Ukraine: Daniela and the ministers on the frontline

The focus of ministry

‘The focus of our church ministry is outreach, women’s ministry and children’s ministry,’ Daniela tells us.

‘Also, I work for a charity, where we support young people who have aged out of orphanages, including single mothers raising children on their own. These young mothers are orphans themselves, left without family support and struggling to navigate life independently.

‘We provide them with a safe environment and equip them with parenting skills, psychological support and the practical assistance they need to build a stable future for themselves and their children.

‘We also operate a day center for young people who have outgrown orphanages and are now students.

Basic survival skills and the opportunity to thrive

‘Their daily struggles are often about basic survival – finding food, securing a job, and learning to take care of themselves. Many of these young people were never taught essential life skills in the orphanages, so, even at 16 or 17 years old, they don’t know how to manage daily responsibilities or navigate relationships. For them, managing daily things like budgeting, cooking or even handling simple tasks can be overwhelming, because no one has ever shown them how to do these things. These are the real, everyday battles they face, and we walk alongside them, equipping them to build a future with hope – welcoming them into being part of a community and empowering them to break the cycle of abandonment, teaching them to take care of themselves, make wise decisions, plan for their future and build fulfilling lives.

‘As part of this, we help orphaned young adults secure stable housing. While the government can provide some orphans with housing, these places are often in unlivable conditions. We step in to help renovate, adapt and completely refurbish their apartments or houses, covering all repair costs so they can have a safe and dignified place to call home.

‘During the war, we have also reevaluated many aspects of our ministry and expanded what we do to include supporting displaced people and low-income families.

Core mission

‘At the core of everything we do, is our mission to share the message of God. We seek to lead young people to Christ, trusting that he alone can transform their hearts and lives.

‘Through the experiences of living surrounded by conflict, we have come to truly value time. We now understand that life can change in an instant – we don’t know what will happen in a day or even the next five minutes. This awareness has made us more intentional about sharing Christ with our students, ensuring that every moment is used wisely and purposefully.

Support through the seminary programme

‘It was our department director, who oversees support for young mothers, that introduced our team to this training opportunity at the [Tearfund-supported] seminary, which we took part in.

‘The programme was a perfect fit for us, aligning closely with our work and mission. In particular, we wanted to learn how to properly prepare grant applications – both from the government and charitable organisations – since we often felt uncertain about this process.

‘A bonus was the opportunity to apply for a ministry financial grant through funding from Tearfund, which we received and this is helping support our work!

‘The course was truly outstanding, with excellent teachers and invaluable content directly relevant to our daily work.

‘One of the most beneficial aspects was learning how to work effectively as a team. The training was entirely practical and we now know how to facilitate collective discussions, actively listen to one another and set clear short-term and long-term goals.

‘The brainstorming sessions were especially powerful. Many of our team members are very creative, so we often come up with great ideas, but in the past, they were easily forgotten or left unfinished. This training helped us structure our processes so that our ideas turn into action.

Taking the training to the church

‘Our team gained incredibly valuable knowledge from this training, and an unexpected blessing was winning the grant. We are deeply grateful!

‘We also shared what we learned with our church. We presented key insights from the course during a church gathering, believing they will benefit the wider church community.

‘There are many inspiring stories from the work that we do, but one that truly stands out involves three of our current staff members who were once supported by the orphanage charity. These young women, who came from orphanages themselves, are now vibrant members of a church and serve in ministry – working for the very organisation that once helped them. Today, they are giving back by helping others, continuing the cycle of support and transformation.’

Read about some of the other work Tearfund has been supporting in Ukraine here and here.

You can also use this guide to help you pray for the situation in Ukraine.

*Name has been changed for protection.