Who takes care of the comfort of IDPs in their temporary homes? Who looks for blankets and household appliances for them? All these issues usually have to be solved by the directors of local health resorts or children’s camps, which since the beginning of the full-scale war have been transformed into compact accommodation facilities (CAFs). In the Pervomaiskyi territorial community in the Kharkivska Oblast, the local education department is responsible for accommodating IDPs.

Alina Sadchenko, the head of the education department of the executive committee of the Pervomaiskyi City Council, says: 

“Since the end of March, about 3 thousand internally displaced persons have been registered in this rather large CAF. Nearby are Balakliya, and the Izium district, the territories that had been under occupation. Now that the Ukrainian army has liberated the settlements, their residents are gradually returning to their homes. There are 260 children in kindergartens in Pervomaiskyi now”.

Ms. Alina notes that not everyone can go back home yet
“Of course, those who still have their homes, who have gas and electricity can go back home. Yet, there are still people who have nowhere to return to, either because their settlements haven’t been liberated yet or because their homes have been damaged so badly that they need to be rebuilt. There are also those who have completely lost their homes as a result of hostilities. These people will definitely stay with us for the winter”.

About 140 people are those who have settled here since the beginning of the war. There are those who leave for a certain length of time. In autumn, in dry weather, people would go to their villages, try to preserve the houses, cover the windows smashed by explosions with film, board up the doors, and patch the roofs with tarpaulin. And then they returned. 

“The first problem we faced was having enough places to sleep. In kindergartens, there were only small beds. The mayor offered to buy at least some mattresses. We did not even have bed linen. We are grateful to the representatives of the United Voices in Action program, which is implemented by IREX together with the Charity Foundation “Stabilization Support Services”. They provided our residents with folding beds, blankets, pillows, and bedding sets. 

At first, we organized hot meals. A central kitchen prepared them three times a day. In addition, our IDPs received individual food support. Whenever food was scarce, people came to the central kitchen, brought the received products, and helped to cook for everyone together. 

Thanks to the funding allocated, everyone can now enjoy meals funded by the local budget. Those who wish can still prepare their own breakfast and dinner, and take a few snacks from the fridge if they so choose. It’s good that we also received refrigerators, boilers, microwaves, ovens, and a sufficient number of multi-cookers and kettles from the We did not even have bed linen. We are grateful to the representatives of the United Voices in Action program team.” 

This community provided a comfortable life for the IDPs and went a step further by creating play and study rooms for the children, as well as providing high-speed Internet access, all at the expense of the city’s budget.

Ms. Alina emphasizes the immense pride she takes in the fact that the authorities are not alone in taking care of the IDPs; the local residents are actively joining in, contributing their resources of time, effort, and moral support. Together, we are stronger and more effective.