We opened 10 education spaces in communities of the Dnipropetrovsk, Kharkiv, and Poltava regions

February 18, 2026

In 10 communities across the Kharkiv, Poltava, and Dnipropetrovsk regions, education spaces have started operating—specially equipped rooms in educational institutions. These are places that give children more opportunities for learning and recovery, and provide teachers with more tools for high-quality everyday work.

To make the spaces truly functional, we provided educational institutions with:

• 320 units of modern furniture (for classroom work and small-group activities)
• 140 units of technology and educational equipment (for conducting lessons, preparing for classes, and teamwork)
• 50 sets of materials for group activities (to make learning more interactive)

Each space is also equipped with power stations, so students and teachers can charge essential devices and use the space even when electricity outages occur.

These spaces are not just walls, furniture, and equipment. Above all, they are about giving children and teachers a chance to continue learning and hold on to important everyday routines—even when there is so much instability around. They are places where you can gather for lessons, work in groups, catch up on learning losses, receive a consultation, talk, and simply take a break.

A small example is the Yavornytska community: during the opening of the education space at the Yavornytskyi Lyceum, the organizers deliberately moved away from a “ceremony” format—no ribbon-cutting or official speeches. Instead, there was live interaction and a demonstration of how the space would work for children and teachers. The students themselves described it as a platform for development, communication, and emotional relief—a place you want to come to in order to switch off and feel supported.

Today, communities still have many unmet needs. We cannot cover them all. But we can take small, concrete steps that support communities where it truly matters for children and teachers. Because big changes are made up of small decisions.

ℹ️ The project is implemented within the EMPOWER project, which is funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), co-financed by the European Union, and implemented by GIZ Ukraine.