The A-Sho Safe and Inclusive Learning Space in Kharkiv has exciting news to share about its summer programs this year.
Founded in December 2023 by A-Sho Kharkiv as an implementing partner with support from Nova Ukraine, A-Sho Safe and Inclusive Learning Space provides a wide range of learning opportunities for children in Kharkiv aged 5-17. Students include displaced families, children of defenders, and any child in need of a safe, supportive place to learn. As of June 2026, the learning space has hosted more than 11,000 child visits, including 2,121 in the first half of 2026 alone.
A-Sho Learning Space combines after-school STEM and humanities education with creative projects, sports, cultural programs, and psychological support to build a safe place for students to socialize, play, and learn. These activities help children recover from the impacts of war, address educational losses, and build skills for the future. On average, the center hosts 120 educational, creative, recreational, and developmental activities every month.
A-Sho This Summer
A lot has happened at A-Sho Safe and Inclusive Learning Space over the past few months! Students have been studying, building creative projects, learning to lead, and cooperating on exciting new ideas. A-Sho Learning Space focuses on different subjects during different weeks, giving students new projects and ideas to experience.
Movie Week
During Movie Week, children explored the fundamentals of filmmaking as screenwriters, directors, and actors. They watched and discussed films, then formed teams to create their own original video projects, building creativity, learning communication skills, and inspiring confidence.
Art Week
Students joined hands-on creative workshops, trying exciting new artistic techniques. All students had the opportunity both to create their own individual projects and to work on collaborative pieces that taught teamwork, self-expression, and hands-on artistic skills.
Student Leadership Week
Student Leadership Week is always a highlight at A-Sho. Students help organize daily life at the center, creating schedules, planning activities, and brainstorming new ideas for future programs. Participants also prepared and delivered their own mini-lessons and presentations for their peers, building a shared sense of responsibility and self-determination.
Why A-Sho Matters
Educational initiatives in Kharkiv are especially important in the midst of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Starting with the COVID-19 pandemic and prolonged by the Russian invasion, students in Ukraine have spent almost six years learning primarily online. This severely limits opportunities to interact with classmates, build friendships, and develop essential social and practical skills. Spaces like A-Sho help children not only recover academically but also regain a sense of normal childhood, strengthening social connection and developing essential communication and teamwork skills.
