The Schoolhouse in Tsarychanka is run by our partner Oleksandr. With support from DHM, Oleksandr’s local church created what they describe as a ‘school within the church’, offering several classes for different age groups.

In high-risk regions, only schools with adequate shelters are allowed to reopen fully, and thousands of children are still learning either online or in improvised basements and bunkers. For many poorer families who don’t have the means to connect online, this Schoolhouse has become a lifeline.

The classrooms now have sturdy furniture and basic teaching technology, including laptops funded by generous donations. When asked about the current needs for the Schoolhouse, Oleksandr emphasises the greatest need is to secure steady funding to keep the place running: stipends for teachers, remuneration for the cook and the custodian; the need to pay for heat, food, and so on.

International organisations consistently emphasise that protecting education in Ukraine is not a secondary concern; it is central to the country’s long-term future. UNICEF has warned that millions of children risk losing critical years of schooling and social development, with profound consequences for Ukraine’s human capital and recovery. Projects like the Tsarychanka Schoolhouse are part of a much wider effort across Ukraine to keep children learning in underground schools and shelters.

If you would like to stand with Tsarychanka’s children, you can help by donating towards the ongoing running costs of the Schoolhouse (reference: Schoolhouse) and continue to pray for Oleksandr, his team, the pupils, and their families.