Annual Reports of NGO “Montessori UA” (2023)

In 2023 full-scale war of russia against Ukraine continued and we made all the efforts to support children, parents and teachers during this time.

Our main focus shifter towards Mental Health and Psycho-social Support. Here is the annual report that describes all the work was done by the team of NGO Montessori UA

Download PDF version of the report (2023).

Financial report for 2023 (PDF).

1. Together with the NGO Zgraia UA, we delivered 10 generators to educational institutions in Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson regions.
2. We supported the Kherson Regional Children’s Hospital with the necessary humanitarian and educational needs with 50,000 UAH, including cholera tests, chemical protection suits, hygiene products, books, and toys.
3. We set up a charity jar at Monobank, which will be used exclusively for the needs of children who need it most (hospitals, orphanages, shelters, etc.).

1. We received 42 English-language books from Maitri Learning for the Montessori Library of Ukraine and distributed them to 8 educational institutions in Kyiv, Odesa, Kharkiv, Kryvyi Rih, Cherkasy, and Kyiv region.
2. With Montessori Educational Programs International (MEPI), we raised 50,000 UAH for humanitarian and educational needs for institutions in Chernihiv and Kyiv.
3. Charitable assistance amounted to 76,000 UAH was provided to Montessori institutions in Chernihiv and Mykolaiv.
4. Together with Montessori Ukraine United, we provided scholarships for 70 children in 5 regions of Ukraine to study at Montessori institutions.

Ukrainian-language library

Maria Montessori’s «Education and Peace» was published in Ukrainian.

A unique foreword was written by Maria’s great-grandson, Alexander Henny.

We created a Ukrainian-language glossary of Montessori terms with specialists from AMI, AMS, UMC, and philologist Olha Proskura. For non-commercial use, the glossary is available at the link.

1. We organized 4 educational meetings for the Ukrainian audience with international speakers Tammy Austing, Paula Lillard Prešlak, Heather White, and Maren Schmidt. Recordings of the meetings are available on YouTube.
2. We created a Ukrainian-language educational sticker pack with the principles of Maria Montessori’s education.
3. We held 92 sessions of evening readings, 52 of which were in English, together with Anusha Shrestha on our Facebook page and Zoom.
4. Conducted a series of polls on Instagram about the Montessori method and shared the results with the audience.

According to assessments conducted at the beginning and after the implementation of the 15-week program cycle, the well-being of students and teachers has improved significantly. based on a survey of 160 children:

• The level of anxiety among students decreased by 17%.
• Children’s self-confidence increased by 20%.
• Students’ success in solving problems increased by 18%.
• Children’s patience increased by 50%.
• Children talked about their feelings 25% more often
• Children were 19% more likely to offer help to others
• Children were 26% more likely to make positive comments about people or places from other parts of the world
• Children are 18% more likely to talk about helping or caring for the Earth

For nine weeks, teachers were invited to participate in sessions and join communities of practice.

 Thanks to the program:

• teachers began to have a positive attitude towards the world around them
• pay more attention to themselves, their feelings and emotions
• realized that they control their emotions, not their emotions control them.

Currently, teachers who have completed the program are actively engaging their colleagues in discussions of current issues and teaching them the practices they have mastered.

1. We took part in the official greeting of the Preschool Day together with the Ministry of Education and Science and UNICEF Spoke at the Educational Forum dedicated to preschool organized by the Ministry of Education and Science and «Osvitoria».
2. Attended the August conference and adequately presented the Montessori method among fellow educators.
3. The book “Education and Peace” by Deputy Minister for Preschool Education Yevhenia Smirnova and psychologist Svitlana Roiz was presented.
4. We held meetings with the Ministry of Education and Science, Deputy Minister for Preschool Education Yevhenia Smirnova, the Ukrainian Institute for Educational Development, and the charitable organizations Children of Heroes and Superheroes School.

1. We presented the book at the Montessori Europe conference.
2. We attended the annual AMI congress in Amsterdam and gained support and new contacts.
3. Presented the work of Montessori USA for the club of educators in Indiana, USA.
4. Together with MEPI International, we held a webinar for educators from around the world on the topic “Resilience of the Montessori environment during the war”.
5. The work of Montessori UA was discussed at the MEPI International conference.
6. We have been published in the American Montessori Society, AMI USA, Montessori Institute Prague

1. Conducted 20 strategy sessions with the support of ISAR Ednannia.
2. Helped with the governmental approval of the Think Equal program.
3. We joined 30 other partners in strategizing the MoES vision for preschool education.

As part of the work in the Education Cluster:

• held educational meetings of the working group on preschool education;
• attended the international forum on preschool and presented the achievements of the working group in Ukraine;
• held a workshop on the importance of preschool for regional subcluster coordinators;
• together with partners, we developed a strategy for family-type summer camps for families evacuated from the Kherson region;
• organized an event for cluster partners on the certification of educational programs with the Ministry of Education and Science.