How a Tourist Region Became a Refuge for Displaced Persons

 

Before the full-scale invasion of russia, Kosiv town municipality was a picturesque mountain tourist area, with popular routes and recreation centres, since 54 percent of the municipality area is covered with forests.

“Since the first days of the war, we have not been an exception. We have witnessed a spontaneous arrival of internally displaced persons. Many of them had already been here before and returned to us based on good memories,” says the head of Kosiv town municipality Yurii Ploskonos.

 

 

The number of registered persons reached approximately 6,700. So the municipality faced a difficult task: to accept everyone and to create comfortable conditions. Some of the displaced settled in green tourism estates, in the private sector, and in tourist camps.

“We organised the reception of internally displaced persons in six municipal schools. At its peak, more than 400 people were here at once. In total, over 1,000 internally displaced persons passed through communal facilities in our municipality,” the village head recalls.

But at the end of the summer, the government announced the resumption of the educational process. Therefore, the number of internally displaced persons who lived in schools had to quickly find an alternative.

“We had one vacant facility, but, unfortunately, it was completely unsuitable for living. So we turned to our long-time partner — the U-LEAD with Europe Programme, and they helped us prepare a grant project and, eventually, win it.”

Soon, up to 40 displaced persons will be able to live comfortably in the premises which did not have any communications before. Yurii Ploskonos, the head of Kosiv town municipality, is convinced that Kosiv residents would not have been able to achieve this result so quickly if it were not for the help of U-LEAD with Europe experts and international funds.

 

Healthcare for Mountain People. How the Residents of Kuty Received a Reanimobile

 

Kuty settlement municipality, located in Ivano-Frankivsk region, was formed only a few years ago, but during this time, it managed to overcome many challenges. One of them was the access of Kuty residents from mountainous areas to healthcare.

 

 

“There is a town hospital in Kuty, but it is difficult for many elderly people from mountain settlements who live in rural areas to get there,” says the head of Kuty Settlement Council.

So the municipality turned to Ivano-Frankivsk office of U-LEAD with Europe, which offered to prepare a grant project for obtaining a reanimobile.

“They helped us a lot with consulting. A young efficient team helped us get a real mobile unit.”

For more than three months, the reanimobile has been working not only in Kuty municipality, but also in the neighbouring settlements.

“While still on the spot, we draw up a visit schedule, a detailed route on a weekly basis, and discuss it with the staff of rural health posts and outpatient clinics. We do the trips two or three times a week — not only to them, but also to visit people at home (those who are seriously ill and bedridden),” says Vasyl Burniuha, head of the mobile unit.

The reanimobile is equipped with everything necessary and, importantly, is adapted to power outages. The unit can receive 50–60 people during one trip: examine, do an ultrasound, a cardiogram, and determine blood sugar level.

“For three months, the mobile unit examined more than 800 people, including 120 internally displaced persons. We did everything possible to make the displaced people feel at home, not only in everyday life, but also in terms of their health.”

Kuty municipality consists of 7 villages, and five of them have the status of a mountain settlement. Therefore, the village head is convinced that, thanks to the assistance received, it became possible to cover with medical consultations the maximum number of Kuty residents.

 

Not by Bread Alone. Is There a Need for Hairdressing Salons and Laundries in Rural Municipalities?

 

Zymna Voda municipality in Lviv region is one of the largest rural municipalities in Ukraine in terms of population. This cannot be said about its territory. After all, more than 22,000 people live on 30 square kilometres. With the full-scale invasion of russia, the number of people grew daily.

 

 

“Our municipality began to host internally displaced persons. Most of them stayed with us for a short time. They stayed in hotels and kindergartens from several days to weeks,” recalls Levko Vankovych, head of the Department of Socio-Economic Development of Zymna Voda municipality.

The municipality was not at a loss and was ready to provide the internally displaced persons with basic necessities: food, clothing, hygiene products. Later, they realised that this was not enough.

“People did not have the opportunity to get a haircut or even wash their clothes. So we came up with the idea of organising a social laundry and a hairdressing salon for internally displaced persons as well as for low-income groups in our municipality.”

“Good Initiative”, Zymna Voda municipality organisation, turned to the U-LEAD with Europe Programme, with which they had a successful experience of cooperation since 2019, with a request to help write a grant application. Levko Vankovych is convinced that thanks to the help of U-LEAD with Europe specialists, the municipality managed to win this grant.

“We are trying to hold the line and help everyone who needs it. And thanks to the help of Western partners, our motivation to work on the way to victory only strengthens.”