Canadian and British donors have become the first investors in Gen.Hope — the Center of Excellence in child and adolescent mental health in war-affected contexts, committing an initial 7 million USD to a project that combines the establishment of a physical center, programmatic activities, and the development of international expertise in child mental health. The project is implemented by Gen.Ukrainian with the institutional support of the Kyiv School of Economics (KSE).
Gen.Hope is a center for the research and restoration of children whose childhood has been destroyed by the war. The investment from Canadian and British philanthropists makes it possible to launch the most active phase of this initiative, which will serve as a pillar of support for the wartime and post-war generation. The center will begin operating on the territory of the future KSE campus in Obolon in early 2027 and will be able to provide support to up to 25,000 children annually.
Oksana Lebedieva, Founder and Head of Gen.Ukrainian, said:
“On the eve of Christmas, a time of giving, we reflect even more deeply on what we truly believe in. For us, Gen.Hope is faith brought into material form: into a space, a structure, and a reliable long-term perspective. We are sincerely grateful for the generous support provided by our friends in Canada and the United Kingdom. This foundational investment is about faith — not only faith in Ukraine, but in the light and hope for a better future that our project carries to millions. Together with the institutional support of the Kyiv School of Economics, we are ensuring that a generation of Ukrainian children that has grown up in war will have the right and the opportunity to develop, to contribute to society and to find happiness and fulfilment in their lives”.
Gen.Hope is the Center of Excellence in child and adolescent mental health which integrates psychological support, research of childhood under war conditions, scientific partnerships, professional training, children rights advocacy, human rights protection, and the memorialization of childhood experiences. The center has an international expert and scientific advisory board, and its programmes are based on evidence-based, trauma-focused approaches.
The project is an independent institutional initiative that complements state efforts rather than replacing them, building long-term infrastructure to support the wartime and post-war generation. On its basis, innovative approaches for restoring child and adolescent mental health will be developed, along with recommendations for advancing policies and practices in Ukraine and in the international context.
Tymofiy Mylovanov, President of the Kyiv School of Economics, noted:
“We are delighted to extend and strengthen the foundations of Gen.Hope with KSE’s distinctive blend of science, education and research, which includes a White Paper – authored jointly with Gen.Ukrainian – studying the psycho-emotional state of children who have experienced occupation, deportation, and the loss of home. We work with facts, not assumptions. These research efforts inform, shape and strengthen the Center’s programmes, which are further amplified by the involvement of KSE’s psychology students, who will work closely with Gen.Hope’s children. Our collaboration with Gen.Ukrainian is an illustration of the many ways in which KSE helps in the creation of solutions that stand the test of time and serve Ukraine over the long term. We are grateful to our Canadian and British partners for their strategic support of our youth, our science, and for their trust in us and in Ukraine.”
We recall that the launch of Gen.Hope was announced on November 20, World Children’s Day, during a conference in Kyiv. The first major investment was symbolically confirmed by Canadian and British partners on Christmas Eve, symbolising that hope can take physical form. Gen.Hope will become an example of how international trust, expertise, and long-term thinking create institutions that will outlast the war and contribute to recovery.
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Gen.Ukrainian — a civil society organization that studies childhood during war and develops innovative psychological rehabilitation programmes for children and adolescents who have experienced traumatic war-related events, including the loss of parents, captivity, forced deportation, and occupation.
Kyiv School of Economics (KSE) — an educational and analytical ecosystem that brings together KSE University, KSE Graduate Business School, the KSE Institute think tank, KSE Foundation, and KSE ProfTech. KSE is among the leading universities in Central and Eastern Europe, hosts one of Ukraine’s largest think tanks, and its charitable foundation ranks fifth among the country’s largest charitable organizations according to the Forbes Ukraine ranking.