Author:
Yuliia Didenko
In just one week, from Christmas Eve to New Year’s Day, readers of three Dutch newspapers raised nearly €900,000 to support Ukrainians. This year, the amount raised is the largest in the history of the charity initiative, which, for the fourth consecutive year, has been organized by Dutch journalist and volunteer Patrick van ’t Haar.
Traditionally, part of the funds will be allocated to programs run by the Voices of Children Foundation, ensuring that children and families across Ukraine have access to professional psychological support.
Traditionally, part of the funds will be allocated to programs run by the Voices of Children Foundation, ensuring that children and families across Ukraine have access to professional psychological support.
The Christmas fundraiser brought together Friesch Dagblad, Leeuwarder Courant, and DVHN (Dagblad van het Noorden)—three northern Dutch media outlets whose readers support Ukraine during the winter holidays. This year’s €885,000 set a new record, bringing the total amount raised over four years to more than €2.5 million.
From the First Fundraiser in Irpin to Million-Euro Donations
Patrick began his charitable work in support of Ukrainians in the summer of 2022, when he spent several weeks in Ukraine. At the Polish border, he witnessed thousands of people fleeing the war and wrote about them for the newspaper he works for. He personally helped evacuate several women with children to his hometown of Leeuwarden.
Initially, Patrick organized a fundraiser to support people in Irpin. Later, he approached the editor-in-chief of his newspaper with the idea of launching a joint initiative to support Ukraine.
Initially, Patrick organized a fundraiser to support people in Irpin. Later, he approached the editor-in-chief of his newspaper with the idea of launching a joint initiative to support Ukraine.
I wrote about how people from Irpin and Bucha survived and tried to rebuild their lives after the occupation and fighting in the Kyiv region. I wrote about ordinary people—young and old, families with children. I listened to their stories and shared them with Dutch readers in the Leeuwarder Courant,
In December 2022, humanitarian aid collection containers were installed in three Dutch cities. People donated clothing, food, and other essentials. As a result of the first fundraiser, nine shipping containers were delivered to Ukraine via the Leeuwarden-based organization Hope4Ukraine, and €490,000 was raised. At the same time, Patrick began traveling to Ukraine regularly, six to seven times a year, in his own van, delivering generators and other humanitarian aid.
Eventually, the support became structured and ongoing. The fundraiser has since taken place every year from December 24 to 31, during the Christmas and New Year holidays in the Netherlands. In just one short week, thousands of people make donations that are transformed into real help for Ukrainian families.
Eventually, the support became structured and ongoing. The fundraiser has since taken place every year from December 24 to 31, during the Christmas and New Year holidays in the Netherlands. In just one short week, thousands of people make donations that are transformed into real help for Ukrainian families.
Part of the Funds Toward Psychological Support for Children
Patrick first learned about the Voices of Children Foundation in the fall of 2023 while visiting Kryvyi Rih. He contacted the Foundation’s co-founder, Olena Rozvadovska, and they met in person that December. This marked the beginning of a long-term collaboration: the Foundation received €150,000 in 2024, the same amount in 2025, with further support planned for 2026.
Patrick firmly believes that supporting the younger generation is the most important investment. As a result, Voices of Children receives the largest share of funding among all organizations supported by the initiative.
In addition to the Foundation, Patrick also supports a veterans’ center in Kryvyi Rih, organizations in Kherson and Kharkiv, and an initiative in Irpin that provides food and medicine to elderly and ill people. His assistance is wide-ranging and includes housing construction, delivery of ambulances, medical kits, food supplies, hundreds of generators each year, and much more.
In addition to the Foundation, Patrick also supports a veterans’ center in Kryvyi Rih, organizations in Kherson and Kharkiv, and an initiative in Irpin that provides food and medicine to elderly and ill people. His assistance is wide-ranging and includes housing construction, delivery of ambulances, medical kits, food supplies, hundreds of generators each year, and much more.
112 Children Attended Therapeutic Camps, 37 Families of Ukraine’s Defenders Received Psychological Support
Thanks to Patrick’s support, over the past year alone the Voices of Children Foundation was able to run an additional session of the CAMP+ program for 16 families of Ukrainian defenders with extremely challenging experiences, including families whose loved ones are fighting on the front line, have been killed, or are in captivity. The three-week program supported 16 women and 21 children from ten regions of Ukraine.
In addition, donations from Dutch supporters made it possible to run two additional sessions of Voices Camp, attended by 112 children who have lived through the traumatic experiences of war and needed psychosocial recovery.
In addition, donations from Dutch supporters made it possible to run two additional sessions of Voices Camp, attended by 112 children who have lived through the traumatic experiences of war and needed psychosocial recovery.
The impact of these programs was measured using psychological assessments:
Over several years, the Christmas fundraisers initiated by Patrick have generated more than €2.5 million in real support for humanitarian aid, reconstruction, and the psychological recovery of children. The Foundation has supported children’s institutions and local communities, while psychological and humanitarian programs have reached families across multiple regions of Ukraine.
We sincerely thank all residents of the Netherlands and the editorial teams of Friesch Dagblad, Leeuwarder Courant, and Dagblad van het Noorden for this solidarity, as thousands of people come together to help restore childhood to children affected by war.
- Among children who attended Voices Camp, specialists recorded a 20% improvement in emotional well-being, a 21% increase in self-regulation skills, a 7% rise in feelings of safety and trust, and a 26% improvement in understanding their own emotions.
- Participants in the CAMP+ program showed a 79% reduction in anxiety and depression levels, while 64% of women demonstrated growth in adaptation and acceptance of new opportunities.
Over several years, the Christmas fundraisers initiated by Patrick have generated more than €2.5 million in real support for humanitarian aid, reconstruction, and the psychological recovery of children. The Foundation has supported children’s institutions and local communities, while psychological and humanitarian programs have reached families across multiple regions of Ukraine.
We sincerely thank all residents of the Netherlands and the editorial teams of Friesch Dagblad, Leeuwarder Courant, and Dagblad van het Noorden for this solidarity, as thousands of people come together to help restore childhood to children affected by war.
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