During a working trip to Ivano-Frankivsk, the President of the Ukrainian Football Association and Head of the UAF Coordination Center, Andriy Pavelko, held a meeting with the football community of Transcarpathia and the leaders of the oblast association—Chairman Andriy Bondarenko and his first deputy Taras Klim.

Together with the First Vice-Presidents of the national association Anatoliy Demianenko, Oleh Protasov, Vadym Kostyuchenko, and Vice-President and General Secretary of UAF Yurii Zapysochyi, the participants discussed issues related to a local humanitarian center that provides support for children evacuated from areas of active conflict and its interaction with UAF humanitarian hubs operating in other cities.

Photo by the press service of UAF

One of the main directions of work for the local center is the implementation of social programs aimed at psychological rehabilitation of children through football. In the near future, three such projects will be launched in the region. These are "Open Football Lessons," whose preparation has already begun, and programs that UAF implements jointly with UNICEF. "Now it's important for us to protect our children and their psyche from the horrors of war and create conditions for their full development,"—Andriy Pavelko noted.

Photo by the press service of UAF

Representatives of UAF also met with the team of the volunteer center SaveUkraineNOW, which is a union of local authorities, members of parliament representing Transcarpathia, businesses, charitable organizations, territorial defense units and the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The main task of the center is to equip soldiers on the front lines and units preparing for deployment to the frontline. During the meeting, they discussed opportunities for cooperation between volunteers and the UAF Coordination Center, including in the transfer of equipment kits and medicines for military medics.

Photo by the press service of UAF

In Ivano-Frankivsk, the President of UAF also visited training sessions for young football players on a stadium built several years ago under UEFA's "Hat-Trick" program. Together with Mayor Ruslan Martynchyk, representatives of UAF and the oblast association, as well as head coach of FC Chornomorets (Odessa) Roman Hryhorchuk, Andriy Pavelko greeted young players, half of whom are temporary residents from Mariupol and Kharkiv, and presented them with balls.

Photo by the press service of UAF

"Transcarpathia has become a temporary home for many displaced people. Among them, there are many children. The leadership of Ivano-Frankivsk and the local football community care to make sure they feel at home here, continue their education and training. The UAF Coordination Center always supports such projects and is ready to help children forget about war,"—Andriy Pavelko said.