pme donates to: Feine Ukraine e. V.
The Children’s Club run by the nonprofit organization “Feine Ukraine” e. V. offers recreational and educational activities, psychological support, and cultural events for children who have fled Ukraine to Hamburg. An interview with Karina Gordiyenko, an active volunteer and the project’s initiator.
Who is behind the "Feine Ukraine" project?
Karina Gordiyenko: The German-Ukrainian Cooperation Association “Feine Ukraine” e. V. was founded in Hamburg in 2011 to actively support the Ukrainian community and promote cultural exchange between Germany and Ukraine.
Since the start of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine in 2022, “Feine Ukraine” has been supporting Ukrainian refugees with a wide range of assistance programs. The organization’s numerous projects in Hamburg complement municipal services and provide war refugees with stability and guidance during this difficult time.
The offerings include:
- Social services,
- Language development,
- Recreational activities for children and teenagers,
- Sports activities,
- psychological support from a team of specialists.
Another service the organization provides is support for particularly vulnerable groups, such as war casualties and veterans and their families, seniors living alone, and young adults.
Other projects run by the organization include a Ukrainian library, a platform for professional development, a call center for social counseling, and German language courses for people with disabilities.
How did the project come about, and what prompted its launch?
The Feine Ukraine Children's Club is an initiative of the Feine Ukraine e. V. association aimed at supporting children who have fled from Ukraine to Hamburg.
We are in direct contact with around 400 Ukrainian families, and up to 20 volunteer instructors from Ukraine are involved with us—a role that also helps them integrate into the workforce.
As part of our initiative, we offer child-friendly recreational and educational activities, psychological support, translation services, cultural events, and other forms of assistance. Our goal is to help children adapt, integrate, and grow up in an environment suited to their needs in Germany. At the same time, we provide relief to parents so they can attend to important errands or participate in integration programs.
All of our services are free of charge for refugee families. That is why we rely on funding programs and donations.
What are the project's goals and objectives?
We offer a wide variety of activities for children, including:
- Dance classes (ballet, hip-hop, Ukrainian folk dance),
- Art and creative courses as well as workshops,
- Chess and technology activities,
- Children's choir and children's theater,
- thematic workshops and events (e.g., Christmas celebration, Festival of Lights, children's concerts),
- Visits to museums, theaters, and recreational facilities.
You can find a complete overview of our activities on our website.
What is the purpose of the 12,500-euro donation from pme Familienservice ?
It is especially important for our children to experience as “normal” a childhood as possible—even outside their own homes. This includes, in particular, our very popular annual Christmas celebration with St. Nicholas, gifts, and a variety of children’s activities such as singing, dancing, and playing.
However, events like these are very costly. Expenses for venue rental, event technology, workshop materials, gifts for children, and much more can amount to several thousand euros. The support provided by pme Familienservice us continue this important tradition—celebrating Christmas far from home, but together.
In addition, donations are used to purchase materials for our ongoing programs, such as art workshops, chess tournaments, and costumes for dance groups. Every contribution goes directly toward supporting the children.
What plans or visions are there for the project's future development in the coming years?
The Children's Club was established in response to an urgent crisis and continues to evolve—in line with the needs of refugee families.
In the first phase (2022–2023), the focus was on child care, as there were still very few institutional options available for newly arrived children.
As integration progressed, the focus shifted toward recreational activities—particularly those conducted in Ukrainian—as well as playful approaches to learning German. Through creative activities such as singing and acting in German, the children were able to expand their language skills in a fun and engaging way.
Since 2025, there has been a greater focus on integration into German-speaking communities as well as on educational and career opportunities. The association is increasingly involved in providing information on vocational training, higher education, and the job market—including through events featuring experts and networking initiatives.
We also want to create opportunities for children and young people, for example by learning about internship and apprenticeship opportunities through our contacts with companies.
In addition, we see great potential in collaborating with other organizations that support families with a migrant background, such as the Turkish Community of Hamburg or other initiatives.
How can individuals and organizations support this work?
We are grateful for any donation, as our services are completely free of charge.
We also welcome volunteer work and new ideas—whether it’s group outings, cultural activities, cooking together, or celebrating holidays like Easter and Christmas. Opportunities to support young people are also very valuable—especially through internships or exposure to the working world.
Social commitment of the pme Familienservice
The "pme donates" fundraising campaign has been running for five years, giving pme team members the opportunity to nominate charitable organizations in the fields of "international development aid," "social work," "climate and animal protection," and "culture" for a donation that they actively support. All team members then vote on the organizations they want to support. The organizations with the most votes receive a donation from pme Familienservice.
In 2025, five national and international organizations received a total of €50,000 in donations—a joint demonstration that social engagement is an integral part of pme's corporate culture.
