Alla Nalyvaiko is on a Zoom call from Kyiv, prepared to talk about the unique "Land of Dreams" orphanage that she helped found.
However, there’s something else on her mind.
"There’s an air raid alarm," she says matter-of-factly.
"We haven’t had any bombings in the last two days, but just now . . . " She holds up her smart phone, open to a Telegram channel 'There are six airplanes carrying missiles. There could be bombings in the next 30 minutes."
For her it’s good news that it’s planes rather than rockets.
If it’s planes, it means time to get to a bomb shelter. When it’s a rocket and it’s fired from Crimea or from a ship in the Black Sea, the amount of time to get to a shelter would be only five minutes.
Nalyvaiko stays at her computer and continues the Zoom.
She appears surprisingly calm about the air raid. Her voice and posture don’t change, and she gives off "another day at the office vibe."
She’s there to tell this correspondent about the "fairy tale therapy" for orphans she’s part of pioneering, and an air raid isn’t about to stop her.
She may be calm about the air raid, but even so, she knows that among the horrors of Russia’s attacks on population centers is the fact that more parents will be killed, and more children will become orphans.
More orphanages will be needed.
The orphanage she and her colleagues created is designed to be a magical place.
"All the walls, inside and out, are designed to look like a fairy tale," she points out. "Our images and murals bring fairy tales to life, making the environment inspiring and hopeful."
One of the unusual aspects of the Land of Dreams orphanage is, "Fairy Tale Therapy."
The Foundation's mission is to keep dreams alive for children affected by the war, and to help make this happen, the children are invited to create their own fairy tales.
They’re encouraged to tell fairy stories in which they are the hero or heroine.
The stories are about imagining what the future holds when the war is over.
One girl’s fairy tale might be that she becomes a beloved teacher.
Another might be that she’s in law enforcement.
Another might create a fairy tale in which he’s a famous and successful artist and people want to buy his paintings.
Another wants to be a hair stylist.
Fairy tales provide emotional support for each of them and hope for their futures.
The Land of Dreams orphanage provides training programs in various fields that match each orphans’ dreams. Children can train in a variety of fields whether screenwriting, film directing, hair styling, or car mechanics. "Thanks to these training programs, when an orphan finishes their stay with us, they will already have a profession," Nalyvaiko says.
"Every day, we face air alarms and the threat of missiles," Nalyvaiko goes on to say. "I could be in the USA where I have hundreds of relatives in Seattle. I don’t consider doing this because our spirit keeps us here, working for our common victory."
Despite the challenges, Nalyvaiko remains hopeful. "We are always looking for funds to help with expenses. Each time I face adversity, I think of my children and my dreams for them.
"I believe God has a plan for us, and we will continue to work toward a better future for all Ukrainian children."
War correspondent Mitzi Perdue has visited Ukraine three times in the last year. She is a landmine clearance advocate, businesswoman, author, and anti-human trafficking advocate. She holds a B.A. degree with honors from Harvard University and a Master's from George Washington University. Read Mitzi Perdue's Reports — More Here.
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