EDUCATION IN COMMUNITIES FOR THE FUTURE OF UKRAINIAN CHILDREN!
SCHOOL RECOVERY INITIATIVE
As a result of russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, hundreds of communities are unable to provide children with access to face-to-face education: prolonged air raid alerts, a tough security situation, and a shortage of bomb shelters are forcing them to switch to remote learning.
The war has also affected local educational infrastructure: A total of 3,798 educational institutions have been damaged by bombardment and shelling. Of these, 365 have been completely destroyed. Unfortunately, this number is constantly growing as russia’s armed aggression continues. Meanwhile, air raid sirens sound almost daily, with children in some regions spending 3–4 hours, and sometimes up to 8 hours, in bomb shelters each day.
EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS COMPLETELY DESTROYED
EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS DAMAGED
More and more educational institutions are being damaged or completely destroyed as the war continues
As part of its support for Ukraine, Switzerland has allocated CHF 4.3 million (approximately UAH 170 million) for the construction of bomb shelters in schools. As a result, the Swiss-Ukrainian DECIDE Project has launched the DECIDE: VIDBUDOVA initiative to restore schools. The initiative covers three regions affected by hostilities: Poltava, Kyiv, and Chernihiv.
Every community that partnered with the Initiative underwent training in writing and implementing recovery projects. Local managers learned how to attract funding from international donors and involve schoolchildren into local decision-making process and into developing projects to restore school shelters.
In 2023–2024, the School Recovery Initiative enabled 17,000 schoolchildren to resume face-to-face and blended learning in bomb shelters during air raid alerts.
Within the framework of DECIDE: VIDBUDOVA, 27 projects are being implemented.
They include:
Thanks to DECIDE: VIDBUDOVA, 20 communities have already completed the construction of shelters and educational centres in 24 schools, providing pupils with safe environment for learning and development.
communities are arranging bomb shelters
bomb shelters of 100 to 500 m²
bomb shelters of 500 to 1,500 m²
communities in Chernihiv region
communities in Odesa region
communities in Poltava region
Under the Order of the Ministry of Reintegration No. 309 dated 22 December 2022 ‘On Approval of the List of Territories where Combat Operations are (were) Conducted or are Temporarily Occupied by the Russian Federation’, communities in regions where active combat operations are being conducted cannot participate in the selection process.
It is important that the renovated bomb shelters are fully functioning underground educational spaces. School teams participated in the planning and design of these spaces and underwent training in project management. Schoolchildren developed projects for arranging the bomb shelters and invited community residents to vote for their favourite. This allowed young people to truly feel involved in community development.
The projects of the winning school teams focused on the following areas:
In addition, the Initiative covers the comprehensive recovery of the School No. 13 in Chernihiv, as well as the reconstruction of the Inclusive Resource Centre in Borodianka, where an early intervention centre will be established.
RESULTS
allocated by Switzerland for schoolsrecovery in Ukraine
to restore access to education in Kyiv, Poltava, Odesa, and Chernihiv regions
resumed offline learning
in Poltava, Chernihiv, Odesa, and Kyiv regions received expert support on legal, financial, architectural, and construction issues to recoverer educational infrastructure
Overview of projects
DECIDE: VIDBUDOVA
Education in communities for the future of Ukrainian children!
