From: Ira Kapitonova in Kyiv (Day 734):
Come, bless the Lord, all you servants of the Lord,
who stand by night in the house of the Lord!
Psalm 134:1
I saw an interesting post today. It was about a wellness study conducted several months ago among 10-17-year-olds in Ukraine by Olena Zelenska Foundation in partnership with Kyiv School Economics and UNICEF Ukraine. As someone commented, it looks like resilience runs in the genes of our Ukrainians, yet all this resilience at such a young age may backfire at later stages of life.
So, this study evaluated 9 areas – health, safety, education, mental health, relationships, social and emotional skills, risky behaviors, material provision, institutional support, and upbringing. The good news is that over 70% of children consider themselves happy (which may be challenging for teenagers, not just those living in Ukraine). About 60% were capable of problem-solving (this is one of the skills that is not acquired in a traumatic environment). 8 out of 10 said they like being home with their family (another surprising answer for a teenager, but it shows that even young people understand how fragile life can be and how crucial it is to be with your loved ones).
At the same time, almost half of the respondents show signs of potential PTSD (which is not certain, only possible).
And the most hopeful indicator for me (and that’s something I see in our school every day) – about 85% of children are capable of empathy.
It’s hard for me to think about our children living during this war. I start crying every time I think about the pain they experience and the opportunities they lose because of the war. However, I trust that God will use this generation to bring change and His blessings to Ukraine and the world.
Voice of Ukraine 