About Alliance

Denys began serving orphans and vulnerable children with his wife, Tetyana, in 2004. For many years, they have been co-founders of the charitable organization “Lifesong Ukraine” — a large team of dedicated workers and volunteers who support orphans, graduates of boarding schools, children from crisis families and their parents, as well as working with foster and adoptive families in almost all regions of Ukraine. Denys and Tetyana not only founded this initiative, but also actively develop it to this day, expanding the scale and depth of service.

Since 2013, Denys has been a member of the Board of the Alliance for Ukraine Without Orphans, and since 2021 he has been leading it as the Chairman of the Board. His heart’s calling is to do everything possible to ensure that every child has a happy childhood, and every orphan finds joy in a loving and caring family.

Together with Tatyana, Denys is raising six children, two of whom they adopted. They love music, love life, and believe that real change begins with love, faith, and simple actions for the sake of others.

Oleg Shelashsky has been serving orphans and vulnerable children since 2004. His journey began with his wife Raya, when their family became a temporary home for ten teenagers. They lovingly adopted one of the girls.

Oleg is the Director of the International NGO “International Center for Leadership and Development” (ILDС), which strengthens family-based child protection systems in Ukraine. ILDС focuses on developing leadership potential, professional training and support for professionals working with vulnerable children. The Center is a leading platform for training foster parents, mentors, educators, social workers, as well as representatives of the state and public sectors.

Oleg was one of the co-founders of the Alliance for Ukraine Without Orphans and headed it as its president for five years. He is currently part of the European team of World Without Orphans Europe, supporting the development of national Christian movements in European countries.

Ruslan Maliuta has been serving children and families since 2002, collaborating with churches, community initiatives and international networks. In 2010, he became the co-founder and first president of the Alliance for Ukraine Without Orphans.

In 2013, Ruslan headed the international movement World Without Orphans, which today inspires change in dozens of countries. Today, he serves as the Head of Engagement and Collaboration at OneHope, an international organization, and leads a number of projects in partnership with the World Evangelical Alliance.

His ministry spans over 40 countries, where he helps unite the efforts of leaders, networks and organizations to ensure that every child has a home, love, and hope.
Ruslan and his wife Anya are raising five sons, preserving within their family the same faith and love that they share with the world.

Svitlana has been the Executive Director of the Executive Office of the Alliance for Ukraine Without Orphans since 2020. She brings over ten years of experience in child protection, family support, and building partnerships among churches, NGOs, and government agencies. She began her work with the Alliance in 2012 as a Public Communications Manager.

Since 2016, Svitlana has been an engaged expert of the Commissioner for the Rights of the Child of Ukraine and has actively participated in the development of the draft National Deinstitutionalization Strategy for 2017-2026. In 2017, she represented Ukraine in the Open World Leadership Center program in the USA, dedicated to the development of social services for children and families in communities.

Today, Svitlana tirelessly works to ensure that the Alliance for Ukraine Without Orphans remains a vibrant platform — a space of inspiration, knowledge exchange, and genuine collaboration among churches, organizations, and specialists. She believes that change begins with love — and that every child deserves to grow up in a safe, nurturing family that offers not only shelter, but also hope, support and a future.

Svitlana has been the Executive Director of the Executive Office of the Alliance for Ukraine Without Orphans since 2020. She brings over ten years of experience in child protection, family support, and building partnerships among churches, NGOs, and government agencies. She began her work with the Alliance in 2012 as a Public Communications Manager.

Since 2016, Svitlana has been an engaged expert of the Commissioner for the Rights of the Child of Ukraine and has actively participated in the development of the draft National Deinstitutionalization Strategy for 2017-2026. In 2017, she represented Ukraine in the Open World Leadership Center program in the USA, dedicated to the development of social services for children and families in communities.

Today, Svitlana tirelessly works to ensure that the Alliance for Ukraine Without Orphans remains a vibrant platform — a space of inspiration, knowledge exchange, and genuine collaboration among churches, organizations, and specialists. She believes that change begins with love — and that every child deserves to grow up in a safe, nurturing family that offers not only shelter, but also hope, support and a future.

Stepan has many years of experience in the field of child protection, psychosocial support and civil society development in Ukraine. 

He has held senior positions in national and international organizations and has been involved in the implementation of programs supported by USAID, the United Nations, and European donor agencies. 

He is responsible for the Alliance’s strategic development, partnership building, and program scaling in cooperation with government, civil society, and international structures. 

His work in the field of child protection is not only a professional activity, but also a personal commitment to seeing children grow up in loving and caring families.

Iryna has over 20 years of professional experience in banking, tourism, psychological counseling and social work. She has a professional education in management and psychology.

Iryna joined the Alliance for Ukraine Without Orphans team in 2022. Since then, she has been actively involved in implementing humanitarian initiatives aimed at supporting internally displaced persons and war-affected Ukrainians. Iryna coordinated the activities of Hope Groups, an initiative to support people who have experienced loss, evacuation, or other traumatic events. She also worked as a consultant, regional project coordinator and organizer of training events on the Alliance platform. 

Iryna is an adoptive mother who combines personal experience with a professional mission to support orphans and vulnerable families. At the Alliance, she is responsible for coordinating program activities, communicating with partners and supporting initiatives at the national and regional levels.

A native of Dnipro, Ukraine, Dmytro has been with the World Without Orphans (WWO) movement since its inception, providing technical expertise to multiple areas. His journey in orphan care started with a call in his childhood to build a friendship with an orphan. Later Dmytro would marry his wife Tanya, who ministered to teens aging out of orphanages. These events ultimately led to Dmytro joining the orphan care ministry full time in 2012. Dmytro enjoys life in Ukraine with his lovely wife and their two sons, almost identical twins full of bright ideas and kind hearts. Dmytro has a passion to see children thriving and families strong, and is delighted to put his effort into the next generation.