STRONG THROUGH ART FOUNDATION
“Reviving Abandoned Buildings to Help War-Affected Children in Ukraine”
Healing Hearts in Ukraine – The Mission of Strong Through Art Foundation
In the heart of Ukraine’s Carpathian Mountains, mist dances over ancient forests. Rivers carve paths through emerald valleys. Here, a dream is taking shape – “The New Dawn – Новий світанок” Health Retreat Center. A place where children who have suffered trauma, illness, and hardship can find healing, guided by nature, science, and compassion.
But “The New Dawn – Новий світанок” is not just one project. It is a movement, a revolution in how we care for the most vulnerable among us. The long-term vision is a cutting-edge, off-grid, sustainable health retreat. But the mission starts now. It begins in forgotten city corners, inside empty government buildings repurposed as first-line support centers.
The First Steps: First-Line Support Centers
As war tightens its grip on the cities, there are places where children wait alone, in silence, their pain unnoticed. Hospitals are overcrowded, specialized care is hard to access, and bureaucratic walls stand tall. But “The New Dawn – Новий світанок” is about breaking barriers.
With the support of local governments, abandoned buildings are being transformed into safe havens. Doctors, psychologists, and therapists, funded by the state, step into these spaces, armed with experience. But experience alone is not enough. Strong Through Art Foundation (S.T.A.F.) steps in to help. It provides materials, medical equipment, and resources. This ensures the centers are fully functional.
Here, children get immediate assessment. Are they struggling with PTSD? Do they need long-term therapy? Specialized rehabilitation? These centers are the first step in a child’s healing journey, determining who needs what and where they should go.
The Dream: The Health Retreat in the Carpathians
A special place is being created for deep healing. A retreat where modern medicine meets the power of nature.
Nestled in untouched wilderness, “The New Dawn – Новий світанок” Health Retreat Center is unique. Unlike any other rehabilitation facility, it is fully off-grid and sustainable. Solar and hydro energy power it. Natural materials help it blend seamlessly with the environment.
Children arrive here after their first assessment, bringing with them stories of pain—but also hope. Here, they are surrounded by specialized therapists, holistic healers, artists, and educators who guide them through recovery.
Key Features of the Retreat:
- Modern Therapy: Combining traditional rehabilitation with art, music, and animal therapy.
- Off-Grid Sustainability: A fully independent ecosystem, utilizing green energy, regenerative farming, and water conservation.
- Immersive Nature Healing: Trekking, meditation, and forest therapy to restore both body and mind.
- Educational Programs: Helping children rebuild their confidence through learning and self-expression.
- Community Integration: A place where volunteers, professionals, and recovered children come together to create a cycle of healing.
A Future Built on Unity
None of this is possible alone. “The New Dawn – Новий світанок” thrives because governments, organizations, and individuals come together, combining their strengths. Governments deliver funding and specialists. S.T.A.F. supplies equipment and resources. Volunteers bring warmth and love.
And with every child who finds hope, the world moves one step closer to a brighter, New Dawn.