Children from the “Bilochka” kindergarten in Shepetivka, Khmelnytskyi region, are once again seeing their peers and teachers every day. This opportunity arose after KSE Foundation and the British charity fund Urgent Projects equipped the kindergarten with a comfortable shelter. After the renovation, 109 preschoolers returned to in-person classes.
The basement of the child development center was renovated as part of the nationwide program “ZAKHYSTOK: Safe Education.” In the shelter:
- The old doors and electrical wiring have been removed.
- Floor screeds have been installed.
- Walls and ceilings have been repaired.
- The floors, ceilings, and walls have been painted.
- Electrical wiring and lighting have been installed.
- Ventilation has been installed.
- Partition walls made of gas blocks have been installed for the restrooms and shower room.
- An external drainage well has been constructed to remove groundwater from the shelter, and the drainage wells within the shelter have been reconstructed.
- A generator has been installed to ensure the uninterrupted operation of the pumps in the drainage pits.
- Fire-resistant entrance doors and metal interior doors have been installed.
- Tables with chairs and bean bags have been purchased.
Process of renovating the shelter
After the onset of the full-scale war, kindergarten No. 9 “Bilochka” switched to remote work. Some children were accepted into other kindergartens, while online classes were conducted for the remaining children, creating additional inconveniences for parents: due to the need to care for their children, they were unable to return to work.
The educational institution could not operate fully due to safety requirements – the building did not have a shelter suitable for the prolonged stay of children. Without an equipped shelter, it was dangerous to remain in the kindergarten due to enemy shelling, which repeatedly damaged the building.
“The basement was flooded with groundwater, the surface was covered with sand, and the entrances did not meet the standards,” recalls Valeriya Rudnieva, Director of kindergarten “Bilochka,” about the condition of the premises before the renovation.
The shelter in the kindergarten had to be set up virtually “from scratch.” The local authorities allocated funds for the initial repair work. The charitable organization Urgent Projects, a donor of KSE Foundation, helped complete the shelter’s equipment. As soon as the shelter passed the inspection for compliance with the State Emergency Service standards, children’s laughter echoed once again in “Bilochka.”
“Resuming in-person classes is important for everyone involved in the educational process. Parents can now stay at work all day with peace of mind, knowing their child is well cared for and in a safe environment. Children once again have the opportunity to interact with their peers and spend time with their favorite teachers and their assistants, while teachers can work calmly with their groups without having to move from one kindergarten to another every week,” says Valeriya Rudnieva.
“The administration, staff, parents, and children are all thrilled with the new shelter,” admits the director.
“Parents say that we have the best shelter in the city. During air raid alerts, the children happily go down to the shelter, where they immediately start playing. The teachers are also very pleased and are already preparing new educational projects for working with the children in the protected space,” adds Valeriya Viktorivna.
As part of the “ZAKHYSTOK: Safe Education” program, KSE Foundation, in cooperation with sponsors, has already equipped 91 shelters. You can contribute to the fundraising for the renovation of new shelters in schools and kindergartens by following the link.