134 Magnolia. Missing Children Ukraine

  Marina Lypovetska, head of 116 000 in Ukraine and head of projects in NGO “Magnolia”, board member of International Federation Missing Children Europe, talks to me about her work and the huge challenges they face. The difficulties of tracing missing children is obviously compounded by the impact of the pandemic and now the war. In her own words:- “From my early youth, I’d been definitely sure about what I shall do to make a difference – so I graduated National Dragomanova University as a master’s degree in psychology. Then I started to work “in fields” with children and families in difficult living conditions as a governmental social worker. After a few years, when I felt, that I can be more helpful in non-governmental area, I’ve joined NGO “Magnolia”s team. I am 8 years here and this way was great, and now, despite of war, I am planning to strengthen my organization to ensure needed support to families and missing children.” NGO Magnolia http://magnolia.org.ua/en was founded more than 20 years ago by a group of journalists to protect the rights of vulnerable children and families and to support the search for missing children through publicity appeals. Cooperating with almost 30 TV channels and advertising agencies, we share posters of missing children and video appeals from their families. Since its start, NGO Magnolia contributed to the search for more than 2200 children (before war) and more than 2367 since the start of war. In 2015,  NGO “Magnolia” became a co-founder of The Ukrainian Child Rights Network. In 2017,  NGO “Magnolia” became a co-founder of the coalition “Against tortures”. In November 2017, they joined in the European Federation for Missing and Sexually Exploited Children ‘Missing Children Europe’ https://missingchildreneurope.eu/ . In 2018, NGO “Magnolia” joined Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum as a member. If someone needs their help in search for missing children , you can contact them via chat on their Facebook pages https://www.facebook.com/NGOMagnolia https://www.facebook.com/detipoisk or Telegram-bot @missingchildren_bot The hot-line for missing children is 116 000  https://missingchildreneurope.eu/hotline-116-000/ You can support NGO “Magnolia” here: http://magnolia.org.ua/en/content/donate https://help.missingchildren.org.ua/ sound has 20 second delay