The Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA), the humanitarian arm of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, is drawing attention to the psychological and protection risks children face amid conflict, disaster, and displacement, emphasizing that safeguarding must extend beyond preventing physical harm to include dignity, mental health, and spiritual well-being.

ADRA says, "high-pressure environments can heighten gender-based violence, exploitation, and abuses of power," including within systems intended to provide aid.

The organization reports it is embedding safeguarding standards across emergency and long-term programs, with a focus on creating settings where children feel safe and supported.

From the war-affected classrooms of Ukraine to the resilient schools of Uganda, ADRA is working to protect children in every dimension of their lives and to ensure that every child has the chance to thrive.

Supporting Children’s Education During Conflict in Ukraine

With thousands of schools damaged or destroyed and families repeatedly displaced, children in Ukraine continue to experience prolonged interruptions to schooling, ADRA Ukraine reports. Frequent air-raid alerts, limited connectivity, and trauma have compounded learning loss, particularly in frontline and hard-to-reach areas.

In response, ADRA Ukraine has launched initiatives to help children recover from educational disruptions and continue learning in safe and supportive settings. The organization collaborates with local schools, communities, and international partners to provide access to alternative learning spaces, tutoring programs, and digital education tools.

Photo: Courtesy of ADRA Ukraine

Photo: Courtesy of ADRA Ukraine

ADRA also implements catch-up learning programs aimed at helping students bridge knowledge gaps caused by months or even years of interrupted schooling. In addition to academic support, these programs integrate psychosocial activities that help children cope with stress and rebuild their sense of normalcy.

Through these efforts, ADRA Ukraine is ensuring that every child has the opportunity to learn, grow, and dream again, even in times of crisis.

Voices of Hope from Amuru, Uganda

In northern Uganda’s Amuru District, ADRA Uganda’s PASSAGE project, funded over the past three years by the Government of Finland, has supported 10 schools with a holistic child-protection model that links educators, parents, and communities.

The initiative includes psychosocial counseling and child-rights awareness, school gardens and meal programs to reduce hunger-related absenteeism, and savings groups that help families budget for education.

“I saved 400,000 UGX (US$112) for my daughter’s fees,” says Atim Pamela, a proud mother at a local Primary school. Hope found a home in Amuru.

through coaching boys into men, young boys have learnt respect, care and PASSAGE has built a new generation of compassionate leaders who value and protect the female gender. Girls are now comfortable attending school with no fear of abuse and bullying, ADRA reports.

World Children's Day

On World Children's Day, ADRA says these programs reflect a wider organizational approach to safeguarding that seeks to prevent harm. The agency’s leaders emphasize that protecting children requires coordinated action across education, mental health, and community engagement.

ADRA leaders invite everyone to support the safeguarding efforts underway in Ukraine and Uganda. They say the support of others "can help expand activities to more schools in Uganda, equip learning hubs in Ukraine, and ensure that every child, no matter the crisis, has a safe place to grow."

"Together, let’s turn protection into possibility — and make hope a reality for every child," ADRA concluded.

The original article was published on the ADRA International news site.