About Us

I want the whole world to see Ukraine’s strength — and for every Ukrainian, no matter where they are, to be proud of who they are.

One of the most significant projects I have worked on in recent years is War Diaries: Unheard Voices of Ukrainian Children. It includes 14 stories — 14 lives torn apart. An exhibition about the pain of war through the eyes of children has already been shown in the USA, Germany, the Netherlands, France, Norway and the UK.

During our journeys we often met Ukrainian children abroad. They found themselves in new countries, surrounded by new languages and traditions, often without their relatives, friends and the feeling of home. In their eyes, I saw numerous questions such as: Who am I now? Who am I, if my home is so far away? And I have realized that they need a space where they can rediscover themselves, understand their identity and keep the pride of being Ukrainian alive.

Hence, our new project Freedom Diaries was born. It is not just about freedom. It is about a deep understanding of oneself. Where every Ukrainian child is like a beautiful bird that needs space and wings to fly.

Freedom Diaries is about the right to be yourself, remember your roots and at the same time look into the future with courage.

Alevtyna is a Ukrainian feminist artist, performance artist, media artist, curator and gardener. She is a co-founder  of the private residence for foreign artists in the village of Muzychi. Starting from 2018, Alevtyna acts as the UN Tolerance Ambassador in Ukraine. She is a laureate of the Kazimir Malevich Art Award (2008). Alevtyna is the author of illustrated storybooks “About Citizenship Of Plants, Animals And People” and “Freedom Workbook” that form the basis of Freedom Diaries project.

I had several reasons to join this important and inspiring project with such joy and enthusiasm. The first is my deep respect for my colleague, the talented artist Alevtyna Kakhidze and her incredible ability to see the world through the eyes of a child. The second is my own artistic practice and the way it often intersects with the theme of post-traumatic growth. I truly believe that this project is aimed at creating opportunities for such a process and I see how valuable it can be for our Ukrainian children who had to leave the country because of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine — not only today, but also in future. The third reason is the systematic, highly professional work of Hrystia Hranovska Foundation and its absolute dedication to the idea that we can make the world a happier place for our children. And of course, there is a very personal point for me: I am a mother of a 9-year-old boy Illia who also spent 3.5 years abroad because of the war. I went through every stage of adaptation with him, with all the challenges that came along. I know how much a project like this could help both him and our family to make this journey easier, to fill our days with warmth and give Illia more confidence in understanding his identity. It could help to create a stronger bond between my son and his homeland — Ukraine — with its unbreakable fight for freedom.

This project resonates with me on a very personal level. I have been a forcibly displaced person since 2014 and my child had to change schools and familiar environments several times. I clearly remember how challenging it was to adapt to something new while still holding on to a sense of stability and identity. That is why I know how essential it is to have resources and support nearby — and this is exactly what this project provides. As a mother, I feel its value even more strongly. I deeply wish that children, even in the most difficult times, could feel warmth, confidence and remain connected to their culture. It is a true joy for me to be part of the team with Hrystia Hranovska Foundation, whose systematic and professional work proves every day that the world can be made a happier and brighter place for our children. I truly believe that this project not only helps here and now, but also builds the foundation for the strength and confidence of our children in the future.

My name is Halyna Samchuk. I’m the Director of the Hrystia Hranovska Foundation and a mother of two boys who were 5 and 9 years old when we had to leave Ukraine in April 2022 because of the war. We went through the path of displacement and learning to live within a new culture. I watch my children becoming bilingual, absorbing new traditions — and at the same time, struggling with the feeling of belonging to their Ukrainian roots. It pains me to see how difficult it can be for them to call themselves Ukrainians without that shadow of tragedy or forced heroism. For the past two years, they’ve been attending St. Mary’s Ukrainian School in London, and there I can see how important it is for them to be among their own — to hear their language, to feel who they are. I sincerely hope that through Freedom Diaries lessons, my sons will also rediscover this connection to Ukraine. For me, Freedom Diaries is not only a professional mission — it’s a deeply personal story. I’m grateful that the project begins here, in London and the United Kingdom — the place where my children are now growing up. It’s our way of giving Ukrainian children around the world more confidence, and a warm space where they’ll always know — they are Ukrainian.

He has over 15 years of teaching experience, author of textbooks and educational materials for the New Ukrainian School, as well as methodological recommendations for working with children in wartime conditions. 

“Art helps to discover identity and the illustrated storybooks of this project allow children to become co-creators of their own history. As a historian, I am used to working with stories of the past; as a teacher, I accompany children in writing their own stories and shaping their identities. Freedom Diaries is not a textbook, but a compass for an inner journey where each lesson becomes a small discovery.” – this is an answer to the question of what has motivated to join the project.

Yuliia works in a private practice with children, teenagers and adults; develops resilience support programs, teaches psychology at the NaUKMA and is an expert at the Mental Health Center at the NaUKMA. 

The Freedom Diaries project caught me by surprise and immediately touched my heart. We are constantly, often unconsciously, asking ourselves: who are we? The honest answers provide us not only with survival but also with a future. For Ukrainians everywhere, and especially abroad, the question of belonging is among the first. Having a mediator to explore own identity in the form of an illustrated storybook and a company of peers in class is exactly what is needed. I am glad to be part of a team that both feels and understands the relevance of this theme and knows how to bring it to life.