How students are approaching Ukraine's victory: 20 solutions — from innovations to concerts

 What is the problem?

Since the beginning of the full-scale war, russian invaders in Ukraine have destroyed or damaged more than a thousand educational institutions, including schools, vocational schools, colleges, and universities. Dozens of higher and secondary specialized educational institutions found themselves in the war zone and under occupation — not all of them managed to evacuate. Many students were forced to leave their homes and educational institutions and go to continue their qualifications abroad. However, most of them stayed at home — in Ukraine. Our students attend lectures online and offline, continue their studies in the subway during air raids, equip classrooms and laboratories in bomb shelters, and improve their knowledge and skills. Despite all.

What is the solution?

Nothing is impossible for Ukrainian students! Our youth are fighting the enemy with their knowledge, skills, energy, and imagination. Yesterday's schoolchildren work on new technologies and medical developments, volunteer, fundraise, and raise the spirits of Ukrainians. They help by earning and earn by having fun.

If you are a student and have yet to figure out how to help the country, be inspired by the examples Rubryka has collected for you in this material.

How does it work?

Back in the spring at the Vinnytsia National Technical University, a group of students began creating sound beacons to signal rescuers. This is a miniature but very loud device that you can hear from a depth of up to ten meters. It is enough to press the beacon button — and a shrill signal will beep for about 12 hours. The device emits ultrasound, which a person well hears at a great distance.
The name of the inventor is Vladyslav Prysiazhny. The idea of ​​the invention appeared due to the tragic events when a russian missile hit the Vinnytsia airport, and people were searched under the rubble. The invention can be useful in areas close to hostilities, with a high risk of hitting residential buildings.

17-year-old Ihor Klymenko, a student of KPI, developed a demining robot and became a Global Student Prize finalist. This award honors the best students in the world. In the 10th grade, Ihor started designing quadcopters and drones, and during the last two years, Ihor worked on a project of a robot that can disarm mines (Quadcopter Mines Detector). The guy has already presented the development at international competitions and also received two patents for his device from Ukraine. Demining territories is one of Ukraine's priority tasks for preserving civilian lives. And such technologies will be able to speed up this process, making it safer, in particular, for deminers. In addition to scientific activities, the boy also volunteers — he delivers food.

Taras Yanush, a student from Lviv, created an off-road vehicle for the Armed Forces — a Tyrex buggy. The car has already been tested and is preparing to go to the front. Ukrainian defenders will be able to practice maneuvers and move more confidently on the front line.

Today, students of the Lviv Oblast are developing another completely new buggy model, which has no analogs, on the basis of the Lviv vocational-technical institutes. We are talking about a 4-seater massive vehicle adapted to military needs.

Pavlo Garadzhiy, a student of Chernivtsi University, developed the technology for making smoke grenades for the Armed Forces. They are needed to create a smoke screen during the retreat, simulate the burning of combat equipment, or send signals. To engage in the production of grenades, Pavlo changed the subject of his diploma — he wrote about the development of this technology. He also invited other university chemistry students to the team.

So far, smoke grenades are made to the order of their acquaintance military personnel — it was possible to hand over several dozens of grenades. According to the students, they plan to expand the scale of production.

The blood-stopping gauze was developed by four students of the Lviv Polytechnic, together with teachers. They worked on the development for 4 months. After the approval process is completed, this tool will begin to be produced for the front line.

In addition, the institution's students improved hydrogel bandages made from natural materials (until now, only synthetic ones were available on the world market). Such bandages can be used both for wound healing (can speed up wound healing twice) and after operations. The experience of the military and rescued civilians from the combat zone says that such bandages are very effective for burns from phosphorus bombs. Since the beginning of the full-scale war, scientists have already transferred 40,000 improved bandages to the front and in hospitals.

Ivano-Frankivsk National Medical University students, together with teachers, manufacture medicine for the military. Pharmacists have established the production process of five drugs used to treat excessive sweating, bed sores, and fungus and to heal wounds.

Volunteers say that all medical supplies began to be manufactured at the soldiers' request — these drugs currently lack the most. Pharmacists purchased the ingredients necessary to produce medicines with charitable contributions and teachers' money.

"We do not compete with pharmacies," says the university, "but supplement the lack of medicines on the market. We also want to be treated not only by medicines but also by our word." Therefore, students and teachers write thanks to the defenders on the back of the jars.

Serhii Shuba, an immigrant student from Kharkiv, opened a coffee shop in Ivano-Frankivsk to support the Armed Forces. This is how he provides the rear for the military — literally with coffee beans. When the young man came to Ivano-Frankivsk after the beginning of the full-scale invasion, he set about creating the establishment himself — he even transported building materials for the future coffee shop on a scooter. Now he calls the Unity coffee shop his home and gives almost half of the proceeds to the Armed Forces' needs.

"We treat soldiers, volunteers, and everyone who brings our country closer to Victory with drinks. The name speaks for itself and is dedicated to the Ukrainian people," says Serhiy Shuba.

And even before the start of the full-scale invasion, the boy, on his own initiative, set up a bomb shelter in the dormitory. Making shelters more convenient is still needed, so this is a great idea for students to get involved in civil defense.

Students of Vinnytsia Vocational College of Arts have been making trench candles for soldiers since September. At first, the students' parents helped with the materials. Currently, not only Vinnytsia residents are participating, but also residents of other cities.

And in Ternopil, students of the Ternopil National Medical University make trench candles with their own hands. Read about how to make trench candles by yourself in our material.

Students of Odesa International Humanitarian University organize charity fairs and patriotic concerts to raise funds for drones for defenders. Students sell various products and delicacies from different countries of the world cooked by themselves.

The students have already bought the first drone and handed it over to the border guards.

In Lutsk, the Igor Stravinsky Volyn College of Culture and Arts brass band played on the Theater Maidan. Students and teachers collect money for the needs of the soldiers of the 14th separate mechanized brigade named after Roman the Great. This autumn performance is far from the first. In June, students participated in three such street art actions. Then it was possible to collect and transfer 17 thousand hryvnias for the needs of the military.

Students of the Carpathian National University played volleyball and collected funds to help the military. The "MIX" volleyball tournament at the Carpathian National University is traditional and has been held for five years in a row. This year, an idea arose to make the tournament a charity event. The money was transferred to the Coordination Center #SaveUkraineNow(SUN), which helps the Carpathian battalions on the front lines.

Sometimes, you just have to look under your feet to find funds to help those who need them. This autumn, students, and teachers of the Polissya National University of Zhytomyr collected apples in the garden of this educational institution. Students of various faculties, teachers, and employees of the university joined the action. All willing Zhytomyr residents were invited to participate. We managed to collect a lot together, so we divided the apples in several directions. In particular, 40 boxes were given to soldiers in the hospital, another part to IDPs families, and 100 bags were handed over for recycling. And the funds raised will be transferred to the needs of the Armed Forces.

As the participants of the action emphasize, they were able not only to spend the day with benefit but also to help the displaced people and defenders, and what is no less important — to provide the local enterprise with raw materials for the production of juice and other vitamin products.

Students of the Cherkasy National University named after Bohdan Khmelnytsky initiated a campaign to collect waste paper and plastic bottles, "Save the environment," and the collected funds were transferred to the needs of the Armed Forces.

It was possible to collect more than half a thousand kilograms of secondary raw materials. The money for waste paper will be transferred to a charity account for the purchase of a car for soldiers who defend our peace and Independence.

Bookcrossers of the university's reading club — student publishers who collected and gave russian-language books for recycling — also joined the collection.

In Kropyvnytskyi, students of the Donetsk Medical University donated more than five liters of blood to help wounded soldiers. For this, they organized the action "The heart pumps blood and love for the Armed Forces of Ukraine." Since the beginning of russia's full-scale invasion, donor actions in DMU have been organized every two months.

According to the action participants, anyone who has such an opportunity should help now: "As doctors, we know the price of donor blood."

At the Ivano-Frankivsk National Medical University, students organized a charity Autumn Ball to bring joy to IDP children. The participants prepared for the ball, thought out contests and prepared goodies for sale at the charity fair. Those willing could learn to dance the waltz: a dance master class was also conducted by college students. About a hundred students of all courses and majors participated in the ball. The collected funds will be used to prepare a holiday for orphans who came from the zone of active hostilities.

Murals in Ukraine have long become symbols of struggle and support of fighting spirit — both among the military and civilians. In Kryvyi Rih, students and teachers of the polytechnic college also decided to create a patriotic mural. They dedicated it to the heroes of Ukraine who stand in defense of our state or gave their lives for it. Artists believe that in this way, they can at least give a little thanks to every Ukrainian soldier for courage and bravery.

The mural was created over two days, and during this time, the artists communicated a lot — currently, the students study in a distance format and rarely see each other. And such lively interaction provided even greater inspiration for creating a patriotic picture. "I will say that the mood really increased by 200%. And not only to those who worked and put their heart into it but also to passers-by who passed by and thanked," the deputy director of the college said.

People supported the authors so much that they brought brushes for painting details and even treated the artists with pastry.

Cherkasy students and pupils turned the bomb shelter into an art object — it was decorated with a patriotic painting. At the end of August, the management of the Cherkasy Art and Technical College was approached by the administration of one of the city's schools with a request to assist in improving the school shelter. A creative group of college students set to work with enthusiasm. Now, there are bright drawings in Ukrainian style on the walls of the school shelter.

Students of Sumy State University actively help the Volunteer Organization "SBB-Tyl" in weaving camouflage nets for the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Every Thursday and Sunday, students join in creating reliable protection for our soldiers. Volunteers of the university have been cooperating with the activists of the Sumy Babsky Battalion for several years and have repeatedly participated in weaving nets for ATO fighters even before the full-scale war.

The Irpin Youth Council organized a self-defense workshop  — primarily for women. "According to statistics, more than half of women are afraid to walk alone in sparsely populated places and in the dark. This problem is especially relevant now when it gets dark early, and the street lights are not turned on because our country saves electricity and implements light masking. Staying at home and being afraid is not an option. Therefore, the Irpin Youth Council offered the women and girls of the city to attend a self-defense workshop," the class initiators noted.

Students of the Irpin Vocational College of Economics and Law actively participated in the workshop.

And this is Darya Zaychuk, an Uman National University of Horticulture student. She knits patriotic "Owls" to comfort children in "hot" regions.

With the beginning of russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Darya felt an urgent need to help: "I thought: what I could do. And I decided to help with what I could. I make some toys to send them to places where active hostilities are going on and thus encourage people. I'm selling the rest to raise funds for the army."

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