Student inspires bomb shelter project to bring comfort to children in Ukraine

A Scottish student will work remotely with a Ukrainian primary school to help transform its bomb shelter into a more child-friendly space.

Sophie Mercedes De Feyter, a fourth-year Orthoptics student at Glasgow Caledonian University, has been awarded a Magnusson Award to bring a personal project supporting children in Kyiv to life.

Sophie, whose mother is Russian-Ukrainian, was inspired by her own family’s experiences, particularly those of her young cousin who attends a primary school in Kyiv.

She has developed the project to ease the distress children face during air-raid warnings.

Many schools in Ukraine must move children from their classrooms to bomb shelters whenever alarms sound.

Sophie said: “Although I will not be physically present, I remain fully committed to supporting my family and the wider school community in Kyiv.

“This project reflects not only a strong sense of solidarity but also the university’s values of compassion, collaboration and the common good.

“The Magnusson Award will make it possible for me to give young children in Kyiv the comfort and learning environment they deserve − allowing them to still be children in a time of great uncertainty.”

Sophie and her family are also exploring opportunities to work alongside NGOs (non-governmental organisations) and charities to ensure the project complements other work being done in Ukraine.

“Given the constraints of Ukraine’s war economy, many organisations are understandably focused on direct humanitarian relief and the war effort,” she said.

“As a result, my family and I are navigating a complex landscape, doing our best to align the shelter project with community needs and best practices wherever possible.”

Established in memory of former chancellor Magnus Magnusson, the Magnusson awards support a wide range of student-led initiatives designed to address real-world challenges and uplift communities both locally and globally.