Presenting the results of the project “Sustainable Reconstruction of Local Schools”, Director of the Smilyvi Charitable Foundation, Vitalii Selyk, stated that 12 schools in the Kharkiv, Chernihiv and Kyiv Oblasts, which had been affected by Russia’s invasion or occupation, were restored as part of their cooperation with U-LEAD with Europe.
Oksen Lisovyi, Minister of Education and Science of Ukraine thanked the NGOs involved in the reconstruction of Ukrainian education, including the Smilyvi Charitable Foundation, savED and GIZ Ukraine represented by U-LEAD:
“You venture where no one else does, you act quickly, and you do it well. The products I have seen are really high quality, human-centred, community-oriented and made with integrity. As a ministry, we truly appreciate this and kindly request our partners to continue to support this important work,” said the government official.
Director of the U-LEAD with Europe Programme, Bastian Veigel, spoke about the challenges during the period of military aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine:
“The number one need is to restore access to education for students in damaged schools. Creating a safe educational environment is a high priority. We are pleased that despite the challenges, U-LEAD was able to provide support to municipalities and ensure educational processes at the local level,” he said.
Mr Veigel noted that the cooperation of U-LEAD, the Service for Foreign Policy Instruments of the European Commission and the Smilyvi Foundation, allowed students of the schools selected for the project to study offline.
Furthermore, the Director of the Programme expressed his sincere hope that once the security situation stabilised, the students of the reconstructed schools of the Kharkiv Oblast would be able to return to their new classrooms.
“I believe that the success of the project is an impetus for the future recovery of Ukraine for the best future for our children, providing quality, safe, stable education,” he said.
According to Oleksandra Azarkhina, Deputy Minister for Communities, Territories and Infrastructure Development of Ukraine, throughout the full-scale invasion, Ukrainians have shown themselves as a nation capable of working together.
She also stated that 800 educational facilities had already been restored in Ukraine.
In turn, Vitalii Selyk emphasised that during the project, the organizers had sought not only to rebuild schools damaged by Russian aggression, but also to make them better than they had been before the war.
“We have reconstructed schools in those villages and towns and cities that were directly affected by Russia’s invasion, schools that were directly hit, those where the occupiers had their quarters and schools that were located directly on the front line,” he said.
Chernihiv School No. 3, Shapovalivka School, Lykhachiv Lyceum, Dorohynka Lyceum, Kukhari Lyceum, Makovyshce Gymnasium, Novyi Bykiv School, Rohan Academic Lyceum, Balakliia Lyceum No. 5, Ruska Loza Lyceum, Pechenihy Lyceum, and Izium Lyceum No. 11.
In particular, in the Lykhachiv Lyceum, volunteers of the Smilyvi Charitable Foundation reconstructed mud huts using ancient Ukrainian technology. Once finishing works were complete, the educational institution was painted by an artist, and the interior design was modernised.
“This is not just about rebuilding bricks but helping to rebuild communities, about interacting with the community, giving a chance, hope that there is a future, even in such crisis times,” stressed the director of the charitable foundation.
According to Mr Selyk, 6 roofs, 140 doors, 370 windows and 925 electricity terminals were installed, and 45 rooms and 7 toilets were repaired as part of the project. He also noted that volunteers and municipalities were actively involved in the restoration work process, optimising the results of the project.
The project was implemented by the Smilyvi Charitable Foundation as part of the School Initiative of the U-LEAD with Europe Programme with the financial support of the Service for Foreign Policy Instruments (FPI) of the European Commission.
