Our Founding Story

Over a year on from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the Ministry of Health predicts that around 11 million people will suffer from common mental health disorders, and around 2 million will suffer from severe mental health disorders. However, only 2.5% of Ukraine’s health care budget goes towards mental health, the equivalent of each citizen receiving just $5 for support each year. It’s not just about the numbers – people need evidence-based and practical healthcare approaches to begin to heal. With this goal in mind, our team founded Heal Ukraine Trauma to provide better solutions for mental health based on our expertise in healthcare, nonprofits, business, and government, as well as on-the-ground experience in Ukraine. 

Our founding team includes three Harvard Business School alumni, a Kyiv-based psychologist, and an international nonprofit executive, who are united in the mission to help Ukrainian adults and children heal from conflict-related trauma so they can live fulfilling and productive lives. We are working towards a world where everyone experiencing conflict-related trauma has access to treatment and can begin healing. 

We ensure that proven solutions receive focus and continued development as part of the international response to the crisis. “Since the war, I would say around 95% of people I know have experienced depression. Many people have improved over time, but others are still struggling. The real deluge is going to come after the war.” says co-founder Oleh Orlov.  

Mental health risks being neglected if we do not provide the resources to develop and distribute appropriate care. By acting as a catalyst for scalable, evidence-based programs, we can provide essential support to the many Ukrainians who need it now to prevent long-term effects.  

Since February 2022, Ukrainians have united to defend their homeland, joined by many international supporters who see the need to stand together against unprovoked aggression. We will enable Ukrainians to heal the trauma from this conflict with the same cooperation, the same common understanding, and the same conviction.  

Help us support Ukraine by donating today

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Elizabeth’s Letter From Kyiv

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HUT’s Report on Mental Healthcare in Ukraine