Fourteen-year-old Vladislav sits worried and unsure on a bed with his parents. His mother, Snezhna, 47, tries to continue his education with some home-schooling.
As he is over 60, his father Valentin, 66, is with them at the Brezova Center in Western Slovakia. This is where they have resettled after fleeing the border from war torn Ukraine.
Young Vladislav is already concerned with learning the language of his new home, as heartrendingly he declares: "We have nothing to return to."
"School has been online for me since September," he told the M.E.N.
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"When the conflict started I initially got two weeks of holiday and now I am not sure about the situation.
"I hope school will continue soon. I would like anything that would help me learn English and Slovak as we have nothing to return to so my parents want to stay here."
Vladislav and his family are among 30 refugees helped across the border to Slovakia by volunteers including Manchester University graduate John Green, 26. He was teaching in Ukraine and is now appealing for help with their schooling.
As Russia invaded on February 24, families and children's lives were ripped apart. Schooling stopped in many areas, children were forced to leave their homes and now they are being denied their basic access to an education.
Also at the centre is mum-of-three Anastasia, whose children are aged six, eight and 14.
She can not foresee what is ahead for her and her family and she is hoping her children can have access to learning.
"School stopped for my children on February 24, 2022," she said.
"We are not sure what to expect from the future.
"I would love the kids to have access to any activities, mainly something creative to get their mind off of the heavy things."
Natalia, 37, has a 12-year-old child and said simply "Our whole world is shattered."
She wants to return to her homeland, but does not know if it will be possible, and she is worrying about her child's absence of schooling as the war rages on.
"School education stopped suddenly on February 24, " she said.
"We would love to return home soon but we do not know what the future holds.
"We would love any sort of activities that could help them learn languages."
Slovakian Barbora Barusová, 24, a veterinary nurse, is among the team of volunteers who helped the transfer of the refugees.
She describes how volunteers, half of them her personal friends, the other half new volunteers, helped fill cars with refugees on the border.
She said: "They met at a set time and then were taken to Brezova pod Bradlom to the accommodation where me and my friend Simona Ferancova were waiting for them."
The women and one man arrived "exhausted and depressed."
She said: "They didn't want to leave the houses they had been put in. They were very quiet and went straight to bed. Teenagers wanted to be connected to friends and family, so were asking about WiFi.
Barbora, known as Baska, tells of the quiet sadness of the situation.
"One of the families has no-one and nothing to return to, she says, "one woman looked up and told me we have a beautiful sky because there are no explosions.
"Some teenagers were crying - their lives have just started and it has been taken away from them."
Baska, believes small children were a reason for some of the families to gradually become more sociable.
"Some of the little children were playing, " she said. "I don't know to what extent they realise what is happening, as they are so young.
"Some families were more social because they have small kids and the mood is getting a bit better as they see the help being given."
She said the refugees themselves are active in their survival - preparing food, cleaning and wanting to participate, not only be helped.
She added: "The refugees want to be active. They help us prepare the food, keep the place perfectly clean and are very polite.
"They don't just want to be helped - but to participate as well. All the volunteers are working so hard. They are working night and day, using their own resources while having jobs as well."
Now, Baska and the many volunteers are hoping to help bridge the gap in the children's education that is being forced as a result of not being able to attend school.
She said: "We love the idea of finding these kids some form of education to give them a chance to learn and mingle with others again, and to give the parents a chance to concentrate on other issues they are facing in this period"
John, who is helping with the organisation remotely from Georgia, where he fled to from the Ukraine with girlfriend Yulia, 23, before the war broke, is appealing for people around Europe to offer help with teaching the refugee children.
He said: "This is a call for educators around Europe ready to provide free activities and classes for relocated children from Ukraine in any part of Europe.
"We’re starting a platform where parents can find activities and classes for Ukrainian kids - offline and online."
Also working on the initiative is Ukrainian, Dima Khatko, 37, who runs Point Camp - a summer camp in Slovakia, which is now being used as an information centre for refugees.
Dima is still in Ukraine but says where he is living, in Uzhgorod, is a safe Western region.
Despite this, his own wife Tanya, her elderly grandma and the couple's dog have relocated to Slovakia, leaving them apart from one another.
But Dima's thoughts are firmly for others and he is doing all he can to help remotely.
Speaking to the M.E.N he said: "It has been crazy.
"I am concerned about all the families and children who just ran away and left their houses, their belongings and even though they got away - they are stressed now.
"One million left the country and are now in Europe. The process of schooling is interrupted.
"We are calling for educators around the globe to provide any assistance. Children need to be distracted from the war and parents can go off for a while, knowing they are with nice people.
"That is what I would do if I was there and I saw hundreds of thousands of children coming in."
When asked what his personal hopes for the future are, Dima responded: "We are hoping for the end and we are hoping for peace.
"We feel the love of the world. And we will win."
To help: http://campit.com.ua/
https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-for-ukrainian-shelter
Or email: john.connectionps@gmail.com if you have questions or want to offer help.
