The team of the Provision of Lifesaving Winterization, NFI, and Shelter Support to Conflict Affected Populations in Ukraine project is currently carrying out repair work in three temporary accommodation centers (TACs) for internally displaced persons at the dormitories of Zaporizhzhia National University.
In one of these centers, the repairs have already been completed, with windows and balcony doors in the shared kitchens replaced.
“The goal of this project is to ensure that people have the opportunity to live in cozy, comfortable, and warm rooms. The TAC, where our team replaced the windows and doors, uses a block system, meaning one kitchen serves six rooms. These kitchens also provide an additional emergency exit from the building, so in the event of a threat of a collapse, residents can evacuate quickly,” explains project manager Yuliya Suchok.
According to Oksana Levada, the Foundation’s regional coordinator in Zaporizka Oblast, the number of places in the TAC has increased after the repairs, and people from frontline communities continue to arrive. However, the majority of displaced people have been living there since the first months of the full-scale invasion, such as Olena (name changed for safety reasons), who came from the city of Polohy in Zaporizka Oblast.
Before the full-scale invasion, Olena worked as an accountant at a local forestry enterprise. In late March 2022, she managed to evacuate with the help of strangers who had a spare seat in their car. Her parents also later escaped from occupation, and they are now living together in the renovated TAC.
“Since day one of living in this dormitory, I’ve felt good and safe. The staff treats us well and always helps. Of course, it’s not like it was at home, but we feel supported. Thanks to your Foundation, we now have new windows and doors. The old windows were way past their expiration date, and some of the balcony doors didn’t even open. Because of that, it was hard to heat the place in the cold season. But now it’s cozy, and I’m no longer worried about being cold in the winter,” Olena happily shares.
Olena recently found a job in Zaporizhzhia. She says she has adapted to life in the new city, and most importantly, she emphasizes, is having comfortable conditions in her new home and being together with her family.
This publication was prepared as part of the Provision of Lifesaving Winterization, NFI, and Shelter Support to Conflict-Affected Populations in Ukraine project, implemented by the Charity Foundation “Stabilization Support Services” in cooperation with the international humanitarian organization CARE.Ukraine, with support from NACHBAR IN NOT.