KSE Foundation has equipped a shelter at Kryvyi Rih Gymnasium No 122 in the Dnipropetrovsk region. The space can now accommodate up to 400 members of the school community at the same time, allowing more schoolchildren to attend classes in person.
The team equipped the shelter as part of the multi-year MYRP resilience programme, funded by Education Cannot Wait (ECW), the UN global fund supporting education for children in emergencies and protracted crises. This is the 17th educational institution in Kryvyi Rih where KSE Foundation has helped children return to in-person learning. Since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion, with the support of donors, we have equipped 121 shelters in schools and kindergartens across Ukraine.
“As a foundation that develops educational initiatives and supports talented young people, we understand that quality education is the foundation of the country’s future. Through the ECW programme, we equip shelters so that Ukrainian children can continue learning in person, as having a safe shelter is a basic condition for returning children to in-person education,” said Maryna Borysenko, Director of Programmes and Implementation at KSE Foundation.
Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, pupils at Kryvyi Rih Gymnasium No. 122 studied remotely. In-person learning resumed only in September 2023, when KSE Foundation helped equip the first part of the shelter. However, the space could not accommodate all schoolchildren, so the gymnasium operated in a blended format, with pupils alternating between one week of in-person learning and one week of remote classes.
This year, KSE Foundation continued work on the shelter to increase its capacity. The team transformed part of the technical basement into a functional space where schoolchildren can continue their studies. The work included renovating the floor and ceiling, upgrading the lighting, installing ventilation and sanitary facilities, painting the walls, and purchasing soft benches.
This increased the shelter’s capacity by another 100 places, allowing up to 400 schoolchildren to study there at the same time. The gymnasium’s pupils include 28 children with special educational needs and 54 children from families from Kherson, Donetsk, Luhansk and other regions of Ukraine who were forced to leave their homes because of the war. Outside school hours, the space is also used by children attending Sports Schools No. 8 and No. 10, the Karate-do Association, the Art Department of Municipal Art School No. 3, and the “Neskoreni” dance club.
“The technical basement, where school staff previously had to wait out air raids, has been transformed into a functional space. For parents, this is not only a matter of safety — it is an opportunity to give their children back the experience of learning in person. For teachers, it is a chance to be there for their pupils, provide emotional support, and avoid losing valuable learning time,” said Nataliia Fedorynova, Principal of the gymnasium.
KSE Foundation, together with its partners, continues to equip shelters in educational institutions so that more Ukrainian children can learn in person in safe and comfortable conditions.