Winners of “One Day” competition told about lost childhood and important thing in life

These are totally not childish stories. They touch heart and soul. These stories show how deeply modern Ukrainian children, who have gone through the war, understand life.

The Museum of Civilian Voices, which founded by Rinat Akhmetov Foundation, held an essay competition "One Day". The participants were almost two thousand schoolchildren. This is collection of the best works selected by the jury. Those who took first, second and third places received awards from the Rinat Akhmetov Foundation. 

The competition was held within the framework of the Memorandum of Cooperation between the Rinat Akhmetov Foundation and the Institute for Modernization of the Content of Education of the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine. It was attended by schoolchildren of grades 9-11 from Donetsk, Lugansk, Zaporozhye and Kharkov regions.

‘The war has trampled a lot in our souls’
23.11.2021
Valeriya Popova
‘The war has trampled a lot in our souls’
‘Is it possible to hide from the war?’
24.11.2021
Danylo Ushkats
‘Is it possible to hide from the war?’
War burst into my carefree life
23.11.2021
Daria Mazitova
"War burst into my carefree life"
‘My life has changed dramatically – a brutal war knocked on the door’
23.11.2021
Amina Podolyanuk
‘My life has changed dramatically – a brutal war knocked on the door’
‘When the war passes through you, you begin to value every moment’
24.11.2021
Danylo Taranenko
‘When the war passes through you, you begin to value every moment’
«I was nine years old when the war started»
23.11.2021
Angelina Selekenova
«I was nine years old when the war started»
‘Childhood was over, the world changed, the war began’
24.11.2021
Aleksandr Reznik
‘Childhood was over, the world changed, the war began’
‘To forget about war – that is what peace means’
23.11.2021
Vladislav Nelipa
‘To forget about war – that is what peace means’
‘We learned to be happy about having electricity and silence’
23.11.2021
Anastasiya Lavrenova
‘We learned to be happy about having electricity and silence’
‘The earth trembled underfoot for real...’
23.11.2021
Alla Voronkova
‘The earth trembled underfoot for real...’
The rumble of an artillery shell resembled fireworks
23.11.2021
Elizaveta Bidyuk
'The rumble of an artillery shell resembled fireworks'
‘Fear seemed to mix with blood and was circulating throughout the body’
23.11.2021
Katerina Posheluzna
‘Fear seemed to mix with blood and was circulating throughout the body’
My childhood was killed in the war
19.11.2021
Dmytro Zhurhur
'My childhood was killed in the war'
‘The darkness was torn by a bright white spot, as if a new star sparkled’
22.11.2021
Vadym Sukhobrus
‘The darkness was torn by a bright white spot, as if a new star sparkled’
‘We have become the hostages of a new reality’
22.11.2021
Sofia Turchenko
‘We have become the hostages of a new reality’
‘My memories are full of sadness and despair’
22.11.2021
Liliya Sayenko
‘My memories are full of sadness and despair’
‘The day when I grew older suddenly’
22.11.2021
Аlina Kravchenko
‘The day when I grew older suddenly’
‘The beginning of adult life’
22.11.2021
Anna Mygal
‘The beginning of adult life’
‘A day that etched in my memory and changed me’
22.11.2021
Sofiya Manoylo
‘A day that etched in my memory and changed me’
‘When my mum would come safe and well, I was happy.’
22.11.2021
Anastasiya Kononenko
‘When my mum would come safe and well, I was happy.’
«Аt the age of seven I found myself amidst a terrible fairy tale called “war”»
18.11.2021
Kateryna Shynkariova
«Аt the age of seven I found myself amidst a terrible fairy tale called “war”»
The day when the war began for me
18.11.2021
Davyd Sevostyanov
"The day when the war began for me"
«The war takes away children’s childhood»
18.11.2021
Antonina Dragoun
«The war takes away children’s childhood»
Join the Project
Join the Project
Every story is unique. Share your story!
Share your story

Other collections