This week, the Chuhuiv community had the honor of hosting Ms. Begonia Kordova Birat, First Secretary of the Embassy of Sweden in Ukraine, who visited Chuhuiv together with representatives of the Partnership for a Strong Ukraine Program, Kristina Lizogubova and Tetyana Maksimova.
This visit was an important opportunity not only to summarize the results of already implemented joint initiatives, but also to discuss further directions for supporting the community in the context of a full-scale war.
During the meeting, the results of the cooperation of the Chuhuiv community with the Partnership for a Strong Ukraine Program were presented, which has been providing us with systematic and extremely important support since 2022. It is thanks to effective interaction with international partners that we are able to respond promptly to the challenges of war, maintain critical infrastructure, and provide for the basic needs of residents.
During the cooperation, a number of important initiatives aimed at ensuring community resilience, restoring infrastructure, and supporting the population were implemented. In particular, we are talking about the reconstruction of a number of damaged institutions. The Program twice participated in the restoration of the Chuguiv Central Hospital, which allowed ensuring the continuous provision of medical services to residents even in the face of constant security challenges.
An important area of support was the supply of modern equipment for utility companies, tools and equipment for emergency repair teams working to eliminate the consequences of enemy shelling and maintain the stable operation of critical infrastructure. Special attention within the framework of cooperation was paid to supporting local businesses and entrepreneurs, as the economic sustainability of the community is one of the key factors in its further development and recovery.
The head of the Chuguiv city military administration, Galina Minaeva, said that during the meeting, the parties discussed the key challenges that the Chuguiv community faces today in the conditions of a full-scale war. In particular, they discussed ensuring the stable operation of municipal services, supporting children and the education sector, creating safe conditions for learning, as well as developing and expanding services for veterans and their families.
As part of the visit, the delegation also visited a center for internally displaced persons in the Chuhuiv community. Ms. Begonia personally spoke with the residents of the center, got acquainted with the living conditions, and heard the stories of people who were forced to leave their homes due to the war.
– Cooperation with international partners is extremely important today for communities that work every day in conditions of war. It is thanks to such partnerships that it is possible not only to respond promptly to the consequences of Russian aggression, but also to form the basis for further recovery, development and increased resilience of the community, – noted Galina Minaeva. – The Chuhuyiv community expresses its sincere gratitude to Ms. Begonia Kordova Birat for her visit to our community, attention to the needs of residents, and support during this difficult time for Ukraine. We hope for further fruitful cooperation and strengthening of partnerships for the restoration and development of the community.
For reference:
The Partnership for a Strong Ukraine Program is a multi-donor initiative funded by the governments of the United Kingdom, Estonia, Canada, Norway, Finland, Switzerland and Sweden. The Program aims to strengthen Ukraine’s resilience in the face of Russian aggression by providing critical support to local communities in collaboration with Ukrainian government agencies, civil society, media and the private sector.
