Dear Sponsor,
Hello! My name is Leonid, and I am 12 years old. I live in a village and study in the 6th grade at school. I live together with my grandmother, Raisa, who takes care of me. I also have a sister, Anna, who is 19 years old and studies in the city of Zhytomyr.
I have many friends, and my best friend is Sasha. He is 13 and in the 7th grade. He lives in Kyiv, but when he comes to Liubymivka for the holidays, we spend time together playing soccer and other games.
My grandmother and my sister Anna are the closest and most important people in my life, and I love them very much. I also love animals, especially cats and dogs. At school, my favorite subjects are Physical Education and IT, and I enjoy reading in my free time.
Thank you for caring about me. I am very happy to write to you, and I look forward to hearing back from you.
God bless you!
With love,
Leonid
Caseworker Comments:
Leonid is a sincere, obedient, and diligent 12‑year‑old boy. He helps his grandmother with household chores and garden work, and he performs well at school. His favorite subjects are IT and physical education, where his curiosity and energy shine. Leonid also loves football and has a growing interest in cooking. Despite the challenges around him, he remains thoughtful, hardworking, and full of potential. His older sister Hanna studies in Zhytomyr and tries to come home on weekends to support the family, but most of the responsibility falls on their grandmother.
The family lives in a village. Leonid and Hanna are under the care of their grandmother because their mother struggles with alcohol abuse, suffers from open‑form tuberculosis, and has been deprived of parental rights due to neglect.
Their grandmother, Raisa, carries the entire burden of raising the children, even though she suffers from serious health problems with her legs. In September 2024, she endured the devastating loss of her son, who died in the war. His death was a heavy blow, worsening her health and leaving her without the support she once relied on. Now, she alone must provide for Leonid and Hanna.
The family’s home is old and deteriorating. Though it looks ordinary from the outside, the foundation is crumbling, the walls are cracked, and the floors are rotting. Inside, it is clean but very modest, furnished with old pieces. Heating comes from a stove, and preparing firewood is both exhausting and expensive. To keep warm, simple Soviet‑era rugs hang on the walls.
Financially, the family is in crisis. The grandmother receives only a minimal pension (3,000 UAH / $73) and social assistance for Leonid (5,000 UAH / $121). This is far from enough to cover food, utilities, school supplies, and other basic needs. Each year, providing Leonid with the essentials for school is a struggle. He attends school in the neighboring village of Zarubentsi, waking up at six o’clock every morning to catch the bus.
Given the family’s fragile living conditions, the grandmother’s illness, and the absence of parental support, Leonid urgently needs help. Sponsorship through HART’s Child Sponsorship Program would provide stability, food, and the essentials for learning and growth. It would ease the crushing burden on his grandmother and give Leonid the chance to thrive — to keep studying, playing football, and dreaming of a brighter future.
Your support can change the course of Leonid’s life. By sponsoring him, you are not only helping a boy with great potential but also giving hope to a family that has endured unimaginable hardship.
