When Russia invaded Ukraine, Alice's life went from safety to danger in a matter of hours. She saw her home and her entire childhood town destroyed in a few days of intense fighting.

Alice is 13 years old and comes from the town of Hostomel, located a few miles northwest of the Ukrainian capital Kiev. Hostomel was subjected to air strikes, shelling and heavy ground fighting that left homes, schools and shops in ruins. Even running water, electricity and heating disappeared. All that was left was destruction and fear.

- Our house was damaged. All the windows were destroyed and almost everything we owned is gone. Now I only have a cell phone, but it's hard to do schoolwork on it," she says.

After nine days in a shelter, Alice, her older brother and their mother managed to escape the city. Alice only had a backpack with the bare essentials. A pillow, an extra pair of shoes and a cell phone charger.

In Burkina Faso, around two million people live as internally displaced persons. The country has been politically unstable for years and was hit by two military coups in 2022. This led to a dramatic increase in violence and now an estimated 4.9 million people are in urgent need of Humanitarian Assistance.

For 14-year-old Djemirata Nabalum, violence came very close. Her village was attacked by armed terrorists and she was forced to flee to the town of Kaya in central Burkina Faso. The security situation in Kaya is somewhat better than in the rest of the country and just outside the town is the Tansega Wayalguin IDP camp.

In the refugee camp, Erikshjälpen works together with the local partner organization Organisation Catholique pour le Développment et la Solidarité, OCADES, to support children and families who have fled from armed militias that terrorize large parts of the country.

- We are well looked after and get to take part in fun leisure activities that make us feel good here," she says.

Children's nightmares have disappeared

There is a strong focus on psychosocial work. For example, many of the children in the refugee camp have seen their parents or other adults killed. Together with UNICEF, OCADES and Erikshjälpen run a special activity area, Children's Friendly Space, where children can feel safe and at the same time have access to education and leisure activities.

- Our nightmares disappeared when we started hanging out in the Children's Friendly Space. Now we dream about playing together instead. We are very grateful for that. The whole environment makes me feel more secure," says Djemirata.

Since arriving in Tansega Wayalguin refugee camp, Djemirata has begun to dream of a future as a seamstress - and, of course, of one day moving back home and reuniting with her family.

- When I look ahead five years, I see myself learning to sew and making a living as a seamstress. I also want to pass it on to my future children, just like my mother did, so they can be self-sufficient in the future.

Halidou has met new friends

Around 120,000 people live as internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the city of Kaya, and over 77,000 of them are children under the age of 17. For 15-year-old Halidou Sawadogo, who has fled to the Tansega Wayalguin IDP camp with his family, every morning starts with a visit to the Children's Friendly Space.

In the evenings, he works in the fields to help support his family.

- I have met many new friends at Children's Fiendly Space and we have a lot of fun hanging out together. Despite all the challenges, I try to find the joy in the small things. Children's Friendly Space has meant a lot to me, because I have something to do during the day instead of just thinking about everything that is difficult," he says.

Author: Johan Larsson

For the past year, 14-year-old Viktoria has been living with her mother, father and older sister in a one-room modular house in the Ukrainian city of Irpin. Before the war, the family lived in an apartment in Irpin, but everything changed one morning at the end of February 2022 when the family was woken up by loud explosions after Russia started its war against Ukraine and fierce fighting broke out in Irpin.

- It was very scary. We rushed to a shelter where we spent a day and a night," says Viktoria.

The next day, the family was evacuated from the city. All but the father then made their way to Poland.

- My father couldn't come with me. "All men under the age of 60 must stay in Ukraine to defend the country," explains Viktoria.

In early April, the Russian army withdrew from Irpin and Viktoria's family decided to return. They didn't want to stay in Poland because Ukraine is their homeland where they want to live. Before they returned, Viktoria knew that her family's house had been destroyed in a Russian attack.

- But when I returned here and saw it with my own eyes, I felt terrible. It was destroyed and black with soot. I was very sad," says Viktoria.

Support from Erikshjälp's partner organization

Initially, the family stayed with relatives in Irpin, but in the fall of 2022 they moved into the room in the modular house that is now their home. The room is 13 square meters and the family shares a bathroom, toilet and kitchen with other IDPs.

- Our living conditions are completely different from how we lived before, but I've gotten used to it. Now it feels okay," says Viktoria.

She goes to school in Irpin and in her spare time she mostly hangs out with friends. Sometimes life gets boring, but on this day Erikshjälpen's Ukrainian partner organization WCU has been visiting and had social activities. Viktoria has participated in them with some other children and young people. During the activities, the children get the opportunity to process traumatic experiences while having a fun time.

- I love it when volunteer organizations come here and do activities with us or give us presents. For Christmas and New Year last year, we had to write Christmas wish lists. I wished for, and received, a power bank that I often use here," says Viktoria.

Dreaming of lasting peace

Electricity is often lost in the 'modular city' because many power plants have been destroyed in bombings. The Russian army often fires missiles at Irpin, but the Ukrainian air force manages to destroy most of them in the air.

- The airplane alarm sounds quite often and then we have to run to the shelter. It's scary, but we've had to get used to it," says Viktoria.

Victoria usually reads or draws when she is scared. As an adult, she wants to be an artist.

- Now my greatest wish is for our house to be renovated so that we can move back home. I don't know when that will happen. It might take five years," she says.

Victoria believes, and hopes, that Ukraine will win the war and that there will be a lasting peace.

- Even though there is still a war going on, I have high hopes for a better future," concludes Viktoria.

Author: Bengt Sigvardsson

The family left everything behind, their home, their daily life and all their belongings. First, the family took shelter in the jungle and then fled to the Shwezet IDP Camp in Kachin State, northern Myanmar. At the time, Maran Hkawn Nu was just five years old.

That was 12 years ago and Maran still lives in the refugee camp with her family.

- There are nine of us in the family so it's a big family. My mom looks after my brothers while my dad tries to find work to support the family. My sister and two of my brothers have disabilities and my sister still needs medical treatment," says Maran.

The family comes from Kachin State in northern Myanmar. There, an armed conflict between the Kachin Independent Organization and the Myanmar government has been ongoing since the military took power in 1962. After a 17-year hiatus, the conflict flared up again in 2011.

Difficult to start over in the refugee camp

In Myanmar, there were hopes for a democratization process after the free elections in 2015, but after a coup d'état in early 2021, the military took power again. Conflicts increased throughout Myanmar and today around 1.5 million people live as internally displaced persons in the country.

For Maran and her family, starting a completely new life in the camp was a difficult adjustment.

- We have had to struggle very hard in the refugee camp. In the beginning, we had to cook, eat and sleep in a very small space. As I have three siblings with disabilities, I think we are the family that has suffered the most. Sometimes the other children in the camp tease my siblings and I can get very angry, even though I try to stay calm," says Maran.

Fighting for their siblings' schooling

In the refugee camp, Erikshjälpen has worked together with the local partner organization Kachin Baptist Convention to give the children a safe and secure life in the midst of the burning civil war. After decades of conflict, Myanmar is today one of the most insecure countries in Southeast Asia and, as always in armed conflicts, it is the children who suffer the most.

These range from high child mortality rates due to lack of health care to large numbers of children dropping out of education after primary school. In the Shwezet refugee camp, Maran struggles to keep her siblings going to school every day.

- I understand that my siblings are a bit behind in school because of their disabilities and I pray that they will do well. Even though we live in a refugee camp, I want them to succeed in their education," says Maran.

Wants to return home as soon as possible

Violence, drugs, trafficking, child labor and landmines are commonplace for many children in Myanmar. According to the Kachin Baptist Convention, many children live in constant fear of losing a relative or being killed themselves. The Kachin Baptist Convention works on the basis of a special child protection program where the children themselves are involved in activities that strengthen their protection against violence and various forms of exploitation.

For example, protecting children from being sexually exploited and helping those who have been exploited, or offering child soldiers the opportunity to start vocational training instead.

Maran dreams of one day being able to train as a nurse, but it is difficult. She has to help out in the family by taking care of her siblings, and she also has to do extra work in a laundry to earn money for her sister's treatments.

- We have now lived here in the refugee camp for twelve years. I wish for nothing but peace so that we can return to our home village.

Thanks to Erikshjälpen's work in Myanmar, Maran and her younger siblings can grow up in protection from the dangers of war.

Author: Johan Larsson

She is called a "hygiene hero"

Afsana Khatun is 13 years old and lives in an area called Pargobindopur Abashon in Bangladesh. In the community, Afsana has been given the title of "hygiene hero". Through the children's club that Erikshjälpen supports, she has learned about personal hygiene. Afsana now teaches her knowledge to family and friends, which has led to improved health for everyone around her.

Diseases spread easily

Apart from the fact that few people in the country have access to sanitary toilets, there is also a lack of understanding about how to dispose of waste safely. As a result, diseases are spread through contaminated waterways where garbage is dumped, and despite government interventions , progress is too slow. That is why it is important that children, like Afsana, become advocates for good hygiene.

At the kids' club, they talk about the importance of washing often with soap and brushing your teeth every day. They have also talked about small things you can do in everyday life to keep things clean around you. For example, wearing different slippers in the toilet than the ones you wear at home.

Fewer people get sick

It is Afsana's persistence and knowledge that means those in the village are now seeing an improvement with fewer people falling ill. All thanks to her teaching people about the importance of good hygiene.

Author: Anton Eriksson