Standing with Ukraine: BISU Charity Wins International Award

In a world where compassion is more important than ever, every act of charity makes a meaningful difference. As the war in Ukraine enters its fourth year, missile attacks have intensified in recent weeks, impacting millions of lives each day. Here, we know all too well what it means to stand by one another in times of crisis.

The British International School Ukraine (BISU)

17 October 2025

However, amid these ongoing challenges, education endures. Our young people continue to learn, grow, and persevere. While many schools around the world emphasise the importance of empathy and mutual support in their curricula, here in Ukraine, we live these values every day. It is this spirit of compassion, solidarity, and resilience that enables us to keep moving forward.At The British International School, Ukraine (BISU), a learning journey has always been about more than academics. Our mission is to nurture socially responsible young people who can drive positive change in the world.

Not Just Charity But Resilience

Charity initiatives are common in schools, helping students develop virtues and soft skills essential for the modern world, such as creative and critical thinking, problem-solving, and social responsibility. But for us, it is something much more. It is our contribution to the incredible resilience and defiance that the people of Ukraine have demonstrated since February 2022.We begin with those who deserve our respect and aid most: Ukraine’s brave defenders. Some of our staff members stepped forward to join Ukraine’s army as early as 2022. Since then, BISU has stood firmly by them, providing active and unwavering support.However, our students went the extra mile. In the weeks leading up to Easter, our Student Parliament, comprising Primary and Secondary students, launched a five-week charity initiative to support those on the front lines, sacrificing their lives not only for Ukraine’s freedom and sovereignty but also the fundamental values of humankind. The campaign aimed to raise funds and collect essential supplies to support Ukrainian defenders on critical missions.This project provided a meaningful way for our students, teachers, parents, and the wider community to participate. It allowed our students to express their gratitude and offer practical help to those protecting our future, as we continue working together for a safer, brighter tomorrow.

Project Implementation

To engage the school community, the Student Parliament used its creativity to design a series of impactful posters, which were displayed across both campuses in Kyiv and Dnipro. In collaboration with our Marketing Department, we sent letters to parents encouraging them to take part, and announcements were made to all staff to further support the initiative.We also partnered with several brigades to strengthen the campaign and ensure the aid reached those who needed it most.“We need to empower our community to support the protectors of our nation not only with words, but also financially, physically, and in any other way we can", Aisha, Year 11 student and the Student Parliament head comments. “Donating and contributing to a noble cause was made more convenient and accessible through our initiative”.

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Outcome and Impact

Our charity initiative was a success, embraced by the entire BISU community and further strengthening the sense of unity within our school.Alongside raising funds, we collected around 30 kilograms of essential items that were sent to units on the front lines and to the Military Hospital in Dnipro.Aisha says, “We collected hygiene products, long-shelf-life food items, and survival equipment such as sleeping bags, masks, and flashlights. Parents and the community brought warm clothes, energy bars, nuts, toothbrushes and contributed financially.”In addition, our students crafted handmade Easter decorations, greeting cards, and thoughtful letters to uplift and encourage those valiantly safeguarding our independence. Younger students, especially, were empowered by the idea that they can help create positive change, that their ideas matter, and that they can make an impact on the world they live in.We were grateful to the brigades we worked with, particularly the Tech Airborne Brigade, whose representative came to the school to collect the donations in person. Many BISU teachers, with family members serving in the military, went a step further by travelling to the border themselves to deliver the items directly to the defenders.This project helped our students demonstrate empathy and responsibility while applying the knowledge and skills they gain at school, both in and beyond the classroom.Aisha comments, “This project taught us the true meaning of resilience. We learned the value of clear communication, teamwork, and meeting deadlines, while applying what we had studied in business, maths, and English to lead the initiative successfully. It turned our theoretical knowledge into practical skills, helping us appreciate our education and use it to make strong decisions. Through patience and hard work, we made a positive impact, benefiting not just one group, but the entire nation.”

International Recognition

BISU’s Student Parliament didn’t stop there – they went on to take part in the Global Goals Competition 2025, organised by our partner, The Global Social Leaders (GSL).GSL is a global movement empowering young people to become socially conscious leaders and changemakers. It brings together schools, educators, and students to address global challenges through social action and personal development.This is not the first time BISU has participated in GSL’s meaningful, real-life initiatives. The competition is a project-based learning programme that supports students in developing and implementing social action projects aligned with the United Nations’ Global Goals for Sustainable Development.Our Student Parliament, represented by the Team BISU Leaders, earned international recognition. They were honoured with awards in the Junior Partnership and Collaborations category at the GSL Global Goals Competition 2024–2025. In addition, the team was commended for their impact and resilience.Watch the powerful video below, produced by Aisha, Head of the BISU Student Parliament and project lead, for a closer look at our efforts.Jonathan Harper, CEO of Future Foundations and Co-Founder of Global Social Leaders, who is also a distinguished member of BISU’s Advisory Board, says: "I greatly admire the students and staff at The British International School, Ukraine. In the face of the challenges brought by the war, they have shown unity, empathy, determination, and resilience. Their Global Social Leaders project reflects the heart of our mission — enabling young people to work together on meaningful, real-world solutions that have a positive impact. I think BISU students are already making a difference. It was inspiring to see the whole school community contribute to this achievement, and I’m pleased our judges recognised their efforts with this award. We look forward to more inspirational projects with BISU in the next academic year."

Standing with Ukraine

BISU, a pioneer in bringing British education to the country, has never stopped operating since its establishment in 1997. We are the only international school that remained open after the full-scale invasion in 2022 and physically re-opened our campuses in Kyiv and Dnipro on 1 September 2022. This was made possible thanks to the steadfast support of our global partners and the exceptional courage and dedication of our staff in Ukraine.Due to our global partnership network, our students continue to take part in numerous impactful international initiatives that promote cross-cultural communication, collaboration, shared responsibility and unity. They actively engage with global challenges through Earth Day conferences, the COP28 climate change project, MUN debates in Prague, Sustainable Development Goals by Global Conversations, and more.We are inspired to see that, despite all adversities, our students in Ukraine are growing as responsible, globally minded citizens, ready to take action and make a lasting impact on the world. Through resilience and charity, they are already making a difference.

Attention international educators:

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