How Oxford changed Together Charity Foundation students’ outlook on their future

For Viktoriia Kyselova from Poltava, taking part in Right to Education meant travelling abroad for the first time. She returned from Oxford with new friendships, greater confidence in her abilities and a sense that she could set more ambitious goals. Her words, “I can dream more boldly”, capture one of the most valuable outcomes of the experience.

In summer 2026, Viktoriia was one of ten Ukrainian school students who attended a two-week Oxford Royale summer programme. Together Charity Foundation made their participation possible through Right to Education, in partnership with Oxford Royale and Suhoviy Educational Consultancy.

Another participant, Tymofii Halushka from the village of Zoria in the Rivne region, was particularly struck by the way students’ views were treated. He described classes that encouraged discussion and independent thinking, where teenagers’ ideas were taken seriously. The experience helped him reconsider what he wanted from his education.

Participants chose courses based on their interests, from engineering and artificial intelligence to law, history and filmmaking. Lectures, practical assignments and workshops offered a closer look at subjects that could become future career paths. Learning alongside young people from other countries added new perspectives and experiences.

Viktoriia’s and Tymofii’s accounts show how an international learning environment can influence a teenager’s confidence and motivation. When questions are welcomed and ideas treated with respect, it becomes easier to believe that you can contribute to a discussion and find solutions of your own.

This is the purpose behind Together Charity Foundation founder Valerie Nykyforets’ work on Right to Education: helping Ukrainian children see a wider range of possibilities and make informed choices. The foundation wants their experience to become a basis for further learning and professional development.

The same approach runs through Together Charity Foundation’s other programmes. The English Speaking Club offers opportunities to practise English, while Becoming, the foundation’s mentorship programme, connects young people with individuals who can share professional and life experience. Teachers, mentors and partners can contribute by sharing knowledge and opening new opportunities for young people.

We thank the students for their openness and eagerness to learn, our partners for their support, and the journalists and editorial teams who have shared these stories. Your coverage helps more people understand how Right to Education works and what international experience can offer Ukrainian children.

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