Story of a School: Restoring Hope for Tomorrow – ukraine.un.org

Report on the Restoration of a Preschool Education Center in Kyiv Oblast and its Contribution to Sustainable Development Goals

1.0 Introduction: Rebuilding Education Infrastructure in a Conflict Zone

A preschool education center in Kyiv Oblast, Ukraine, severely damaged by military conflict, has been fully restored through a collaborative international effort. This initiative, funded by the European Union and implemented by the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS), directly supports several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The project focuses on restoring access to education and fostering community resilience, thereby contributing to:

• SDG 4: Quality Education – Ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education.
• SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities – Rebuilding safe and resilient community infrastructure.
• SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions – Re-establishing vital community institutions in a post-conflict context.
• SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals – Demonstrating effective global partnerships for sustainable development.

2.0 Background: Impact of Conflict on Educational Access (SDG 4)

Prior to the full-scale invasion, the preschool served over 80 children daily, providing a crucial environment for early childhood development. On March 2, 2022, a missile strike caused extensive damage, rendering the facility inoperable and disrupting the education and well-being of its young learners. This event represented a significant setback for the local community’s ability to achieve targets under SDG 4.

2.1 Assessment of Damage

The damage compromised the safety and functionality of the entire facility. Key areas affected included:

1. The building’s facade and a portion of the roof.
2. All windows and doors.
3. The central heating system.
4. Interior spaces, including classrooms, music halls, and sports halls.
5. Educational furniture and equipment.

The scale of the destruction made repairs unfeasible through local or state funding alone, necessitating international intervention.

3.0 Project Implementation: A Partnership for the Goals (SDG 17)

The restoration was undertaken as part of the “School Repairs in Ukraine” project, a partnership between the European Union (funder) and UNOPS (implementer). This collaboration exemplifies SDG 17 by mobilizing financial resources and technical expertise to address urgent development challenges in a conflict-affected region.

3.1 Project Scope and Objectives

• Funding: $30 million provided by the European Union.
• Geographic Focus: Chernihiv, Kyiv, Sumy, and Kharkiv regions.
• Primary Objective: To restore access to safe, in-person education by repairing over 70 damaged school facilities.

As stated by Ezekiel Kamangulu, Senior Project Manager, “Educational institutions are the cornerstone of every community, and supporting their recovery is a meaningful responsibility we take very seriously.”

4.0 Outcomes: Advancing Quality Education (SDG 4) and Resilient Communities (SDG 11)

Renovations began in 2024 and have been fully completed. The project successfully restored the preschool, creating a modern, safe, and welcoming environment conducive to learning and development.

4.1 Restoration Details

• Complete restoration of the facade and roof.
• Installation of new, energy-efficient windows and doors.
• Repair and modernization of the heating system.
• Full interior renovation of all educational and recreational spaces.

The successful repair has enabled all children to return to the center, directly contributing to SDG 4 by ensuring access to quality early childhood education. Oksana Petruk, Head of the Preschool Institution, emphasized the importance of this return, stating, “No online class can ever replace real-life interaction — the emotions, warm hugs, and love they receive from their teachers.”

5.0 Conclusion: Fostering Peace and Strong Institutions (SDG 16)

The reopening of the preschool is a significant step in restoring normalcy and hope for the community. By rebuilding a key local institution, the project strengthens the community’s social fabric and contributes to the broader goals of peace and justice outlined in SDG 16. The restoration provides more than a physical space; it re-establishes a safe haven that supports the well-being of children (SDG 3) and renews the community’s outlook for a brighter, more stable future.

Analysis of SDGs in the Provided Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

The article on the restoration of a preschool in Ukraine connects to several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) due to its focus on education, infrastructure reconstruction in a conflict zone, community resilience, and international cooperation.

• SDG 4: Quality Education: This is the most direct SDG addressed. The article’s central theme is the restoration of a “preschool education center” to provide a “safe, nurturing environment for young learners” and allow them to return to in-person learning.
• SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities: The article discusses the destruction of community infrastructure (the preschool) by a missile strike and the subsequent effort to “build back” and restore it. This relates to making communities and human settlements resilient, especially in the face of disasters like armed conflict.
• SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions: The story is set within the context of the “war in Ukraine.” The destruction of the school is a direct consequence of violence. The restoration project is an effort to rebuild institutions (in this case, an educational one) and restore a sense of normalcy and safety for children, thereby mitigating the impacts of conflict.
• SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals: The project’s success is explicitly attributed to a partnership. The article states the project was “funded by the European Union and implemented by UNOPS,” highlighting the international cooperation necessary to achieve the restoration.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

Based on the article’s details, several specific SDG targets can be identified:

1. Target 4.2: By 2030, ensure that all girls and boys have access to quality early childhood development, care and pre-primary education.
   • Explanation: The article is entirely focused on a “preschool education center” that welcomed “over 80 children” for learning and play. The restoration’s goal was to allow these children to return to a “renewed kindergarten,” directly supporting access to pre-primary education.
2. Target 4.a: Build and upgrade education facilities that are child, disability and gender sensitive and provide safe, non-violent, inclusive and effective learning environments for all.
   • Explanation: The article details how a missile strike made the school unsafe, damaging the “facade, part of the roof, windows, doors, and the heating system.” The project’s objective was to repair these damages to provide a “safe environment” for children to return to face-to-face education.
3. Target 11.5: By 2030, significantly reduce the number of deaths and the number of people affected and substantially decrease the direct economic losses relative to global gross domestic product caused by disasters…
   • Explanation: The missile strike is a man-made disaster that directly affected the community, including over 80 children and 15 staff members. The restoration project mitigates the long-term impact of this disaster by rebuilding the facility, as local resources were insufficient due to the “cost of repairs was simply too high.”
4. Target 16.1: Significantly reduce all forms of violence and related death rates everywhere.
   • Explanation: The article’s context is the “full-scale invasion of Ukraine.” The missile strike is an act of violence. While the project doesn’t stop the violence, it directly addresses its consequences by restoring a “safe space for education” and giving “children their childhood back,” which helps heal the community from the trauma of violence.
5. Target 17.16: Enhance the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development, complemented by multi-stakeholder partnerships…
   • Explanation: The article explicitly describes a multi-stakeholder partnership. It states the “School Repairs in Ukraine project” is “funded by the European Union and implemented by UNOPS.” This collaboration between an international funding body, a UN agency, and the local school administration exemplifies a partnership to achieve development goals.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

Yes, the article contains several quantitative and qualitative indicators that can be used to measure progress:

• Indicator for Target 4.2: The number of children with access to pre-primary education. The article mentions that before the damage, the center welcomed “over 80 children every day,” and after the repairs, “all the children have returned to the center.” This provides a clear metric of restored access.
• Indicator for Target 4.a: The number of educational facilities repaired and the quality of the repairs. The article states the project aims to rehabilitate “more than 70 schools.” For this specific school, it lists the completed works: “The facade and roof have been completely restored, new windows and doors installed, and the heating system repaired,” which serve as indicators of the facility being upgraded to a safe standard.
• Indicator for Target 11.5: The number of people benefiting from restored infrastructure. The article implies that the “over 80 children” and “15 dedicated staff members” are the direct beneficiaries whose lives were disrupted and are now able to return.
• Indicator for Target 16.1: A qualitative measure of perceived safety and well-being. The article provides quotes and descriptions that serve as indicators of progress, such as parents being “very happy that their children can finally return to in-person learning in a safe environment” and the kindergarten being “once again filled with children’s laughter and joy.”
• Indicator for Target 17.16: The amount of financial resources mobilized and the number of partners involved. The article specifies a project budget of “$30 million” funded by the European Union, which is a direct financial indicator. The mention of the EU, UNOPS, and the local school administration serves as an indicator of the multi-stakeholder partnership in action.

4. Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: ukraine.un.org