Sunflower Scotland continues its project to support orphans and children with Down’s syndrome in Ukraine. This time we delivered food aid packages to 47 families in Kryvyi Rih, south Ukraine. Two weeks ago, this city was hit by a massive missile raid, which also destroyed children’s hospital in Kyiv. We do everything we can to support kids with Down’s syndrome during the most difficult times.

Food aid
This July, Sunflower Scotland asked our partners, Schira Sprava, to purchase food supplies in Kryvyi Rih. We always buy humanitarian supplies in Ukraine, in order to support the local economy: important during the war. (Read our article: “Help Ukraine: buy Ukrainian and save 58%“).


Denis and Dmytro from Schira Sprava purchased food, and prepared 47 bags with aid, for families with Dow syndrome kids. Our Sunflower team drove all the way from Edinburgh, arriving in Kryvyi Rih on Tuesday the 15th of July. It was extremely hot, as we travelled to Ukraine in the middle of the heatwave.

At the agreed time, we met with the children and their parents in a local library. Oleg Dmitriev, our chairman, personally greeted each child and gave them one of the food bags.

Natalia is one of the children with Down syndrome. Because of her disability, she is bound to the wheelchair. She is a very kind person, and she possesses wonderful skills. She gave Oleg a beautiful, hand-crafted sunflower, decorated with little ladybugs. She made this wonderful gift herself.


After distributing all food packages, Sunflower spoke with Victoria, one of the mothers. She said that because of her child’s disability, she could not leave him alone. So unfortunately she couldn’t work, and essentially being a carer for her child with Down’s syndrome was her full-time job. Money was really tight. Oleg asked her if they were getting any aid from the government, or from the Red Cross, or other international charities? Clearly, during the war they should be entitled to get some help?

Victoria laughed, and showed a circle with her hands: “we are getting zero”, she said. She added that everybody in Kryvyi Rih gets an aid package once a year, but they don’t get anything extra for their disabled children.

Oleg wasn’t shocked, because unfortunately we got used to hearing the same story: the most vulnerable groups outside of Kyiv or Lviv don’t get any help, or get very little. That’s why we feel we should be helping them on a regular basis. And that’s why Sunflower is looking for corporate sponsors.
Quilts from Dunbar
Before the Sunflower team set off to Ukraine, we got a call from Scottish volunteers in Dunbar in East Lothian. They sewed absolutely gorgeous quilts, with fleece underlining.

Those would make the perfect gifts for children in Ukraine for the winter time. Unfortunately, Russia has destroyed Ukraine’s power stations, and there is a real fear that this winter children will be freezing in their homes. So the Scottish quilts turned up in the right moment.

We delivered the quilts and donated them to the Down syndrome children.

This is such a wonderful example of Scottish volunteers working together to help the most vulnerable children in Ukraine.


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