Ukraine: Kindergarten reopens in Mykolaiv — safe haven for 200 children
On July 30, Mykolaiv held the official reopening of the kindergarten, which had been closed since February 2022 due to the absence of a suitable shelter. Thanks to the completion of this project, approximately 200 children can now return to their educational activities in a safe environment.
The new kindergarten shelter, a joint effort by the charitable foundation savED and the Danish Refugee Council (DRC), was made possible with financial support from Novo Nordisk. The facility spans over 230 square meters and is equipped with furniture, games, teaching materials, and everything necessary to continue learning, playing, or resting during air raid alerts. The shelter features two sleeping areas, a sports and activity zone, and a bathroom, ensuring a comprehensive safe space for the children.
To enhance accessibility, a lift has been installed on the stairs leading to the shelter, making it more inclusive for all children.
Ensuring children’s safety and the opportunity to learn during wartime is an investment in the future, and we are honoured to support Mykolaiv’s reconstruction projects for those in greatest need.
/ Vladyslav Moroz, General Manager of Novo Nordisk Ukraine & Moldova
Notably, this shelter is the first among the city's kindergartens to be funded by private philanthropists rather than the city budget. The importance of such projects was also highlighted by the Head of Mykolaiv City Council Oleksandr Senkevych, Head of the Mykolaiv Oblast Military Administration Vitalii Kim, and Jakob Hansen, Head of the Mykolaiv Recovery Programme at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark, who attended the event.
“We are grateful to our international partners for their efforts in creating a safe environment for our children. This kindergarten is an important step in creating a safe and comfortable space for their education and development,” said Vitaliy Kim.
The shelter’s space is designed to be flexible, allowing kindergarten staff to quickly adapt the rooms to meet the children's needs. Mobile cots can be arranged for sleeping or put way to organise group activities or drawing sessions for the children.
“This mobility is crucial because, in Mykolaiv, alarms can last for hours. Shelters in educational institutions must function as fully-fledged underground schools or kindergartens,” adds Anna Putsova, co-founder and head of the initiative implementation department at savED.
DRC was among the first humanitarian organisations responding to the needs in Mykolaiv at the beginning of the full-scale invasion. Supporting infrastructure projects has been a priority for us knowing that children are most affected by the war. We are glad that we could support the reopening of the kindergarten and plan to support more projects in the city with the generous support of Novo Nordisk.
