Reading toddlers: Books for the youngest in Odesa

During martial law, significant restrictions apply to the use of funds by state and municipal institutions. This includes restrictions on book purchases.

We invite you to join fundraising for purchasing books for children aged 1-3.

Why is this important?

While understanding the scope of needs and fundraising for the Armed Forces, we must also recognize that we cannot pause our children's development. Let's not wait for Victory to ensure access to quality modern books.

Books are expensive. So it's important to provide access for those who cannot afford to buy dozens of books.

Ages up to 3 are crucial in child development. Reading (viewing pictures with parents) is an extremely effective tool to help children explore the world.

The city has many IDPs with small children. A mother who came to the city will be happy to take several books that will keep her child occupied without accumulating things she often has to move with. Reading to a child is easier than entertaining them other ways – resulting in significantly improved maternal wellbeing.

"In 2021 I researched books available in children's libraries and saw very few acquisitions in the last 10 years, with minimal budgets for new books. Most books are old and uninteresting. Not attractive and with ambiguous meaning.

Over the last 10 years, publishing has greatly developed with many new books about emotional intelligence, ecology, waste recycling – everything that greatly interests children and is practical in life", – says Oleksandra, mother and project author.

Our team will ensure quality and usefulness of books purchased and donated to Odesa libraries, and will contact publishers about possible discounts to buy as many copies as possible.