Ukraine is currently experiencing a profound demographic crisis: the number of births has fallen from 283,000 in 2020 to 176,000 in 2024. At the same time, the number of complicated cases is growing: in 2024 alone, 36,761 children were born prematurely, sick or fell ill in the first 28 days of life – almost twice as many as in 2022. Behind each figure is a vulnerable life that needs support from the very first second.

On 17 November, World Prematurity Day, an exhibition entitled «The first days of a premature baby's life through their own eyes» opened in Kyiv. It is the first exhibition in Ukraine that allows visitors to see the first moments of life of babies born in extremely difficult conditions through the tender perspective of the children themselves.

The event, organised by the ZDOROVI Charitable Foundation as part of the national perinatal support programme «First Breath», brought together doctors, partners, parents and everyone working to give the youngest Ukrainians a chance at life. The key objective of the exhibition is to draw attention to demographic challenges and engage the international community in strengthening Ukraine's voice in the world in order to increase the capacity of perinatal centres to provide quality systemic medical care so that every child, even those born prematurely, has a chance to survive and grow up healthy.

Therefore, as part of the initiative, a collective purchase of 150 doses of surfactant has been organised. This is a drug that allows premature babies to take their first full breath.

You can support the campaign here: http://goto.gg/72948

In her address, project photographer Agata Grzybowska spoke about the week she spent at the Perinatal Centre in Kyiv, where she documented the lives of premature babies, their parents and medical staff. Her reflections on mothers who «sit for hours by incubators, holding their babies' tiny feet, as if the warmth of their touch could protect them from the outside world», and on medical staff who work «with quiet but boundless strength», evoked deep emotions among those present.

Iryna Kondratova, head of the project working group, advisor to the head of the National Health Service of Ukraine and neonatologist, also spoke about the importance of such initiatives:

«I have been working in the perinatal field since 1991. Hundreds of babies born too early have passed through my hands. I remember every struggle – and every victory. When you see how these little 800-gram lives cling to this world with everything they have, you realise that our work cannot be just a profession. It is a calling».

Maryna Mamenko, chair of the board of the Ukrainian Academy of Paediatric Specialties, professor and doctor of medical sciences, added her expert reflection. She emphasised that premature babies need support even after they leave perinatal centres:

«I am a paediatrician. And practically all of these children end up with us sooner or later. We see their journey from their first grams to their first steps. Therefore, this exhibition is not about statistics. It is about children whose stories we have been following for years. And about the fact that they are alive thanks to the joint efforts of doctors, families and initiatives such as ‘First Breath’».

The speech by paediatric ophthalmologist Serhiy Lupir, the hero of one of the photos, was particularly emotional. He spoke about the work of teams who literally «put together» the lives of newborns in the first hours after birth.

The depth of the event was enhanced by audio stories from Yaroslav, Artem, Eva, Victoria, Dmitry, and Denis, narrated by Ukrainian presenters and artists Yegor Gordeev, Timur Miroshnychenko, Grigory Baklanov, Elena Topola, and Anna Salivanchuk. Their voices transported guests into the reality of premature babies and evoked sincere emotions.

You can listen to the audio stories here: https://www.zdorovi.help/firstbreath

The event was moderated by renowned Ukrainian journalist Oleg Panyuta, who created an atmosphere of respect and attention to the daily struggles of medical professionals and families.

In parallel with the opening in Kyiv, the photo project was presented in Lithuania by the Ukrainian Centre at an international conference dedicated to premature babies.

ZDOROVI would like to express its sincere gratitude to everyone who contributed to the creation and implementation of the event: guests, doctors and parents, partners and donors, thanks to whom the First Breath programme can be scaled up. Special thanks go to the NGO Alliance for providing a space where these stories could be told so honestly and deeply; to Yurko Verbyla's confectionery brand TM for its warmth and care; and to the Mova Music recording studio for its professional work on the audio stories.

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After the presentation, the exhibition will travel around Ukraine and beyond: photographs of «hurry-ups» will be displayed at medical events, in public spaces and at international venues.

But most importantly, it is already fulfilling its mission: giving a voice to those who cannot yet speak and reminding us that even in the darkest times, children are born who fight for their right to live. This project has strengthened the sense of shared responsibility: premature babies are not someone else's problem, they are our common challenge and our hope.

The project is implemented with the support of the Askold and Dir Foundation, administered by ISAR Ednannia within the framework of the initiative «Strong Civil Society in Ukraine – a Driver of Reforms and Democracy», with funding from the governments of Norway and Sweden.

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