Ten war-affected regions to open community-building centers to boost reconstruction
What is the problem?
Recovery is complex and requires different people to participate and many factors to be considered. The key to Ukraine's democratic reconstruction is the involvement and development of communities: uniting people, communication and mutual listening, support, and common planning. To build communities, Ukrainians need public accessible spaces where different people can gather and interact.
What is the solution?
In July, the Cedos independent analytical center and the Western NIS Enterprise Fund announced a grant competition to create or update community centers in Ukraine and develop activities. Within the competition, ten communities will be able to receive ₴1,000,000 (over $27,000) to develop community-building centers.
"Reconstruction and recovery must be based on understanding and solidarity between people. Otherwise, it will be difficult for us to create a country of prosperity, for which we strive and for which we fight," says Ivan Verbytskyi, director of the Cedos Analytical Center. "It will be difficult for us to agree on a common vision if we do not listen, trust, and make joint efforts. Community-building centers should become spaces for people to communicate, support local initiatives, involve vulnerable Ukrainians, and strengthen solidarity through joint learning, volunteering, and planning. We are happy to be able to provide communities with the support they need to create such centers."
During September 7-9, the organization held a workshop in Lviv for communities that won the competition. At the workshop, community representatives had the opportunity to present their projects and improve them together with mentors and experts from various fields.
The workshop program included a business introduction to the organizers, discussions, and mentoring sessions on community development, architecture, and prototyping of spaces, and tours to community-building centers in Lviv — Suputnyk, Lviv Open Lab, Municipal Art Center, and Jam Factory.
The winning communities of the competition are war-affected areas in dire need of support and expertise in recovery and regions that have accepted many internally displaced Ukrainians:
- Blyzniuky community, Kharkiv region.
- Velyka Pysarivka community, Sumy region.
- Horodok community, Lviv region.
- Kovel community, Volyn region.
- Krasnokutsk community, Kharkiv region.
- Nizhyn community, Chernihiv region.
- Ovruch community, Zhytomyr region.
- Snihurivka community, Mykolayiv region.
- Chortkiv community, Ternopil region.
- Dobroslav community, Odesa region.
"During these three days, I was very recharged in the midst of wonderful people who are not only passionate about what they do but are also ready to take personal responsibility for changes in their communities, want and can not only declare values but also act accordingly," says Kateryna Yakovets, a representative of the Chortkiv community and workshop participant. "Thanks to the professional support of mentors and experts, we dismantled and reassembled our idea of a library ArtGarage, checked and improved the solution. We have clearly planned steps to execute the idea as a truly living space that will inspire joint efforts to develop our community."
How does it work?
Community-building centers are offline spaces where different social groups gather for leisure, educational programs, community development, and cooperation. They can be separate buildings or part of other public establishments, such as administrative centers, hubs, libraries, and cultural centers.
The communities will spend the grant to arrange or renew existing community centers and create meaningful programs and activities for the centers. The organizers will continue consulting and supporting communities at all stages of the project coming to fruition.
"In numerous conversations about reconstruction, the focus jumps from housing to infrastructure, from roads to bridges, but human-centeredness is lacking in these discussions and attracting those who live and will live there," says Iryna Ozymok, director of local economic development of the Western NIS Enterprise Fund. "So the community-building centers will serve as hubs of communication and interaction, from where community changes will ensue. As part of the project, we created an opportunity for communities to work with professional mentors and set two physical and social inclusion as a goal so that all its residents can participate in the development of the community."
For reference
Western NIS Enterprise Fund (WNISEF) is the first regional direct investment fund in Ukraine and Moldova, with a capital of $285 million. It was founded with funding from the US government through the US Agency for International Development (USAID). The fund has more than 29 years of experience in successfully investing in small and medium-sized businesses. The fund has invested $188 million in 136 companies with 26,000 employees and made it possible to attract $2.3 billion in Ukrainian and Moldovan companies.
Since 2015, the fund has been implementing a $35 million technical assistance program in Ukraine and Moldova, the main elements of which are export promotion, local economic development, social investment, and economic leadership. WNISEF finances innovative, highly effective programs to implement reforms and change ordinary people's lives in Ukraine and Moldova.
Cedos is an independent think tank and community working on social development issues since 2010. Cedos searches for systemic causes of social problems and their solution. Cedos' approach is based on research. Cedos studies social processes and public policies, disseminates critical knowledge, promotes progressive changes, and educates and strengthens the community of supporters.
