Russia's war against neighbouring Ukraine continues for the second week. The conflict, which erupted on February 24, has forced more than 1.5 million Ukrainian citizens to seek refuge in neighbouring and more distant European countries. One of them is Bulgaria - already we saw babies who took their first breath away from home. Women often come here alone with several children - their own children or those of a relative or friend, to seek refuge from the horrors of war. "Children are mentally traumatized. They are unable to verbalize their fears and to express what they go through," says Svetlana Tarabanova of the Women's Consortium of Ukraine, explaining the current situation.

Hundreds of Bulgarians have started to provide assistance, care and accommodation to mothers and children from Ukraine. According to psychologists, it is very important as a next step to provide access to education for children and teenagers that would bring a bit of normalcy into their daily lives.

In this regard, the Bulgarian Ministry of Education has announced that it is starting a process for the integration of children from Ukraine in Bulgaria’s educational system. In an interview with Nova TV, Minister Nikolay Denkov explained the steps that Ukrainian citizens must take in order to arrange their long-term stay in Bulgaria, as well as the education of their school-age children.

"At any time, with the help of the Refugee Agency and the Ministry of Interior, as well as at the border checkpoint, they can apply for the status of refugees or asylum seekers in Bulgaria. A brief inspection by the services follows, and by acquiring this status, they already have the right to apply for admission of their children to school. All schools and regional education departments in the country already have applications that refugees can submit. Several dozen similar ones have already been submitted and I expect their number to increase," explains Education Minister Nikolay Denkov

The application form that parents from Ukraine must fill in and submit to the Regional Departments of Education indicates the child's mother tongue, whether he/she speaks Bulgarian or other European languages ​​to some extent, where and which class he/she graduated from in his/her country. Consultations can be obtained on the Hotline of the Ministry of Education and Science 0800 16 111.

• Ukrainian children will be able to attend Bulgarian schools, kindergartens after parents are granted refugee status

Children whose parents have dual citizenship receive direct access to educational institutions without going through this procedure, Prof. Denkov explains.

Children who remain in the war zone

In an address to British lawmakers, President Volodymyr Zelensky said more than 50 children had already fallen victim to the war in Ukraine. According to UNICEF, there are 7.5 million children whose lives are at risk as a result of hostilities in Ukraine, and more than 800,000 children have already left the country. "We must protect all children in Ukraine, they need peace," said UNICEF executive director Catherine Russell. The charity campaign of the Bulgarian non-governmental organization "National Network for Children" is also aimed at them. It will last half a year, as all funds raised will be donated to two Ukrainian organizations - "Partnership for Every Child" and "Women's Consortium of Ukraine", which work on site.

"Anyone who wishes can make their donation online," the executive director of the Bulgarian organization, Georgi Bogdanov, told BNR.

"They take care of and support the development of children. The funds we donate to them will be able to be used to buy everything that their management deems they need. "

Proof that empathy, humanity and the desire to do good for others does not know the limitations of gender, race or nationality is the campaign "United for Peace" managed by the association "Council of Refugee Women in Bulgaria". Its president, Iraqi Linda Awanis, also appealed to everyone to donate warm clothes, hygiene materials or money of their choice to buy food vouchers for those in need.

“You can leave your donations on the spot or send them by courier to their office at Sofia 1000, 95 Ekzarh Yosif Str.You can also visit us at the warehouse for distribution of humanitarian aid on 51 Iskar Str. every Tuesday and Thursday,” adds Linda.

English version: Rositsa Petkova