By Mariia Buleiko (Markovska)

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Before the full-scale invasion, the basement of Chernihiv Gymnasium No. 34 was used to store household goods, old school desks and lockers. It also contained a shooting range, a classroom for Defence of Ukraine lessons, a warehouse for chemistry teachers’ equipment, and a school archive.

‘Everything changed when the full-scale war broke out. We had to find ways to provide at least minimally comfortable conditions for around 800 people in an accelerated mode. First of all, we looked for benches and chairs. The parents helped us in every way possible — together, we knocked down and painted pallets to make seats. Since the dining room was being renovated at the time, we also brought down old, unneeded furniture from there,’ says Victoriia Lytviak, the gymnasium’s principal.

The parents assembled the changing rooms themselves. They attached hooks to a piece of chipboard, which they then fixed to the wall.

Desks were gradually placed in the shelter. Lessons were held in two shifts, but during air raid alerts, the children just sat in the shelter. It was impossible to continue the educational process in those conditions.

‘The condition of school shelters in Chernihiv is constantly improving. After active hostilities ended in 2022, we, the city authorities, focused on rebuilding Chernihiv, including its educational institutions. The aim was to encourage those who had left — approximately 200,000 people — to return home.

The Russian army damaged 80 per cent of the schools. As well as rebuilding them, we had to arrange shelters so that full-time education could resume. And we succeeded. As of September 2024, all Chernihiv schools are operating offline, except for one which has no shelter at all. At the same time, we are continuing to work hard to repair and equip shelters, making them safe and comfortable for children. And we are succeeding, among other things, thanks to the support of our partners from the DECIDE Project,’ says Victoriia Pekur, Deputy Mayor of Chernihiv for Executive Authorities.

Read this article to find out why and how everything has changed at Chernihiv Gymnasium No. 34. Learn about the improvements made to the shelter, how the schoolchildren were involved, what the students think about the renovation, and why it is necessary to have a modern shelter.

The Chernihiv region is one of Ukraine’s top five regional centres with the longest air raid alerts

‘At the beginning of the full-scale invasion, the issue of security was crucial in order to return to offline education. We examined the capacity of each school basement and determined what measures needed to be taken to equip the simplest shelters and ensure that people could stay there and have their basic needs met. These included lighting, ventilation and hygiene facilities. At the same time, we explored what help was available and looked for opportunities to attract outside support. It was not only the education sector that was affected, and we could not help everyone on our own,’ explains Vasyl Bilohura, Head of the Education Department at Chernihiv City Council.

It is also important to note that the Chernihiv region is one of five regional centres in Ukraine with the longest duration of air raid alerts. Comfortable school shelters are essential here.

Therefore, the city is actively establishing partnerships. For instance, it has been cooperating with the Swiss-Ukrainian DECIDE project since 2023, implementing numerous initiatives with their support. In particular, with the support of the DECIDE: RECONSTRUCTION initiative, shelters were built in five Chernihiv schools.

Chernihiv Gymnasium No. 34 of the Chernihiv City Council was one of five educational institutions selected for the initiative. Today, 783 pupils study here. The approximately 760-square-metre shelter stretches under the entire school.

‘The Department of Education informed us that our school was among those that DECIDE would be helping with the construction of the shelter. Needless to say, we were overwhelmed with joy. We knew that everything would change. Moreover, we were promised not only that the walls would be painted, but also that furniture and a comfortable space for children would be provided,’ recalls the gymnasium’s principal.

Arrangement: On challenges, plans and what has been done

Thus, DECIDE allocated more than UAH 1,800,000 for the repair and refurbishment of the school shelter, and the city council allocated almost UAH 300,000.

‘The shelter is divided into two wings containing several rooms and long corridors. It is quite large. We were therefore thinking about which room to choose for the educational hub. We wanted it to be comfortable for children. Ultimately, we decided to use the school archive for this purpose,’ says Victoriia Lytviak.

Instead of a storage room for equipment used in chemistry lessons, a toilet for disabled people was installed.

The shelter also has two shared sanitary rooms, lighting, a water supply and an internet connection. We purchased chairs, tables, poufs, a whiteboard, a projector, bookshelves, a printer, tablets, an air hockey table, a football table, various board games, office equipment and books.

Naturally, there were some challenges.

‘We had an problematic wall. A swimming pool was supposed to be built at the school in the past. This never happened, but the wall was left without a pavement, which is why water was constantly leaking in. When the renovation started, the workers dismantled part of the wall, stripped it back to the bricks, plastered it and dried it with hairdryers and other tools. Time passed, everything was painted, and the wall started leaking again. Water was also leaking under the floor. When we painted it, the paint bubbled. Fortunately, everything has been done properly by now,’ says the principal.

Previously, students studied in two shifts and some subjects were taught in a mixed format. Now, during an air raid, everyone comes down to the shelter and continues their studies there. Unfortunately, the renovated shelter does not have enough space for all the schoolchildren, so some classes study in the older part of the shelter. However, to be fair to everyone, the school has set up a schedule whereby classes change once a month.

The plans are to improve the corridor space. The team is also looking for opportunities to get involved in a project and modernise another part of the shelter.

On the mini-grant for children: Training, feedback, and why give children a voice

In addition, DECIDE announced a mini-grant of UAH 50,000 to teach schoolchildren how to develop project ideas. The aim is to encourage students to fill the space in the shelter and help them to feel like they belong there.

Sofiia Hryshai, a 9th-grade student and school president, recalls taking the offer of DECIDE training not seriously when she heard about it. She thought it would be a good idea to skip classes. Later, however, everything changed.

‘The training lasted about six hours. It was really interesting and useful. Through brainstorming, we came up with ideas on how to improve the shelter and make it more comfortable. Suggestions included a mini-school, a psychological support area and a careers guidance area. Our project won. We concluded that there is not enough space for development in the shelter. We want time to keep moving here. We don’t want to hold our breath during air raid alerts, we want life to go on. Children should be able to decide their own future. The goal is to spark their interest in development and encourage them to find a future profession,’ explains Sofiia.

Thus, the shelter was equipped with professional books on career guidance, board games such as ‘Buy and Sell’ and debates. There are also bookstands, shelves, chests of drawers, sofas, and decorative items.

‘I helped the teams prepare their applications and realised that taking part in this project taught the children a lot. For instance, choosing equipment within a set budget requires financial literacy. They also learned how to plan projects, set goals and delegate tasks. The benefit is not just that we have improved the shelter, but that the children have gained new experiences and knowledge. The adults involved in the process gained something too,’ says Olesia Shliapkina, a practical psychologist at the gymnasium.

Sofiia admits that the training has transformed her and her team.

‘Surprisingly, it gave us the impetus to create new projects. We realised that our idea had been heard, not rejected. The more time we spend in this space, the more we think, “It’s so cool that we did it!”’, says Sofiia Hryshai.

The girl says that, nowadays, when the school receives offers and invitations to participate in other projects, the schoolchildren do not need to be asked — they express their desire to take part.

‘We also have a project to address educational losses. A new subject has also been introduced: project management. It covers how to set goals and topics, and the stages of a project. In fact, children who have participated in DECIDE already know all this. They will find it much easier to absorb new knowledge on the topic. They will also study at other educational institutions later on. I am sure that this knowledge will be useful to them. After all, projects are a great opportunity nowadays,’ says Olesia Shliapkina.

Sofiia believes that giving children a voice is a great practice:

‘We spend the most time in the shelter. It’s OK just to sit there. But it’s another thing when each child understands that they have contributed to this space, and that other children will enjoy these benefits when we finish school. If children are shown that their words matter, I am sure they will not remain silent.’

On the feedback and the importance of having a modern shelter in the current conditions

‘Children today are growing up in difficult times. The main task of parents, caregivers and teachers is to provide for their basic needs, such as safety. However, safety can mean different things. One option is to sit in a damp, grey shelter and anxiously await the air raid siren. Another is to be in a comfortable, modern shelter with everything you need, where you can spend your time productively and not focus on the war. You do not think about bombs or drones falling, but communicate with your peers and teachers and continue your education. From a psychological point of view, this has a positive effect on children,’ says Olesia Shliapkina.

Olesia notices that the students have changed since the shelter was renovated. They want to spend time there, even just to talk. Sofiia recalls that it was not like that at the old shelter:

‘The walls were claustrophobic and the students were shouting. Some of them wanted to read or do their homework, but it was impossible. In the renovated space, it is calmer. There are no dark colours and our eyes do not hurt. No one interferes with each other because we are working in groups.’

The principal believes that comfort comes second to safety conditions.

‘We often don’t know how long we will have to stay in the shelter because air raids can last for a long time. No matter what kind of lessons they have or what the teachers do, children get tired. During a prolonged air raid, for example, we try to switch students to different activities. This space provides such opportunities. At the same time, we hope that the war will end soon and that we will then be able to use the shelter for other purposes,’ concludes Viktoriia Lytviak.

Find out more about the DECIDE: RECONSTRUCTION initiative