“We often seek advice from U-LEAD with Europe. One of these pieces of advice proved to be a turning point: we introduced a transparent system for accounting for humanitarian aid, with official decisions, clear procedures for distribution, and tax reporting. All aid is now delivered exclusively under acceptance certificates, eliminating any chaos,” says Liudmyla Biriukova, the Head of the Velyka Pysarivka Village Council.
Overall, last year saw active and meaningful cooperation between Velyka Pysarivka and U-LEAD with Europe. Liudmyla Biriukova talks about joining a number of initiatives, including the League of Leaders and a programme supporting women leaders in border municipalities.
According to her, these formats provided new knowledge, but also something even more valuable — lively communication and personal contacts with colleagues from other oblasts. Subsequently, they laid the groundwork for specific joint decisions and practical cooperation between municipalities.
“In the League of Leaders, I met Andrii Kolomiitsev, the Head of Pryiutivka municipality, Kirovohrad Oblast. Later, as part of the state project “Plich-o-Plich” (Side by Side), we signed a memorandum of cooperation,” says Liudmyla Biriukova.
As part of the established intermunicipal cooperation, Pryiutivka financed the renovation of the humanitarian hub in Velyka Pysarivka, as well as the purchase of necessary furniture. The hub itself was set up in a cultural centre, a space that is accessible and convenient for people living in the area.
Liudmyla Biriukova, the Head of Velyka Pysarivka municipality, emphasises that it was the personal acquaintance between heads of municipalities that became the key factor in transforming a formal partnership into real cooperation:
“When you know someone personally, cooperation is no longer a formality. Instead, it becomes dynamic and effective. This is how the opportunity to officially help each other came about”.
Launching the humanitarian hub required not only premises and funding, but also people. To address this, the municipality expanded its staff: two humanitarian aid specialists were added to the social protection department, which previously consisted of a manager and two other staff members. In addition, the municipality hired a driver and allocated a designated vehicle for humanitarian logistics.
Delivering aid in the Velyka Pysarivka municipality has been set up as a systematic process. Support is provided to internally displaced persons both within the municipality itself and in neighbouring municipalities, as well as to residents who were forced to move to other oblasts of Ukraine due to the war. Google Forms are used to collect applications, and delivery is carried out by post.
“Even if a person lives in Ternopil, for example, we still send them aid. We know exactly who got what, how much, and when. One person gets one aid package per month,” explains the mayor of the municipality.
Two minibuses donated to Velyka Pysarivka by U-LEAD with Europe have also significantly strengthened the municipality’s capacity. They are used to transport humanitarian supplies and logistically connect municipalities, says Liudmyla Biriukova.
Despite the precarious safety situation in the border oblast, the municipality is not content with merely responding to current challenges. Even though strategic planning is currently hindered by the war, everyone here agrees that it is important to start building internal processes, strengthening partnerships and improving management capacity now.
“We don’t know when the war will end. What we do know for sure is that order, transparency and partnerships are what help us survive today,” concludes the mayor of the municipality.
