ENGin 2025 Annual Report: How Volunteer Online Conversations Are Changing Ukrainian Lives
- ENGin Program
- 3 days ago
- 4 min read
Every week, thousands of Ukrainians open their laptops, log into a video call, and spend one hour talking with a volunteer from somewhere else in the world. Without textbooks and grades, just conversation, connection, and the quiet work of building something meaningful together.
In 2025, ENGin served more people, launched new programs, and deepened its impact in ways that go far beyond English fluency. Today, we're proud to share our 2025 Annual Report — a full look at the year's achievements, the people behind them, and what they reveal about the power of volunteer online connection.
A Year of Growth: By the Numbers
ENGin has now served 65,000 total participants since launching — a milestone that reflects years of work by thousands of volunteers and a dedicated team based in Ukraine.
In 2025 alone:
We received and processed 16,081 student applications and 16,218 volunteer applications from around the world
We completed 15,820 interviews and made 10,248 new matches
We provided 500+ scholarships to ensure the program remains accessible to students who cannot afford the program fee
Our volunteer online community spans every continent, with supporters from North America, Europe, Asia, and beyond
Students rated their satisfaction with the registration process 9.3/10, interviews 9.6/10, and training 9.9/10 — numbers that reflect not just scale, but quality.
What Actually Happens in an ENGin Session?
ENGin is not a language school or tutoring, it is something harder to name and perhaps more valuable because of that.
An ENGin session might sound like two friends debating current events, or a student rehearsing a job interview, or a volunteer learning about Ukrainian traditions they had never heard of before. Every pair shapes their own path.
What the data tells us is that it works. In 2025:
98% of students saw improvement in their English skills
97% of students overcame the language barrier when speaking English
91% of students reported being very satisfied or satisfied with their ENGin experience after three months, rising to 95% after nine months
97% of volunteers were very satisfied or satisfied after three months, rising to 98% after nine months
Beyond English: The Human Impact
The most important outcomes of ENGin are sometimes the hardest to measure, but this year, the numbers speak clearly.
89% of students feel more connected to people from other countries and cultures
85% of students consider their volunteer a friend
81% feel more confident communicating with others
76% feel less stressed as a result of their sessions
66% feel more optimistic about their future
61% of students experiencing loneliness said ENGin helped them feel less lonely
For Ukrainians living through war, these numbers carry particular weight: English practice becomes emotional support, a weekly call – a reliable source of warmth and stability, a volunteer (in many cases) – a lifelong friend.
Stories That Stay With You
Numbers only tell part of the story. The 2025 Annual Report includes three participant stories that capture what ENGin really is.
Meg, an American volunteer, joined ENGin in 2022 for weekly English conversations with a Ukrainian student named Lera. Those sessions changed the course of her life. She eventually traveled to Ukraine, fell in love with the country, moved there, and became a combat medic, completing three tours in the Donetsk region. "Volunteering was just the beginning," she says. "It became a journey of growth, friendship, and purpose."
Anastasiia, a Ukrainian student, went from barely knowing one English sentence to writing and defending her master's thesis in English — the first English-language thesis in her faculty's history. She scored highest in the speaking section of her B2 exam. Today, she works on an international team and has become an ENGin volunteer herself.
Ethan, a volunteer from Canada, began with one student in 2023 and eventually had six. In summer 2025, he traveled to Ukraine to co-host an English camp for 30 children in a village near the Polish border and has since logged 84 lessons learning Ukrainian himself.
These are not exceptions. They are examples of what becomes possible when people choose to show up, week after week, as volunteer online mentors.
New Programs, New Reach
2025 brought significant expansion beyond ENGin's core program:
ENGin for Educators connected 203 Ukrainian English teachers with educators abroad for professional development. Of participants, 93% improved their overall English level and 71% experienced meaningful professional growth.
ENGin for Defenders launched in 2025, offering free weekly sessions to veterans and active-duty service members. The program served over 200 Ukrainian defenders in its first year.
Speak Ukrainian, ENGin's private Ukrainian lessons program for international volunteers, has reached over 180 learners and has held more than 3,800 lessons since its launch.
The team also released an ENGin mobile app, fulfilling a long-requested community need, and fully internationalized the platform in both Ukrainian and English.
Looking Ahead: 2026
In 2026, ENGin aims to add 7,000 new students and 6,200 new volunteers. Plans include opening ENGin Lviv (the program's first physical space), experimenting with AI-assisted matching, expanding impact measurement, and continuing to grow the ENGin for Educators and Speak Ukrainian programs.
The mission remains what it has always been: helping Ukraine speak to the world.
How You Can Be Part of This
ENGin runs on people who choose to give their time and resources. If this report moved you, here is what you can do next:
Volunteer online with ENGin — give one hour a week and make a difference that lasts.
Support ENGin with a donation — your contribution funds scholarships, technology, and the team that makes it all possible.
Read the full 2025 Annual Report and share it with someone who might want to join us:
