The creator of the international art project "Children Giving Hope to Children" met with students from the SAIL media school, spoke about her humanitarian trips, and delivered messages to Ukrainian children from their peers in the USA, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and other nations. During her visit, she also received a gift from a young craftswoman from Vasylkiv.
This was reported by Puls.
American Lynn Matthews visited Vasylkiv, in the Kyiv region, as part of the international art project "Children Giving Hope to Children." Participants in the project send drawings and letters to Ukrainian children, containing words of support and wishes for peace and safety.
Matthews brought works to Vasylkiv created by children from various countries, including the USA, Afghanistan, and Pakistan. Among the authors are children who have personally experienced war, forced displacement, and separation from their homes.
"Children are the same everywhere. They want love and to live a normal life," Lynn said during the meeting.
She emphasized that the goal of the initiative is to foster connections between children, regardless of their country of origin.
"This isn't politics. It’s love," the American explained.
While in Vasylkiv, Matthews met with students from the SAIL media school. The young media enthusiasts asked their guest about her international travels, the work of the project, and her reasons for helping children.
The American also shared her personal experience of being in Ukraine during the full-scale war. She recounted hearing the sounds of Russian drones during her visit. This experience gave her a better understanding of the conditions in which Ukrainians live; she was particularly struck by the fact that children continue their education despite air raid sirens.
Experience in Conflict Zones
Lynn Matthews has a background working in wartime environments. In 1992, she worked as a nurse in Somalia and witnessed the events in Mogadishu. More than three decades later, in 2024, she revisited the country and observed the changes that had taken place over that time.
She shared this experience with children in Vasylkiv, emphasizing the importance of maintaining hope, even in difficult circumstances.
"Back in 1992, I couldn't see how things would get better. But they did. And I know it will be the same for Ukraine," Lynn said.
Her humanitarian work has also taken her to Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Kenya. During her travels, she meets with children and refugees, and the stories, drawings, and letters she collects become part of an international project.
Matthews’s decision to dedicate herself to helping others was also influenced by her own personal history. She shared that she was married to her husband for 28 years. In 2020, he was diagnosed with cancer, and he passed away the following year.
Shortly before his death, when asked by a doctor what he would like to change, a man replied that he wished to see a kinder world. After his passing, Lynn decided to carry this vision forward through humanitarian initiatives and projects that foster mutual support among people.
Ukrainian Artworks to Travel Abroad
During her visit to the community, Lynn Matthews stopped by the art studio at the Vasylkiv City House of Culture, home to the Mykhailo Denysenko Exemplary Fine Arts Studio, led by Liubov Bachynska.
The Americans were presented with a clay art piece created by 14-year-old Bohdana Koptsova. Upon learning that the work was crafted by such a young artist, Matthews was deeply moved and remarked that she would cherish the gift as a memento of Vasylkiv.
Works by Ukrainian children were also contributed to an international art project. They will join a collection of drawings and letters that Lynn brings to children in various countries.
Photo: Puls
Author: Danylo Pievchev