How brave child survivors of war in Ukraine are learning to cope with their trauma

CHILD survivors of the war in Ukraine are learning to cope with their trauma at summer camps with psychologists.

As well as therapy they swim, play games and watch movies.

AP

Child survivors of Putin’s war in Ukraine are learning to cope with their trauma at summer camps[/caption]

Peter Jordan

A lecherous Russian soldier hit on Valeria Varvarova during the occupation of her city of Energodar. She said ‘luckily’ he was in a good mood. Her family fled to Kyiv and she is still afraid of men in uniform.[/caption]

The specialists teach “life-hacks” to help the kids come to terms with the horrors unleashed by tyrant Vladimir Putin’s Russian forces.

One technique involves imagining their worst experience as a photograph then ripping it to pieces in their head.

For Valeria Varvarova, 14, it was the moment six Russian soldiers came to her home and demanded to know where her parents were.

For Kyrylo Garyaga, 14, it was the night his mum dived on top of him convinced their home was about to collapse under a Russian air strike.

Sofia Turulova pictured the moment a Russian missile hit her home as she was feeding her dogs.

Sofia, 16, said: “I remember the sound of the rocket, the falling debris and the dust.

“I was more worried about the dogs. The whole roof was destroyed, but the ceiling was made of concrete, that saved us.”

Child psychologist Olga Frolova said: “When they share their stories with other children they realise they are not alone.”

Over the space of a ten-day course in Ukraine’s Carpathian Mountains she said most of the kids were transformed.

Olga added: “When they first come here they are not really speaking, they are inside themselves.

“By the end they are striking up conversations with strangers.

“We can’t change what has happened already, we need to accept what has happened and teach them how to live with these experiences for the rest of their lives.”

The camps are funded by billionaire oligarch Rinat Akhmetov, one of Ukraine’s richest men.

Most of the youngsters rarely see other children other than at the camp as schools are taught online.

Olga said: “It is important that children can feel like children. The main goal of our programme is to give them the feeling of childhood, to let them feel alive again.”

And she said that the saddest thing was seeing children who thought war was just how life is.

Olga added: “It is a tragedy that children are getting used to living in war. They think war is normal. It isn’t.”

Peter Jordan

Sheltering in his Izium home as bombs rained down in 2022 terrified Kyrylo Garyaga. He said: ‘My mum covered me and my brother with her body in case the ceiling fell.’ His family then moved to a cellar.[/caption]

Peter Jordan

With a pool, decent food and new pals, Olga Frolova is relieved to be at summer camp. She said: ‘It is so good to see people in person, not stare at them on a laptop. I have made two of the greatest friends.’[/caption]