Safe School is a program that aims to support the education system in Ukraine by equipping shelters for safe learning in schools and kindergartens.
This week, one of these model shelters was presented by our partner, the East Europe Foundation, at a gymnasium in Kyiv with the support of the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine and the State Emergency Service of Ukraine.
Currently, 506 children are studying at this institution. However, the shelter that was used after the full-scale Russian invasion could accommodate a maximum of 300 students. Now, after renovations, the shelter has become larger and can also accommodate children from a nearby kindergarten.
The shelter is now equipped with ventilation and electricity. It also has WI-FI, new toilets and comfortable places for leisure.
As part of the program, such shelters are being set up in 28 educational institutions in Kyiv, Khmelnytsky, Odesa, Chernihiv, Vinnytsia and Sumy, where 23,000 children study.
"It is very important for us that the children will have the opportunity to study in an environment that is appropriate for their physical safety and their mental health - two elements that are crucial in child development. We hope that after the war is over, these spaces will be used to provide more useful and fun activities for the children, making the schools a more diverse and attractive space for the students" - Ionut Raita, Head of Tdh Mission in Ukraine.
The Safe Schools program is implemented by the East Europe Foundation in cooperation with the Ministry of Education and Science, the State Emergency Service of Ukraine and the Ministry of Internal Affairs with the financial support of a number of partners - Eurasia Foundation and Terre des hommes in Ukraine, as well as EPAM Ukraine, Baker Tilly and METRO UA.
