The LEGO Foundation has announced grants totaling 100 million Danish kroner ($13.4 million) in support of revitalizing Ukraine’s education system and bolstering the educational needs of Ukrainian children and families who fled to Moldova, Romania, and other neighboring countries.

The grants will help fund essential services for Ukrainian families, teachers, and children to be distributed by foundation partners including UNICEF, the Mental Health and Psychosocial Support Collaborative, and Peppy Pals, and coordinated by the Ukraine Education Cluster and Ukraine’s Ministry of Education and Science to support programs that provide children with learning opportunities and psychological services to bolster mental well-being during the crucial developmental years. In addition, the LEGO Foundation will directly donate equipment to education institutions.

Since the start of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, approximately 12.4 million Ukrainians have been displaced, including 3.6 million children whose education has been disrupted. According to the foundation, more than 2,300 schools and education-related buildings have been damaged, with 286 destroyed. The grants are in addition to a 110 million DKK ($14.76 million) grant announced in March that was directed to general humanitarian aid for the Ukrainian people.

“One of our priorities is providing the right psychosocial support for all of those involved in the education of children,” said Ukraine minister of education Serhii Shkarlet. “We hope the support provided by the LEGO Foundation will be a significant contribution to ensuring this happens and will help provide effective means to promote the well-being of teachers and children.”

“As we start a new academic year in Ukraine, we must acknowledge how different an experience it will be for many of our children,” said Oksana Roma, LEGO Foundation’s Ukraine country manager. “This donation seeks to ensure the children of Ukraine, either in Ukraine or neighboring countries such as Moldova and Romania, can continue their education despite the severe disruption they have experienced due to the war.”

(Photo credit: UNICEF/UN0691462/Hrom)