For four days, officials representing 12 municipalities in Donetsk Oblast learned about IDP integration practices, visited the municipalities of Nekhvoroshcha and Serhiivka and studied governance solutions that enable municipalities both to welcome people and to create new opportunities for them.
“The Poltava Oblast is a region where people from frontline areas receive not only shelter, but also a sense of home. Our municipalities have created an integration infrastructure, from housing to support services, and the approach here is simple: security + housing + work + community. This is how municipalities in Poltava Oblast are developing the integration of people and relocated businesses — in partnership with the oblast, the state and international programmes — and inviting everyone to cooperate in order to build the future together,” said Iryna Balybina, the Head of the Regional Office of U-LEAD with Europe in Poltava Oblast.
Nekhvoroshcha municipality displayed comprehensive efforts to support internally displaced persons. There is an IDP integration programme in place, developed with the help of U-LEAD experts; housing is being built for displaced families; and schools and kindergartens are operating where displaced children have access to education. IDPs are employed in education, healthcare and the utilities sector, and the Youth Council actively engages them in community life.
“We are purposefully increasing the housing stock for IDPs. This is not about statistics but decent conditions and peace of mind for families who were forced to relocate so that they can work, study and plan their future here in the Poltava Oblast today,” said Viktor Dubovych, the Head of Nekhvoroshcha Village Council.
In turn, Serhiivka has focused on developing entrepreneurship. The municipality operates a business support fund that provides interest-free loans, as well as the Economics and Investment Attraction Department that helps IDPs receive grants and develop their own businesses. Almost 20% of the municipality’s population are IDPs who have taken advantage of the municipality’s support and opened up new opportunities for themselves.
“Municipalities in Poltava Oblast not only host people but also help their businesses recover and operate, as well as assist in starting new businesses. Relocated enterprises are already creating jobs and contributing to the budgets, while SME support programmes make start-ups and development a reality for every entrepreneur who has chosen Poltava Oblast,” said Ihor Lidovyi, the Head of Serhiivka Village Council.
According to Viktoriia Trotsenko, the Head of the Regional Office of U-LEAD with Europe in Donetsk Oblast, this visit pursued multiple key goals.
“We were keen to highlight how IDPs are integrating and the positive aspects of this, as municipalities care for their people and create conditions for them to live comfortably. We also aimed to establish communication between the municipalities of Poltava and Donetsk Oblasts, to enable them to connect and strengthen existing ties,” she noted.
The participants of the visit appreciated both the practicality of what they saw and the cordial atmosphere of dialogue with their colleagues.
“I admire how Serhiivka municipality promotes entrepreneurship. We saw how much the municipality supports individual entrepreneurs and cheers for their success. I can tell you that if the people of our municipality move to Serhiivka, they will be welcomed there and given a fresh start in life,” said Alona Lievtierova, the Head of Staromlynivka Rural Military Administration.
“Nekhvoroshcha municipality showed how to effectively integrate IDPs into community life, and Serhiivka exemplified how to support entrepreneurs and assist them in developing their own businesses. This type of meetings is extremely useful: we saw success cases and were able to exchange experiences with our colleagues from the Donetsk Oblast,” said Liliia Tykhonova, the Deputy Head of Shakhove Rural Military Administration.
“The visit was meaningful and well-organised. We saw interesting approaches from both municipalities and established contacts with the Regional Office of U-LEAD in Poltava Oblast. For the first time at such an event, the deputy heads and heads of other municipalities gathered, and it was very good that we had the opportunity to communicate with colleagues,” said Serhii Lehenkyi, the Deputy Head of Avdiivka City Military Administration.
In addition to providing a platform for sharing experiences, the visit also served as a step towards establishing partnerships between municipalities in the two oblasts. After all, cooperation, trust and support are the foundation for the recovery and development of Ukrainian territories.
