The gradual restoration of destroyed facilities and support for maintaining normal life in the municipality is being carried out through local efforts as well as assistance from various funds and donors. This has been made possible, in particular, through the support of the “U-LEAD with Europe”

"We began our collaboration with U-LEAD through the educational programs “Steps for Specialists” and “Steps for Leaders.” I would say we found each other. Our municipality was one of the first to experience significant destruction, and we were included in the initial recovery project. We received a wheel loader, a water tank, basic kits for internally displaced persons, beds, food, lighting equipment, and tools for community recovery. The mobile front loader and the power saw were incredibly helpful in eliminating the aftermath of enemy shelling”, – Yevhen Fisak says.

As part of the program, the municipality also received two Renault Master minibuses, which proved invaluable for visiting sites of missile impacts and delivering humanitarian aid to various parts of the Velykomykhailivska municipality. Using funds from the city and regional budgets, they organized a “mobile office” by purchasing a laptop for fieldwork, which will be used to provide administrative services in the municipality's villages.

"It’s about 20 kilometers from the center of the community to the most remote villages. Since the start of the full-scale invasion, there’s been no bus service between these distant villages. We plan to launch social routes to provide free transportation for people to the municipality center and to Pokrovske”, – Fisak explains.

Another ongoing challenge for the municipality is preparing for winter. To get through this period stably and ensure residents have access to basic needs –electricity, water, and heat – they must mobilize all available resources. Those like “U-LEAD with Europe,” funded by the EU and its member states (Germany, Poland, Denmark, and Slovenia), are a vital source of support.

"This will be our third winter entering with significant challenges. Take, for example, the administrative building of the Starostynskyi Rural District, where the gas line was damaged. We now rely on electric heating and generators provided by U-LEAD. In Velykomykhailivka municipality, we use solid fuel and natural gas, but during power outages, the pumps stop working, leaving us without heat. That’s where the generators from U-LEAD have been a tremendous help, and we are deeply grateful”, – Fisak adds.

Generators today symbolize independence and stability. They enable the consistent delivery of social services to the population. Moreover, they power “Points of Invincibility,” where residents can access electricity and the internet and charge their devices.

A powerful 540 kW generator has already been installed at the Velykomykhailivka Lyceum, also provided by U-LEAD. The school currently operates online, but if the situation becomes safer and children return to in-person classes, everything is ready to ensure uninterrupted operation.

"Today, we have 20 educators who continue their work despite the challenging circumstances, and 163 students, 25 of whom are internally displaced people (IDPs). Some children, even while staying abroad, persist in pursuing their education at our lyceum”, – comments Yaroslava Kazaryan, Acting Director of the Velykomykhailivskyi Lyceum.

Yaroslava recalls that the realization of the war's onset did not come immediately. In February 2022, she had been leading the gymnasium for only a year. As a result, finding solutions to organize the team’s work created more questions than answers. Gradually, the educators established a humanitarian hub within the lyceum, where village residents could bring essentials or food.

"Everyone was unsure about what to do next. We tried to keep ourselves occupied to worry less”, – Yaroslava reflects.

By September 2022, the lyceum planned to reopen its doors to students. However, a missile strike on July 18, 2022, shattered those hopes and dreams. At that time, the facility was occupied by the administration and a small maintenance staff. Fortunately, the missile struck a flowerbed, sparing the lives of everyone inside.

"The right wing of the building, the roof, and the windows were damaged. Then heavy rains followed, causing further harm to the structure. With the help of the municipality, we managed to repair the roof to prevent further destruction. Now, despite constant stress, threats, and blackouts, we continue to live, work, and support our students, even remotely. The U-LEAD gives us tremendous support: we are nearing the completion of project documentation, they provide consultations, and they’ve helped us transition to the new DREAM platform. Of course, the provision of generators has been an invaluable contribution”, – Yaroslava Kazaryan shares.

The provision of alternative energy sources has made it easier for the municipality to endure several heating seasons with minimal discomfort for its residents.

"It would have been a harsh winter because we all remember the beginning of 2022 and the steep cost of generators, with a standard one priced at 100,000 –120,000 UAH. But we received the necessary number of generators and managed to allocate them among facilities to meet the population's needs during scheduled power outages and blackouts”, – Yevhen Viktorovych recalls.