Most nine-year-olds are busy exploring the world, playing with friends, finding hobbies and attending school. But Dmytro, who lives in Ukraine’s Kharkiv region, has spent most of his school life studying online and being separated from friends.

The war in Ukraine has made accessing education a challenge for millions of children like him across the country. During air raids, staying connected can become impossible. Affording devices and an internet connection can be another challenge.

Now, a new digital learning center in his town, established by the UNICEF with the funding from Global Partnership for Education (GPE), is changing lives.

The center helps students to study or catch up on missed lessons, and is equipped with ICT equipment, a shelter and an internet connection, meaning that students can stay connected at all times.

Dmytro's family has seen positive changes in the boy’s behavior and academic performance.

"For the first time, he did his homework on his own and did it right,” says his grandmother. “We didn't always have the opportunity to attend online lessons, so he missed a lot of things and didn't have the knowledge to do his homework on his own. And here he did it himself for the first time and did it right. He also found a lot of friends here."

UNICEF has opened 34 such centers in the east and south of Ukraine, in places where in-person education is not possible due to insecurity or where school infrastructure is most severely damaged. This is thanks to the support of GPE and the Government of Japan.

Join the program or enroll in classes on psycho-emotional support.