Education is “critical” to helping children forced to flee Ukraine to “build that hope and opportunity for the future”, according to campaigner Sarah Brown.
Mrs Brown – the wife of former prime minister Gordon Brown – stressed the importance of a scheme which keeps hundreds of Ukrainian youngsters in touch with teachers and the curriculum back home on the eve of the first anniversary of the Russian invasion.
She told the PA news agency: “They’ve moved out of such trauma and such tragic circumstances and, as much as they’re embracing their new lives, it’s also important for them to have that connection back to their own curriculum and their own learning.
“Most of those families, in their hearts, they’re looking to go home when they can.
“I think we all know this war is going on for a lot longer as we hit the first anniversary, but being able to learn in the Ukrainian language, keep learning Ukrainian literature, history and talk to other Ukrainian children is a big boost and a big support at this time for those children.”
The Stay with Ukraine project, which is supported by Mrs Brown’s charity Theirworld, delivers online lessons in the Ukrainian language, literature and history to hundreds of young refugees around the world, including scores in the UK.
The classes enable them to study in their own language and meet other Ukrainian children but also aim to help children cope with trauma.
Since the Russian invasion, Theirworld and its initiative the Global Business Coalition for Education has also put together a 30 million dollar (£24.8 million) partnership with HP and Microsoft to distribute thousands of laptops with software to children in Ukraine and surrounding countries.
Mrs Brown said: “We’re faced with the consequences of these young children growing up to be young adults, and we’ve got to put in the right learning and support.
“But also think about the trauma that they’ve experienced, and what we know is that being able to continue education is one of the most surefire ways to be able to provide that support and encouragement that’s needed at that crucial time, as well as building for their long-term future.”
Let's hope that this time next year we're talking about something a bit more optimistic— Sarah Brown
She said: “When there’s a crisis, education is one of the first things that’s lost, and it’s also one of the last that comes in.
“It’s understandable when you need to put in the humanitarian crisis support around shelter and care and medical equipment. But I think we’re learning that education is so critical to being able to restore whatever the new normal is for them, and to be able to build that hope and opportunity for the future.”
Mrs Brown pointed out that children in some parts of Ukraine are often battling power cuts and schools being targeted by Russian bombs, and the charity is working to try to make sure they have the equipment they need to take part in the Stay with Ukraine scheme.
She said: “I don’t think you’ll talk to a Ukrainian family that doesn’t dream of being able to go home but are also faced with a practical reality that we’re hitting the first anniversary of that war and we have no end in sight.”
Mrs Brown said: “The reality is, if you’ve left one of those cities where it’s been completely destroyed, I’m not sure what home they would go back to even if there was the opportunity to go back tomorrow.
“Whatever that future is, it’s going to be with a connection to their home country, it’s going to be with the opportunity to go back whenever that’s possible, but also to be able to bring the best of Ukrainian culture and life.”
She added: “Let’s hope that this time next year we’re talking about something a bit more optimistic.”
