Waterloo Region teens tutor Ukraine students who can’t go to school
Local students, who started a tutoring program during the pandemic, have expanded their services to Ukraine.
Homework Hub, a youth-led tutoring program based out of Waterloo Region, is teaching students in the worn-torn country who can’t attend class due to the Russian invasion.
"Sometimes I can’t do my homework because we going to our bomb shelters, so because of this, I can't do my homework or do my lesson," said 14-year-old Liza Riabokin, a Ukrainian student who is using Homework Hub.
Riabokin lives in Zaporizhia, Ukraine, about 200 kilometers north of the city of Mariupol, which has been a target of Russian troops during the war.
"Yesterday I heard like two big booms near my house, it was terrible," she said.
Because of the war, schools have closed down and switched to online. Riabokin has to seek safety in her bomb shelter about two to three times a day.
"It’s so sad," she said.
She joined Homework Hub to keep up with her studies, having heard of the program through her aunt’s friend.
Once a week, Riabokin logs into Google Meet to connect with her Canadian tutor.
"I learned a lot," she said. "I think my English skills are better now."
Paris Cai and her friends started Homework Hub in January 2021, at the peak of the pandemic, after noticing many students were struggling with remote learning.
She said once the war started in Ukraine, she wanted to extend the program to the worn-torn country to help students there.
"It’s so inspiring that Ukrainian students are even looking to pursue education right now at this time, because of how unstable their lives are," Cai said.
The program has also spread to other parts of the world, including Asia, Europe and the United States.
"I’m really glad that something I started with my friends can make such an impact on not only my community, but on communities' seas away," said Phoebe Luo, a co-founder of Homework Hub.
Organizers of the tutoring program said there's roughly 1,600 students using their services and 60 of them are from Ukraine.
"It’s really growing," said Angela Zielke-Stray, who takes care of marketing the program. "We are in constant need of more tutors because the demand is so high."
Riabokin said she’s grateful for the help from her Canadian tutors.
"It’s a great experience to talk with native speakers, it's amazing to know people from Canada."
HOW TO BECOME A TUTOR
To become a volunteer tutor, visit the website homeworkhubtutoring.org to sign up.
Tutors must be 14-years-old and older and maintain good academic grades. Tutors are also able to earn volunteer hours.
Each volunteer will be paired with an elementary student and tutor a 45-minute class every week for and eight-week session.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
23 vehicles towed, dozens of tickets issued as rally marks one-year anniversary of 'Freedom Convoy' in Ottawa
OPS and Ottawa Bylaw officers issued 192 parking tickets and 67 Provincial Offences Notices in downtown Ottawa this weekend, as people gathered marked the one-year anniversary of the 'Freedom Convoy'.

'COVID is not done,' Canadian infectious disease expert says ahead of WHO announcement
While RSV and flu cases steadily decline in Canada, the World Health Organization is set to announce on Monday whether it still considers COVID-19 a global health emergency, but one infectious disease specialist says we still need to keep an eye on the coronavirus.
YouTube star MrBeast helps 1,000 blind people see again by sponsoring cataract surgeries
YouTube superstar MrBeast is making the world clearer -- for at least 1,000 people. The content creator's latest stunt is paying for cataract removal for 1,000 people who were blind or near-blind but could not afford the surgery.
Former Mississauga, Ont. mayor Hazel McCallion dies at 101
Former Mississauga, Ont. mayor Hazel McCallion, nicknamed 'Hurricane Hazel,' has died. She was 101 years old. Premier Doug Ford said McCallion died peacefully at her home early Sunday morning.
'24,' 'Runaways' actor Annie Wersching has died at 45
Actor Annie Wersching, best known for playing FBI agent Renee Walker in the series '24' and providing the voice for Tess in the video game 'The Last of Us' has died. She was 45.
Ukrainian kids find cellphone signal on hill, set up makeshift school
On a bleak, windswept hillside in northeast Ukraine, three young boys recently discovered a cell phone signal, something difficult to find in their region since Russia invaded their country. and they've set up a makeshift school around the signal.
Russian teen faces years in jail over social media post criticizing war in Ukraine
A Russian teenager must wear an ankle bracelet while she is under house arrest after she was charged over social media posts that authorities say discredit the Russian army and justify terrorism.
Father pushing Manitoba to follow Ontario, Saskatchewan in screening for CMV
Roughly one in 200 babies born in Canada today will have congenital cytomegalovirus, a virus that can lead to hearing loss, intellectual disability or vision loss. But with only two provinces screening newborns for CMV, one father is asking other health-care systems to do more.
Emotional prayer room ceremony marks 6th anniversary of Quebec mosque shooting
An emotional ceremony took place today marking the sixth anniversary of the Quebec City mosque shooting, held for the first time in the same room where many of the victims were killed. Six men died that night: Mamadou Tanou Barry, Ibrahima Barry, Khaled Belkacemi, Abdelkrim Hassane, Azzeddine Soufiane and Aboubaker Thabti were gunned down not long after evening prayers at the suburban Quebec City mosque.