Solutions from Ukraine: Kyiv and Chernihiv schoolchildren receive $25,000 for social project initiatives

Within the framework of the UActive program, teenagers from the Kyiv and Chernihiv regions received funding from the savED charitable foundation for their own projects of change in communities affected by the war. Teams of schoolchildren will continue to implement them with the support of benefactors.

The savED charitable foundation reported that.

Before this, for 15 weeks, the teenagers participated in the educational section of the UActive program, where they learned project management skills and developed ideas for community-beneficial projects to present at the final showcase.

The diversity of this year's projects is concentrated around initiatives for arranging spaces for youth – educational spaces, youth centers, sports halls, or improved spaces in the village, such as parks, etc. This again demonstrates that teenagers strive to meet their schools' and communities' basic infrastructure needs to have a safe, comfortable, and aesthetic place to spend time together.

For instance, students from the de-occupied border community of Horodnia in the Chernihiv region proposed creating a youth space for a film club.

"My classmates and I spent 39 days under occupation. After everything we've been through, many of us still feel down. We want a place to get together and host interesting events because we spend more time on our phones than with each other," 17-year-old student Ivan Komzol says.

A total of 10 teams presented their projects for the communities of Chernihiv and Kyiv regions, consisting of 100 teenagers, with whom 10 program mentors worked. The total funds the schoolchildren received to implement their initiatives was $25,000.

The schoolchildren's ideas were evaluated by representatives of the program initiators, including co-founder of the savED Foundation Hanna Novosad and Grant Peeler, regional manager of Spirit of America. Also invited members of the jury were Marichka Pohorilko, a grant management manager at the RAZOM Foundation, Oleksandr Khomenko, the founder of the MUR art project, and graduates of the first wave of UActive from Chernihiv and Kyiv regions. Public figure and volunteer Serhii Prytula came to inspire and support the participating schoolchildren during the presentation of the projects.

As a result, the jury selected 5 out of 10 teams that received funding from the program partners—$5,000 each for implementing the project.

One of the funded teams plans to start a 3D printing club to tackle environmental issues in their village of Shpytky, located in the Kyiv region. The teenagers will produce eco-bags from recycled plastic. The team members were inspired to act after witnessing the pollution in their community, which was in the line of fire during the Russian invasion in 2022.

"This project allowed us to unite and learn not only to dream but also to implement ideas. With funding, we will make our community cleaner and hope that one day we will also eliminate the traces of war in our village," 16-year-old schoolgirl Daria Shamych says.

The experience of war and occupation profoundly impacted the schoolchildren, fueling their desire to make a difference in their communities. After their experiences in their village, students from Zahaltsi Lyceum in the Kyiv region took on active volunteer roles—collecting plastic and trash for recycling and planting trees in memory of fallen Heroes. In 2024, as part of the "Dvizh" team, these students participated in the UActive program and secured funding to develop a public space for all residents in the village center based on the park.

"The Russians bombed the main building of our school and hit the kindergarten. And now there is nowhere to even sit with friends. But now we will create a park in the center of the village; we will have clubs, sports, and recreation areas there. And our village will come to life," 16-year-old Vladyslav Marynych from Zahaltsi shares.

Two more teams — from Avdiivskyi Lyceum and Vykhvostivska Gymnasium in the Chernihiv region— received certificates for creating "Vulykiv" educational centers from savED and partners in their communities.

"Our program aims to nurture a generation of leaders who will invest in their country's development today. It's not just about funding their ideas; it's about building a community that will drive change alongside us in the future. After completing the program, we continue collaborating with them, and they realize they have the power to influence and are confident that community leaders and organizations will hear them out," UActive program leader Khrystyna Kashchuk says.

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It's worth noting that the first nationwide forum for the urban movement, "The City Has Me," brought together teenagers from 16 Ukrainian cities to champion projects to improve urban environments. Over 350 students completed a three-month urban planning program and then presented their initiatives to a jury during a pitching session.

Earlier, Rubryka shared how young people are getting involved in demining Ukrainian territories. You can read more about this in Rubryka's article, "Protecting Deminers: How Ukrainian Teens are Innovating Demining in Ukraine."