In extremely difficult conditions, Velyka Mykhailivka is not just resisting but laying the groundwork for a sustainable future. The partnership with U-LEAD with Europe has been instrumental in this transformation.
Development strategy as a recovery tool
A key stage of cooperation with U-LEAD with Europe was elaborating the Municipality Development Strategy until 2027, which was approved in March 2024. The document outlines the needs and priorities of recovery, including education, security, logistics and energy efficiency spheres. Developing this strategy set the stage for the municipality’s further participation in U-LEAD’s support programmes, especially for emergency assistance to cover basic needs.
"U-LEAD with Europe provided us with a front-end loader, generators, food, lighting fixtures, construction tools and more — everything the municipality needed to stay afloat even in wartime," said the head of the municipality, Yevhenii Fisak.
Equipment, vehicles and tools: critical assistance
Thanks to U-LEAD with Europe, the municipality received two Renault Master passenger minibuses and a Ford Transit cargo van. This enabled launching the Social Route initiative: a free weekly bus service that transports people from remote villages to the town of Pokrovske to get administrative services, medical supplies and food.
"These buses are not just means of transportation. They allow our commission to quickly inspect damaged buildings, deliver aid and keep in touch with people who still live in remote locations," said Yevhenii Fisak.
The technical assistance package included dozens of construction tools: generators, a concrete mixer, power tools, electric torches, woodworking, metalworking and electrical kits. Everything is geared toward rapid response and urgent recovery.
School of the Future: from a support hub to a safe educational space
The large-scale reconstruction project of Velyka Mykhailivka Lyceum, which was damaged by Russian shelling in 2022, is an important step for the municipality. In 2024, with the support of U-LEAD with Europe, project and cost estimate documentation was prepared for the reconstruction of Velyka Mykhailivka Lyceum building, including the installation of a bomb shelter. In September, the institution received a positive opinion from the State Expert Examination Commission. The project has already been published in the DREAM system, as the municipality is actively seeking funding for its implementation.
The primary objective is not merely to repair the damaged building, but to create a safe, modern, and accessible educational space adapted to the needs of children in the municipality, internally displaced persons and students with disabilities.
The project involves:
- reconstruction of the main school building with a capacity of up to 450 students;
- construction of a modern dual-purpose bomb shelter designed for 275 persons;
- energy-efficient solutions: improving the building’s energy efficiency to Class “B”, installation of on-site sewage treatment facilities;
- inclusive educational space for groups of 5–10 children;
- development of leisure and sports infrastructure — not only for the students, but also for all residents of the municipality.
While the project is awaiting funding, the educational process at the lyceum has been moved online. The institution continues to function with the support of U-LEAD with Europe. For example, a powerful diesel generator provides backup power needed to keep computers, Internet connections and other digital tools running, all of which are crucial for distance learning and allow the school to manage an uninterrupted educational process even during long blackouts.
This is vital at a time when the security situation in the community has deteriorated—in June, some villages in the municipality announced a mandatory evacuation for families with children. If students relocate but wish to continue their studies at their lyceum remotely, they will be able to do so — in part thanks to a generator that keeps the educational infrastructure running on site.
In addition, the lyceum hosts a humanitarian hub, where educators, together with locals, collect food and essentials to support the municipality.
“We don’t just wait for things to change — we plan for them. This project is about the future of our municipality, our children. Bomb shelter, new classrooms, energy efficiency — these are all things we owe to those who have grown up in wartime but deserve to study in decent conditions,” said Yevhenii Fisak.
Check out the entire project at DREAM
Volunteering movement as a response to challenges
Among the major initiatives supported by the municipality was joining the Building Ukraine Together (BUR) project as part of U-LEAD support. The volunteer campaign was held in the ‘BURchik’ format — a mobile volunteer point. The campaign has encouraged dozens of local residents to actively participate in the life of the municipality and restore the municipal infrastructure.
Through joint efforts, two projects have been implemented:
- a modular protective structure has been installed on the grounds of one of the municipality’s public facilities — the “Safe Space” project;
- rooms in Yasochka kindergarten, which was damaged by rocket fire, have been renovated.
These initiatives showcase how the volunteering movement and support from partners can bring the municipality together around a common goal — saving lives and creating a safe space for children.
Impact on the municipality and its residents
In addition to technical and material resources, U-LEAD support included guidance and administrative assistance. The municipality took part in training initiatives, underwent strategic planning and received consultations on how to submit projects and prepare documentation. All of this strengthened its institutional capacity.
"Together with the municipality, we were able to respond promptly to challenges as well as to lay the foundation for further sustainable development. It is most rewarding to see how the municipality mobilises, finds internal resources and actively engages residents," said Olena Tertyshna, the Head of the Regional Office of U-LEAD with Europe in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast.
The residents of Velyka Mykhailivka municipality have truly banded together: they are involved in the restoration of damaged facilities, participate in volunteering projects and support each other in the area of the rear where daily dangers are not an exception but a reality.
Believing in victory
"Our municipality is located in a potential combat zone. Thanks to U-LEAD, however, people have come to realise that they are being supported. We believe in Ukraine’s victory and know that we will rebuild what was destroyed so that we can have a peaceful future," said Yevhenii Fisak.
