CEO Rating Lab, Prof. Mariana Tkalych, received a Certificate of Honor from the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine for her significant contribution to "Carpathian Change" — a project for the mental and physical recovery of children from Ukraine's front-line regions.

"Carpathian Change" is a joint initiative of the Office of the President of Ukraine, the Ukrainian Association of Football, and regional military administrations. In June, as part of the pilot project in the Zakarpattia, Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk, and Chernivtsi regions, 1,700 children aged 9–12 from front-line regions (including children of service members, veterans, and fallen defenders, children of law enforcement officers, and children whose families were significantly affected by shelling, among others) took part in camps featuring team sports, group activities, and socialization, with the involvement of representatives of Ukrainian football.

At the Forum on the project's implementation on July 9, 2026, its interim results were discussed. Participants included Minister of Social Policy, Family, and Unity Denys Uliutin, Deputy Head of the Office of the President Viktor Mykyta, representatives of host communities, regional military administrations, and camp coordinators.

Rating Lab's research became the analytical basis for "Carpathian Change"

According to earlier research by Rating Lab (Rating Group's research laboratory), the level of stress among teenagers in Ukraine rose from 28% to 37% between 2024 and 2025. Our research shows that playing sports and having a favorite hobby or pastime noticeably reduce stress, yet a significant share of children practically never play sports (the most difficult situation is among girls aged 14–18, where 36% practically never play sports).

These findings became the impetus and basis for developing the important "Carpathian Change" camp project. The idea was to support the mental and physical health of children from front-line regions through a safe environment, interaction with peers, sports, a cultural program, and other activities.

Project results

At the forum, Mariana Tkalych presented the main results of a survey of the children who took part in the camps:

• The overwhelming majority of children liked "Carpathian Change" — 80% rated their camp experience positively.
• Most children spoke warmly of their interactions with peers and with "Carpathian Change" coaches and instructors.
• 73% of participants said that during their time at the camp, their emotional state generally improved.

The study's results indicate that the project has the potential to grow into a full-fledged program and to help improve mental health for a larger number of children affected by the war.

Rating Group is one of Ukraine's largest research institutions, operating since 2008. The company is registered in Ukraine and has extensive experience conducting sociological surveys in Ukraine and abroad. The group includes the Rating Sociological Group, the Rating Lab research laboratory, the Rating Online platform, and the Rating Call Center.