Project in a DREAM Pipeline
Irpin is one of the settlements in the Kyiv region that suffered the most during the full-scale invasion. The community suffered significant damage to eight schools, eleven kindergartens, and four institutions, including the Children's and Youth Sports School, the Irpin City Stadium "Champion," the Irpin Center for Out-of-School Education, and the Inclusive Resource Center. The Radist kindergarten was the most affected among all the kindergartens in the Irpin community.
The kindergarten, which was one of the largest in the community with about 400 children and 65 employees, had been operating since 1985 before being impacted by the invasion.
In March 2022, the kindergarten was repeatedly shelled by russians, and a direct hit caused a fire that damaged the roof. Water seeped inside and damaged a significant part of the building. As a result of the repeated shelling, explosions, and fire, the institution was damaged by 75%.
After the de-occupation of Irpin, dozens of international delegations visited the city and had the opportunity to see the destruction caused to the community with their own eyes. The delegations from the Republic of Lithuania were among them. Shocked by the consequences of the aggression, Lithuanians immediately offered to help restore the kindergarten.
In August 2022, the Lithuanian government chose four pilot projects to restore Ukraine, and Radist kindergarten was selected as one of them. The Lithuanians stressed that during negotiations with the Ukrainian side, they received a clear message that social and critical infrastructure were prioritized for restoration. That's why they assisted in restoring the kindergarten.
The Irpin City Council and the Government of Lithuania signed the agreement to finance the restoration of the kindergarten and provide the necessary equipment. The project budget amounted to EUR 4.9 million. This sum was allocated by the Lithuanian Fund for Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Aid.
The Lithuanian Government, the Irpin City Council team, and the Irpin Recovery Fund worked together to implement the project, which was supervised by the Central Project Management Agency (CPVA). As a tribute to the Lithuanian people's assistance, the institution was renamed Ruta, which is symbolic in Ukrainian and Lithuanian mythology. The word "Ruta" has the same meaning and sound in both languages. Moreover, the exterior design of the kindergarten features the colors of the Ukrainian and Lithuanian flags.
President of Lithuania Gitanas Nausėda: "Lithuania and all its people support Ukraine. The Government of Lithuania has already provided Ukraine with more than EUR 1 billion for restoration, military and humanitarian needs. Help is also coming from non-governmental and private organizations. It is very nice to see such a wonderful kindergarten, I can only imagine how happy the children will be here. I also like the name of the kindergarten - "Ruta" - it is highly symbolic. When children see this name and the Lithuanian flag, I believe, they will think of a country where many people who love Ukraine live."
However, the reconstruction of the kindergarten is not just a matter of new building. It means 400 children will have a space to study for the new school year. Even when the reconstruction work was just underway, the electronic registration queue for the kindergarten exceeded the availability of the institution: the residents of Irpin were waiting for the opening. Thanks to the reconstruction of the kindergarten, parents can work while their children study. Such projects bring life back to the community, which russia tried to ruin.
Oleksandr Kubrakov, Deputy Prime Minister for Restoration of Ukraine - Minister for Communities, Territories and Infrastructure Development of Ukraine, thanked the Government of Lithuania for their support, calling the project an example of Ukraine's cooperation with international partners in the restoration area: "The restoration of educational facilities is currently one of the top priorities. It gives the community residents the possibility to do their job, knowing that their children are in a modern kindergarten with all the necessary equipment and a shelter. The kindergarten project must be added to the DREAM - digital restoration ecosystem for accountable management. This will enable anyone to access the project description, primary budget parameters, and construction stages. The kindergarten project sets an exemplary standard for community initiatives and planning, as well as equipment. In addition, it serves as proof that communities can independently attract international support for restoration projects, and the DREAM ecosystem will help them achieve it."
The project took a year to complete. The rebuilt kindergarten was opened before the school year started, on August 24, 2023, on Ukraine's Independence Day.
Mante Makauskaitė, Advisor to the Chancellor of the Government of Lithuania, recalls: "When we were about to select the first objects for reconstruction, we consulted with Ukrainian partners, institutions, and municipalities. Opening a kindergarten one year later is symbolic and political at the same time. I think that in wartime, this is a pretty quick job, and we are pleased with the cooperation of the local administration and the companies that worked on this facility. I think everybody was very motivated to do it as quickly as possible."
After the renovation work, the Ruta kindergarten has a new modern building with an area of over 4,500 m2 and three floors instead of two. The kindergarten will be able to accommodate about 400 children organized into 13 groups. The building has music and sports halls, spaces for additional classes, modern sports, and playgrounds. Children with special educational needs will be provided with all the necessary conditions for education and upbringing (ramp, resource room, educational equipment). The shelter with modern ventilation and warning systems, bathrooms, recreation areas, and game materials is equipped in the basement. The new shelter was tested during its grand opening on Independence Day. During the air raid, children and parents, as well as guests of the ceremony, came down to the shelter, and activities like games and reading were organized for the children.
Apart from providing funding, the Lithuanian government took the responsibility of implementing the project. The Central Project Management Agency (CPVA) of Lithuania, which has been operational in Ukraine since 2014, collaborated with the local administration to accomplish the reconstruction of the kindergarten. The Agency faced several challenges, as the project aimed to rebuild the kindergarten on the "build back better" principle, which included incorporating energy efficiency, modern materials, and technologies. Moreover, the work had to be completed within a limited timeframe, with limited resources.
Arturas Žarnovskis, CPMA Co-Create Future of Ukraine Programme Manager, Lithuania, says: "It was a very ambitious plan to implement this project by September 1. But all the participants felt like one team with a common goal. It is very important to say that we cannot wait until the war is over to rebuild. People need to live now, children need to go to kindergarten now, they can't wait. And the local community needs to see the result and know that life can become normal again."
Restoration means construction and equipment. To support and inspire the kindergarten teachers, Lithuanian partners organized a working trip to Lithuania for them to share experiences, teaching methodologies, and networks.
Ksenia Katryach, director of the kindergarten, shares her impressions: "During our recent initiative, we established a pedagogical partnership with Lithuania. A group of 34 teachers from the Irpin community visited Lithuania to observe both municipal and private preschools. This experience allowed us to compare education systems between Lithuania and Ukraine and identify valuable insights we can apply in our work. Overall, it was an extremely informative and beneficial trip".
Artūras Žarnovskis added that although the project is completed in terms of construction, it is just beginning. After all, the new generation of Ukraine will be brought up here, in Ruta kindergarten.
Ruslan Kravchenko, Head of the Kyiv Regional Military Administration, emphasizes: "The future of every nation depends on its children. Our responsibility is to provide them with a calm and peaceful childhood. We are grateful to partners like Lithuania who support our efforts to restore the country and make plans for the future. Such support sends a clear message to other countries and international partners: it is crucial to rebuild Ukraine now."
Ukraine's cooperation with Lithuania will not stop at the kindergarten. The Central Project Management Agency (CPVA) and the State Agency for the Restoration of Ukraine are working on several initiatives, including the School of the Future for Ukraine. This is the development of an adaptive technical design project for the construction of new schools. An international architectural competition aims to select the best reuse project that can be used by both Ukrainian institutions and international partners in the restoration process. Lithuanian partners emphasize that the project will accelerate the process of building new schools and attracting donors, and will save precious time for Ukrainian children to return to full-time education. The Lithuanian Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Aid Fund has already allocated EUR 16 million for the restoration of Ukraine.