“There was a 16-year-old mother who couldn’t read a clock and couldn’t feed her baby on time, leading to her baby being taken away from her. She was failed by her community — her parents, who did not give her a proper childhood; her teachers, who were supposed to teach her basic knowledge; her government which was supposed to care; and her maternity hospital, which was supposed to show her how to care for a child. Instead, the state took her baby away. We exist to help mothers keep their babies and have saved more than 6,000 Ukrainian children from social orphanhood.”
– Marta Levchenko, founder of the City of Goodness.
We provide shelter to:
Mothers with children living in difficult life circumstances who are at risk of having their children taken away from their families.
Victims of domestic violence.
Mothers with children who have lost their homes because of the war
Mothers with children living below the poverty line and in need of social reintegration
Children deprived of parental care from evacuated orphanages
Older single people
Children with disabilities
Dogs affected by the war
How We Help
Helping women with children
The City of Goodness offers abused women and their children more than just protection and shelter. Each woman who comes to the shelter is offered an individual resocialization program with our team of doctors, psychologists, teachers, and lawyers. We provide opportunities for education, employment, and training in childcare and household chores to help them prepare for an independent, fulfilling life.
Our doctors offer guidance on self-care and sexual health, while police officers provide education on safety and domestic violence. Our volunteers teach valuable skills such as sewing, carving, cooking, doll making, resume writing, computer skills, and more.
How We Help
1. Provision of shelter:
Full social protection
Nutrition
Psychological and physical rehabilitation
Medical support
Legal support
Financial support
2. Vocational and educational services for women:
Assistance in obtaining education, professional skills and employment
Financial literacy training
Mentoring
3. Post-support of graduates:
Job search
Assistance with housing arrangements
Psychological, legal, and humanitarian support after completion of the shelter stay
4. Children's development
Preschool education for orphans
Treatment and rehabilitation
Art therapy
Master classes
Clubs and scientific and creative studios
Canistherapy
5. Medical care in our rehabilitation centre and palliative care unit for children.
How You Can Receive Our Help
We help:
Women with children who suffer from domestic violence
Women with children who are homeless and without shelter
Women who are on the verge of being deprived of parental rights due to inadequate care conditions, poverty or lack of education
Women with children who have problems with their documents and cannot find work and housing
Women with children from all regions of Ukraine and foreign nationals in need of assistance in Ukraine
Single elderly women who have no place to live or suffer from domestic violence
We are open to women and children of all religions and ready to accommodate people with various physical disabilities
To gain admission to the centre, we require:
A preliminary agreement with the centre by phone or e-mail
Fluorography
The centre is equipped with everything necessary for the accommodation and care of children of all ages.
Families living in the center are provided with all necessary things, hygiene products and food.
Staying at the Center is completely FREE
The City of Goodness is not just a shelter and a place to live; it is a comprehensive program for women’s socialisation. Our ultimate goal is a woman who can provide for herself and her children, and who is self-reliant and independent.
For this purpose, we provide our wards with:
psychological assistance
legal assistance
medical care
pedagogical assistance
resources on how to run a household
resources on childcare
Support with education and careers
Our development program is personalised to the needs of every woman who passes through our door.
Each woman who comes to us must be prepared to learn, work on her personal development, and, if necessary, obtain a job.