Olena Zelenska in an Interview with Libelle
Patrons from 30 countries are already engaged in cooperating with the Olena Zelenska Foundation. This was stated by First Lady of Ukraine Olena Zelenska in an interview with Libelle, the largest Dutch women's magazine.
Olena Zelenska described to journalist Victoria Koblenko the life in the country in the midst of Russian aggression and the efforts Ukraine is making to support people during the war. The First Lady paid special attention to the mental health program “How are you?”, which is being implemented on her initiative.
“In times of crisis, it is important to have self-regulation skills. That is why we have organized training for more than 100,000 employees. Everyone who works directly with people, from post office workers to firefighters, should be able to recognize mental crises and refer people to professionals,” Olena Zelenska said.
In addition, the First Lady spoke about the projects her Foundation implements for Ukrainians. One of them is the construction of housing for large foster families. In total, there are already 14 such houses, and donors are being sought to build new ones. Partners are also needed to help renovate the hospital in Izyum. For example, the football stadium in Hostomel was restored with the help of FC Bayern Munich.
“One of my favorite projects is the School of Superheroes. We create learning spaces in hospitals, where children undergo long-term treatment, so that they can continue their studies. This also has a positive psychological effect: children respond better to treatment. We have already funded the creation of six such centers this year, but we want to expand it further,” the First Lady added.
Olena Zelenska also thanked everyone who is helping Ukraine and urged the international community to be more active, as this is our common struggle.
“There are many pessimistic voices out there talking about the future of humanity, saying that people are inhumane and unhelpful to each other. But I hope that Ukraine's defense against the Russian attacker will prove the opposite. Because many countries are doing it, and many people around the world are proving the exact opposite, by supporting Ukraine not only with their sympathy, but also with their active assistance,” the First Lady noted.
