Danish and Ukrainian children’s charities have joined forces with window-maker Velux to build three villages for orphans in Ukraine.

They say their family-based care approach could be an alternative to the institutional approach already under severe pressure in the country.

Even before Russia’s full-scale invasion, Ukraine had about 100,000 children living in institutional care, one of the highest rates in Europe.

The World Bank estimates that 10% of the total housing stock in Ukraine is either damaged or destroyed by the war and that close to 2 million households are affected.

Behind the initiative are SOS Children’s Villages Denmark, SOS Children’s Villages Ukraine, the Villum Foundation, Viessmann Foundation, Poul Due Jensen Foundation, and the Velux Group.

The project is called Children’s Living Places, and will combine low-carbon building design and social sustainability principles.

Each village will be built in existing neighbourhoods, with homes for foster families, recreational spaces for both inhabitants and local communities, mental health and social support facilities for foster families and neighbouring families.

The buildings will follow the “Living Places” concept of affordable, low-carbon housing developed by the Velux Group, Effekt architects, and Artelia engineers.

It says homes should be healthy, adaptive, simple, shared over time, and scalable.

“Our priority has always been to ensure children around the world have their needs and rights met to enable them to grow up in a caring home, thrive and become their strongest selves,” said Mads Klæstrup Kristensen, managing director of SOS Children’s Villages Denmark.

“Through this project, we want to inspire better ways of caring physically, emotionally, and socially for children without parental care and help move toward de-institutionalisation by demonstrating new, holistic solutions for alternative care environments.”