Zinove is a small village in Sumska Oblast that is difficult to reach due to transportation issues. Before the full-scale war, just over 300 people lived here, and the local school was the heart of the community. The situation has since changed: many families are facing hardships, and children have switched to online learning, losing the opportunity to socialize in person.
Last month, a mobile team from the Charity Foundation “Stabilization Support Services” visited the village. The Foundation’s specialists provide legal support, as well as psychological and social assistance, and refer people to other projects, government services, or partner organizations to resolve their issues.
During one of these visits, families with multiple children approached the team with a request to enroll their children in an extracurricular education institution run by the Putyvl City Council. The mobile team specialists responded to this request.
According to Liudmyla Vysotska, a social worker with the mobile team in Sumska Oblast, all necessary documents were prepared to meet this need and enroll the children in the Putyvl institution. However, the transportation problem remained unresolved: the families had no means to take their children to the city.
“Our mobile team became a bridge between the parents, the administration of the extracurricular institution, and the school. We brought this issue to the attention of the principal of the Zinove school. She managed to find a bus that now takes five children to Putyvl twice a week,” says Liudmyla Vysotska.
Children from Zinove can now participate in various clubs (ranging from modern dance to decorative and applied arts, from ecology to local history and tourism). There are also gyms, shooting ranges, exercise equipment, and a swimming pool available to them, allowing them not only to study but also to lead an active lifestyle.
The bomb shelter has been renovated recently, making it comfortable and modern so that children can attend classes even during air raid alerts.
“Principal Olena Chuprun is very pleased with the new students from Zinove and is ready to welcome more. Our mobile team specialists are happy that the children now have access to quality leisure activities. They can develop their talents, make new friends, and have fun and engaging experiences. But most importantly, they are happy,” concludes Liudmyla Vysotska.
This publication was made as part of the Lifesaving: Protection, Shelter, and WASH for War-Affected Regions project, implemented by the Charity Foundation “Stabilization Support Services” in partnership with the charitable organization Malteser International with the support of Aktion Deutschland Hilft.