Born from the heart.
United by a shared purpose.

Sometimes it all begins with a little spark

Sometimes great change begins with a little spark. With love for your own child. With belief in their abilities. With a wish to help not only them, but hundreds of other children find their place in the world.

That is how NGO “Iskra v Tobi” was born.

Its founders, Vira Kovtun and Serhii Bokovenko, arrived at their shared purpose by different paths. But they were united by what mattered most: the belief that every child deserves the chance to develop, be accepted, feel supported and enjoy their own achievements.

Vira Kovtun — co-founder, head of the organisation and mother of a daughter with autism

For Vira, the story of Iskra v Tobi did not begin with a business plan or a community project.

It began with motherhood.

Vira is the mother of a daughter with autism. Through her own experience, she knows how important it is to find people who see a child as a person, not a diagnosis: their character, talents, emotions, wishes, small achievements and enormous potential.

Being the mother of a child with autism means discovering new ways of understanding, communicating and interacting with the world every day. It means learning to notice what others sometimes miss, valuing every step forward and looking for possibilities where society often sees only limitations.

Her personal experience of motherhood helped Vira understand more deeply how much children and their families need accessible sports activities, developmental programmes, qualified specialists and a space of genuine acceptance.

Gradually, a personal dream grew into a much larger goal: creating a place not only for her own daughter, but for other children who need support, understanding and the opportunity to discover themselves.

A place where parents do not have to explain why their child is different from others.

Where there is no need to fear misunderstanding or judgement.

Where every child is welcomed with respect for their individuality.

Where families can find not only activities, but like-minded people, support and a sense of community.

“I want every mum and every dad to know that their child has the right to a happy childhood, friendship, sport, development and achievements of their own. Not sometime in the future, but here and now.”

This belief became the foundation of Iskra v Tobi’s philosophy.

Serhii Bokovenko — co-founder, head coach and a believer in the power of sport

For Serhii, the journey towards creating the organisation began with sport and many years of working with children.

For many years, he has coached children with autism and other developmental differences, helping them discover their physical abilities, learn new motor skills, become more confident and find joy in activities.

His years of coaching have shown Serhii that sport is much more than exercises, medals or competitions.

For one child, a victory means learning a new movement.

For another, it means joining a team game for the first time.

For someone else, it means overcoming uncertainty, learning to interact with a coach or making their first friend during a session.

And every one of these achievements has enormous value.

Working with children with different needs and abilities, Serhii understands the importance of an individual approach, patience, trust and a thoughtfully organised training process.

He believes a coach’s role is not to compare children with one another, but to help each child develop at their own pace, discover their strengths and enjoy movement.

Many years of experience shaped his desire to develop adaptive sport, make physical education more accessible and create opportunities for children who do not always find a place in mainstream sports clubs.

“Sport is not only about beating an opponent. Sometimes a child’s greatest victory is their own small step forward. And it is precisely for victories like these that the work is worthwhile.”

Two stories — one great dream

Two deeply important perspectives came together.

A mother’s perspective, understanding the needs of a child and a family from within.

And a coach’s perspective, shaped by years of seeing how movement, support and the right approach help children discover new possibilities.

This combination became the foundation for creating NGO “Iskra v Tobi”.

Vira and Serhii joined forces with a shared goal: to create a space where children with autism, disabilities and other developmental differences can enjoy sport, learn, create, connect and grow alongside their peers.

A space with coaches, educators, psychologists, developmental specialists and people who genuinely believe in every child.

A space where parents receive support as well as children.

A space where inclusion is not simply a beautiful word, but a daily practice of mutual respect, acceptance and equal opportunities.

Why the name Iskra v Tobi?

Because we believe every child has a spark of their own.

For one child, it shines through sport.

For another, through music, dance or creativity.

For someone else, it shines in a first independent action, a new word, a smile, a friendship or the courage to do something that once felt difficult.

No two children are the same. No two paths of development are the same. And no victory is small when great effort lies behind it.

We do not want to change children to meet someone else’s expectations.

We want to change the environment so there is a place for every child.

Our dream is more than a sports centre

We aim to create a modern inclusive centre in Zhytomyr, bringing together adaptive sport, inclusive physical education, sensory development, psychological support, and creative and educational programmes.

It will be a space of possibilities where children can discover their abilities, make friends, learn to interact and be an active part of society.

We also want to bring together parents, specialists, volunteers, educational institutions, communities and everyone who shares our values and cares about this work.

Because real change happens when we act together.

Our promise

We do not promise every journey will be easy.

But we strive to do everything we can so that children and their families feel supported, respected, understood and encouraged to believe in themselves along the way.

We believe in every child.

We value every step forward.

We celebrate every achievement.

And we know that even a little spark can be the beginning of great change.

Iskra v Tobi is more than a non-governmental organisation. It is a community of people united by their belief in children, love for their work and a desire to create a world of equal opportunities.

Everyone has a spark of their own — together, we help it shine!