Paintings Instead of Bare Walls: How an Artist Transformed the Shelter at a Children’s Hospital in Kharkiv
IT ClusterThe bomb shelter of the Kharkiv Children’s City Clinical Hospital No. 16. has been decorated with paintings, created collaboratively by children, doctors, and Israeli artist Zoe Sever. Vitaly Sedler, CEO and co-founder of Intellias, supported the project.
This initiative, aimed at converting the walls of bomb shelters into warm and inviting spaces, is led by the United People of the Planet Foundation, artist Zoe Sever, and cultural attaché of the Embassy of the State of Israel in Ukraine Regina Shafir. In particular, they have already completed a similar project in Kyiv, painting the walls of a bomb shelter at a school.
The decoration of the Kharkiv Children’s Hospital took place in early September and lasted several days. Vitaly Sedler supported the initiative with a financial contribution:
“Despite the war, it is crucial for children to feel safe and continue to dream. That’s why implementing creative projects that offer a respite from harsh realities is so important today. This is our shared mission. Kharkiv is a city of bravery and resilience, and I am proud to support this initiative.”
Zoe Sever collaborates with the children to design future murals.
“A painting created by children will endure. And when peace comes, and it surely will, the basements of children’s hospitals and schools will transform into venues for classes, workshops, and extracurricular activities. These murals will remind their young creators and those who will come after them that even in the most difficult and terrible times, no one can stop us from dreaming and believing,” says Zoe Sever, artist.
“Unfortunately, children in Israel and Ukraine are forced to sit in bomb shelters for long hours. Zoe Sever’s paintings, which she creates together with the children on the walls of the shelters, are a kind of “window to the world”. This window shows Israel, Ukraine, clear skies and hope for a peaceful life. The Embassy of Israel in Ukraine initiated this project and continues to support it with great enthusiasm,” adds Regina Shafir, Cultural Attaché of the Embassy of the State of Israel in Ukraine.
The significance of the project for the psychological well-being of children is also highlighted by the hospital staff.
“Today, there is a lot of talk about patient-centeredness, but there is no single recipe for alleviating the fear and pain of a young patient. We dream of making our hospital a place where childhood thrives — psychologists, Hibuki therapy, music therapy, hospital clowning, and now art therapy. We are particularly grateful to Vitaly Sedler, CEO and co-founder of Intellias tech company, for his financial support — without it, Zoe Sever’s “joyful creativity” holiday would not have happened,” says Maryna Kucherenko, director of the Kharkiv City Clinical Children’s hospital No. 16.
Intellias has a history of supporting children in need. Following a missile attack on the Okhmatdyt Children’s Hospital in Kyiv, the company and its employees donated UAH 1 million for repairs. Additionally, during the winter holidays, through the “Good Winter” internal initiative, Intellias contributed over UAH 2 million to support child safety, health, and children of fallen Ukrainian heroes.
