WarTime Siblings' Staff

Get to know our staff a little better and check out their profiles below.

James Pawlak

Project Consultant at the Meng Foundation, USA
UA Mission Coach at Dutch Civilian Action, NL
Independent expert for UA organizations

The family is the most important unit of society for every Ukrainian. It’s why today Ukrainians do not fight for the freedom of their country but for the safety of their households. I have been working in the Soviet Union since the republics turned away from Russia in 1992. I worked in many countries of conflict , like Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, and Ukraine. I wrote a book on the biggest terrorist attack in Russia on Beslan School in 2004, which was evident crime of Putin. Since Russia invaded Ukraine, I have been helping families flee the war, bringing humanitarian aid to the front line, delivering warm clothes and nutrition to internal refugees, and tracking stories of UA kids kidnapped by the Kremlin. Ben Meng invited me to develop a platform for bringing hope and better education to the children of Ukrainian heroes who laid down their lives not only for the freedom of their country but mainly for the safety of their families. The task is huge, and the stories are terrifying, but we agreed firmly at the MENG Foundation to lift these innocent lives one by one.

Yulia Nahal

Mother of two boys in Rivne, Ukraine
Families Coordinator at the MENG Foundation

I graduated from Rivne State University of the Humanities in 2012 with a degree in management and tourism. I believed that the world is a good place to live, and the differences make it even more interesting. I am the mother of two boys, Daniel 7 and Matthew 2. The war caught us in our hometown when my youngest son was just 1 month old. We did not leave Rivne, even during the hardest times. In the last 2 years, we have gone through the enormous challenges of war, with constant air raids, blackouts, fear, and tears. The biggest challenge is, of course, the loss of our loved ones. All of us are mourning the loss of members of our families due to the war. Many times I felt powerless for all the children who may never experience what it is like to feel protected and supported by the big arms of their father. The MENG Foundation gave me an opportunity to practically serve those children and their mothers. We care for their families, help with education, support therapies, and, most importantly, stand together with them. I still believe the world is a good place for all of us, and together with the MENG Foundation, we give hope for a better future to Ukrainian children.

Emotional Recovery Support

Help children with emotional recovery. Talking to children in war can help them feel safer and more secure. Teach them about the world outside their home. Guide them to re-establish a positive perspective of lives. Help them with reading and writing and maintain focus in school. Children can learn the skill of resilience - the ability to adapt well in the face of adversity, trauma, tragedy, threats, or even significant sources of stress.

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