Under Communism Christians had been sent to prison for their faith. Now, the Ukrainian Constitution permits freedom of Religion. Hope Now was the first organisation to build chapels and churches in the formerly impenetrable prisons. Today many hundreds hear and respond to the Gospel through its ministry and aftercare.
It was in a prison that the work of Hope Now started in Ukraine. In 1992 Vic Jackopson was on a tour of the Cherkassy Region of Ukraine and was talking to a pastor who was working in the local prison (Prison 62). In the course of their conversation Vic learnt that the pastor was hoping to convert a room in the prison into a chapel but needed $500 to do this. It just so happened that Vic had $500 in his pocket. Upon handing the money over the whole ministry of Hope Now was born in Ukraine.
Today the Prison ministry still works in Prison 62 where the inmates now have a purpose built church to hold their meetings. Hope Now has also worked in other prisons in the region - including a women's prison, a hard labour prison and a remand centre.

In November 2006 Col Alexander Tarasenko and Anatoliy Perepilitsa were asked by Hope Now to set up two new independent prison ministries while still receiving significant funding from the charity. They will not only continue the work they have been doing as staff members but also extend the ministry into new fields of operation.