still needs a heart examination. Sofiia has developmental delays and skin issues, with scabs covering her body.
Financially, the family survives on state child benefits of about 3,000 UAH ($100 CAD) per month. The parents take on occasional work in neighbors’ gardens, digging potatoes, picking berries, and gathering firewood from the forest. This year, they sold blackberries just to buy school supplies for their children.
The house, inherited from the father’s late mother, is in deplorable condition. The ceiling is low, the electrical wiring is outdated, and everything needs cleaning and painting. There is no proper place to wash. Water is heated and used in turns, making winter especially difficult. The lack of hygiene is a major concern: no washing machine, no working refrigerator, and no way to store food safely.
Despite everything, there are glimmers of hope. The local church knows the family and has supported them in the past. Volunteers met the family by chance a year ago and returned after learning the mother was expecting again. They brought food, clean bedding, and shoes—because the children had spent the summer barefoot, without even rubber slippers. A nearby church is ready to help again and take the children to services. The mother used to attend church herself.
We share a common desire to help this family, especially children like Volodymyr—through practical care and support in areas where they can no longer cope alone. That’s why your support through HART’s Child Sponsorship is so crucial. With your help, we can improve their living conditions, provide basic necessities, and give Volodymyr and his siblings a chance to grow up healthy, educated, and full of hope.
