This summer, 40 children of veterans, mobilized workers and deceased employees of Zaporizhstal spent two weeks in the Vodogray children's camp in Ivano-Frankivsk region. Vacation in the Carpathians became an opportunity for them to recuperate, find new friends, get vivid impressions and at least for a while escape from the military present.
Summer health improvement for defenders' children is one of the key areas of support for employees' families, which Metinvest Group has been implementing for the third year in a row. This year's shift lasted from July 2 to July 15. A rich program of activities has been prepared for children: hiking along the Carpathian routes, sports tournaments, creative and therapeutic workshops, quests, excursions, intellectual games, evening shows and themed discos.
Maksym Ped, HR Director of Zaporizhstal, emphasizes that supporting the families of the defenders remains one of the priorities of the enterprise.
"Our employees are defending Ukraine today, and we must be a reliable support for their families. For children, such trips are not only recreation. This is an opportunity to feel cared for, find new friends, get positive emotions, and forget about the worries of war at least for a while. We strive for every child of our defenders to have the opportunity to spend the summer brightly, safely and profitably. That is why Zaporizhstal, together with Metinvest Group, continues to implement programs to support the families of military personnel," says Maksym Ped.
In two weeks, the children not only relaxed and improved their health among the Carpathian nature, but also gained new experience, learned to work in a team and found friends from various enterprises of Metinvest.
14-year-old Margarita, the daughter of Yulia Prus, who, after returning from military service, works as a work distributor at the sinter shop of Zaporizhstal, says that she remembers hiking in the mountains the most.
"What I enjoyed most were the hikes in the mountains, because the scenery there was absolutely beautiful. It was also great fun taking part in quests and team games, and in the evenings going to discos. I met lots of great people my own age. We became friends very quickly and spent our time together all the time. Every day was interesting, so I think I will definitely remember this trip for a long time," shares Margarita.
Her mother, Yulia Prus, notes that after her return, her daughter remembered every day of rest for a long time.
"She arrived happy, full of emotions. She talked most about the hikes, new friends, and the busy program. For children, such trips are really very important – they help to change the environment at least for a while and gain positive impressions," says Yulia.
10-year-old Bogdan visited the summer camp for the first time. His father, Yevhen Tymoshenko, currently serves in the ranks of the Defense Forces of Ukraine, and before mobilization he worked as a foreman in the sintering shop of Zaporizhstal.
"At first, I felt a little homesick, but then I made lots of friends and things became really exciting. Most of all, I liked the Carpathians - it is very beautiful there. There were many sports games, hikes and various competitions. I would love to go to such a camp again," says Bogdan.
According to his mother Olena Tymoshenko, this trip was a real adventure for her son.
"At first, I was worried, because it was his first such a long trip without his parents. But very quickly I realized that he had adapted perfectly. Bogdan is engaged in athletics, so he really liked the active format of recreation. He returned home happy and immediately said that he wanted to go again," says Olena.
As a reminder, Metinvest Group has been implementing the summer health improvement program for children of veterans, mobilized employees and deceased employees since 2023. This summer, 170 children of workers-defenders of the Group's enterprises from Zaporizhzhia, Kryvyi Rih, Kamianske and Pokrovsk received rest in the children's health complex in the Ivano-Frankivsk region. The program combined active recreation, health improvement, creative and sports activities and psychological relief to give children a safe, busy and truly summer vacation.