Energy efficiency, education and healthcare projects: how Kyiv region communities develop international cooperation under martial law

Humanitarian cooperation, implementation of various projects in the field of energy efficiency, education, medicine, and many other areas. Despite the difficult times, the Brovary community of Kyiv Oblast continues to actively cooperate with its twin cities and establish ties with new international partners. How the foreign friends of the Brovary community reacted to the full-scale Russian invasion, what assistance they provided and what they plan to provide - this was told by Olena Krasnik, Deputy Mayor of Brovary, in a commentary to UNN.

Ms. Olena recalls that in the first days of the war, sister cities and foreign partner communities of Brovary expressed their support for Ukraine. They held rallies demanding that Russia stop its barbaric aggression. And, most importantly, everyone began to provide various humanitarian aid, which was needed by both the Brovary community and the whole of Ukraine.

No one has stayed away from our misfortune. Since 2022, activists from the French city of Fontaine-sous-Bois have been collecting and delivering power generators, power tools, medicines, hygiene products, food, clothing and footwear to the Brovary community. They accept refugees from Ukraine, including Brovary. The Estonian city of Sillamäe began accepting Ukrainian refugees from the first days of the invasion, and later donated a modern ambulance to Brovary. From the American city of Rockford, our clinical hospital has repeatedly received batches of various medicines. In October 2022, we received aid from the city of Tacoma for the fifth fire and rescue unit, and in March 2023, an ambulance for the children's hospital. Medicines, clothing, food, hygiene products, generators and much more are constantly sent to us by the Croatian city of Zadar, Grodzin, Krasnitsky and Gniezno counties of Poland. In the framework of cooperation with the German cities of Erlangen and Jena, as well as the district of Lan Dill, three ambulances, four fire trucks, three units of public transport, one school bus, generators, medical equipment for the Brovary Clinical Hospital and a modular town for IDPs were purchased for our community. Currently, about 1600 refugees from Ukraine, including those from Brovary, live in Erlangen. More than 40 more Brovary residents had the opportunity to find temporary shelter in 2022-2023 in the Romanian city of Hunedoara

The deputy mayor of Brovary noted that in May 2022, ties with the Slutsk district of Belarus were severed due to the neighboring country's support for Russian aggression. Instead, they strengthened cooperation with cities in Western Europe, the United States, and various international organizations. In particular, in 2022, a solidarity partnership with the German cities of Erlangen and Jena was launched, which was cemented in March 2023 by signing a partnership agreement.

In general, we are implementing many different projects in various areas of the Brovary community. For example, Tetra Tech ES, Inc. donated five generators, a modern emergency repair vehicle, and other equipment to the Brovaryteplovodoenergia utility company as part of the USAID International Technical Assistance Program. In 2024, a trilateral Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the Executive Committee of the Brovary City Council, the German Society for International Cooperation GIZ, and the NGO Energy Efficiency School. The document stipulates that Brovary's Kapitoshka kindergarten will receive funds to install two solar power plants with a capacity of 15 kW and 20 kW. This will allow the institution to save electricity by almost 50%. The international humanitarian organization Save the Children in Ukraine carried out “Current repairs to equip a simple shelter in the basement of Brovary Lyceum #7. The equipment for the shelter was provided by the Partnership for a Strong Ukraine Foundation and Kimonix International Inc. As part of the EU4Business program, a Business Support Center was opened in the Brovary community. In May 2024, the Brovary City Council became a full member of the international organization ICLEI - “Local Governments for Sustainable Development”, a global network that cooperates with more than 2500 local and regional authorities committed to sustainable urban development from 125 countries

The deputy mayor added that this is only a small part of the projects and programs that the Brovary community has joined. Representatives of the city council constantly participate in various meetings and forums, regularly communicate with international partners to ensure that the Brovary community receives the necessary financial and technical support.

Recall

With the support of international partners, the Brovary Children's Hospital has set up a solar power plant .