Sirje Karis met with large foster families from Ukraine

On 18 August, the First Lady of Estonia, Sirje Karis, welcomed two large Ukrainian foster families at the Office of the President. Soon, they will move into newly constructed family-style homes in the Zhytomyr region, built with Estonia’s support as part of the expansion of the Olena Zelenska Foundation’s ‘Room for Childhood’ project.

“Estonia is a true friend to Ukraine, and we are here to stand by you even in the most difficult times. Just as friendships are formed between people, they can also grow between countries,” said Mrs Karis during the meeting. She emphasised that the Ukrainian families’ visit to Estonia is a meaningful part of the deepening relationship between the two nations.

Mrs Karis compared these ties to traditional patterns in Ukrainian embroidery and Estonian folk designs: “Each of you is like a thread weaving the fabric of friendship between our countries.”

The initiative is carried out in cooperation between the Olena Zelenska Foundation and ESTDEV as part of the ‘Room for Childhood’ campaign. In 2023, Estonia joined this campaign, supporting the construction of one home for a large foster family. Later, the project was scaled up to include four more homes. In total, five houses are being built in the Zhytomyr region for families who lost their homes to the war.

This is not the first time the First Lady of Estonia has met with Ukrainian foster families. Last year, she welcomed them in the garden of the Presidential Office in Tallinn, stressing that every child deserves a safe and nurturing home. And this spring, Sirje Karis joined the First Lady of Ukraine, Olena Zelenska, in the Zhytomyr region where she met with large foster families and participated in the opening of two new homes. The Foundation team supported its partners and helped find families for whom houses were being built, select land plots for construction, and provided the necessary legal advice on construction.

Read also about last year’s meeting with families in Tallinn.

Ukraine currently has more than 1,300 foster families, at least 80 of which have lost their homes due to the war. Support from partners such as Estonia gives orphaned children and those deprived of parental care a real chance to regain stability and safety.

Meetings at this level demonstrate how the principles of solidarity and mutual support are translated into tangible action — into new homes where children can grow up in an atmosphere of trust and care.