Ukraine is facing its fifth winter of war. In regions close to the Russian border in particular, the threat posed by missiles and drones dominates everyday life. Okhtyrka, in the Sumy Oblast, lies about 60 kilometres from Russia. There, there are often only two to five minutes between a siren sounding and a possible impact. Nevertheless, children go to nursery and pupils attend school. To do so, they need places where they can quickly find shelter in the event of an alarm.
Basement refurbishment at School No. 4
At School No. 4 in Okhtyrka, the basement had been unusable for a long time. The building, which is around a hundred years old, had an old, disused basement that was not a suitable shelter for the approximately 290 pupils. Some of the toilet facilities were also so badly damaged that the children had to go to an adjoining building to use the toilet. Maria Kolodiazhna has been working at the school for 35 years. She recalls the start of the invasion in 2022: “We stayed until the very last moment, until we heard that tanks had rolled into the town.”
arche nova has converted the school’s basement into a fully equipped shelter. Toilets have been repaired and new ones built, the sewage pipes have been repaired, and ventilation systems have been installed. Ventilation is particularly important when large numbers of children and teachers are in the shelter for extended periods. Maria Kolodiazhna reports that the children come to her when the air becomes stuffy. She then switches on the system – and lessons can continue.
A nursery school becomes a safe everyday environment
arche nova has also supported the Kalynka nursery in Okhtyrka. Previously, there were only bare basement rooms there. Today, when the alarm sounds, the children can go straight into a warm shelter where they can play, learn and rest. Sleeping areas and washing facilities are also provided. The nursery’s washrooms have been refurbished. For Yuliia Nazarchuk, who takes her son Kyrylo to the nursery every day, this brings tangible relief: “Kalynka is my peace of mind.”
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Yuliia is bringing up her son on her own and runs a cleaning company. Whilst she is at work, she wants to know that Kyrylo is well looked after and safe. As soon as the siren sounds, the nursery staff take the children to the shelter. “You worry more about a child than about yourself,” says Yuliia. Many nurseries in Okhtyrka still do not have a shelter. This makes it all the more important for families that educational institutions can remain open despite the danger.
Aid combines protection and infrastructure
arche nova has been working in several regions of Ukraine since the full-scale invasion in 2022. The focus is on water, sanitation and hygiene measures, as well as support for social institutions. This includes repairing municipal water and sewage systems, refurbishing schools and nurseries, and expanding and equipping shelters. Together with partner organisations, arche nova also supports people particularly affected by the war with relief supplies, psychosocial support and training for professionals.
Kalynka is my peace of mind. As soon as the siren sounds, the nursery teacher takes the children straight to the shelter. That means a great deal to us.
Support that restores strength to everyday life
The work combines immediate aid with longer-term recovery. “We not only help people to cope with today’s challenges, but also strengthen the ability of communities, social services and local service providers to carry on working despite the war,” says Illia Radinskyi, Area Project Coordinator. For children and young people, a functional shelter means more than just safety when an alarm sounds: it allows them to meet teachers and peers and experience a structured daily routine. Maria Kolodiazhna sums it up as follows: “People must help one another. We thank everyone who understands that we are at war.”
At a glance
- arche nova has been operating in several regions of Ukraine since the full-scale invasion in 2022.
- Areas of operation: Kharkiv, Kherson, Dnipropetrovsk, Kyiv, Mykolaiv, Odessa, Poltava, Chernihiv and Sumy.
- Partner organisations: ASB, AWO and New Way.
- arche nova repairs and expands water and wastewater systems at local authority level and in social care facilities.
- Schools, nurseries and other social care facilities are being refurbished and fitted with shelters.
- People particularly affected by the war receive relief supplies such as hygiene kits and fuel.
- The work also includes psychosocial support and capacity-building for professionals.
