Olena Zelenska Foundation opens 10 new school and kindergarten shelters in Chernihiv region

That is according to the Foundation’s press service, Ukrinform reports.

“In the context of full-scale war, equipped shelters in schools and kindergartens are a vital necessity. Shelters are especially important for Chernihiv region — an area that has been under massive shelling and occupation since the first days of the invasion. Despite this, schools and kindergartens here are being restored so that children can continue studying in safe conditions. For local communities, a shelter is a guarantee that school life can go on even under constant threat,” the statement said.

In total, 30 shelters in schools and kindergartens across Ukraine have already been restored and equipped with funding from the Olena Zelenska Foundation.

These include 22 in schools and eight in kindergartens in Poltava, Chernihiv, Mykolaiv, Dnipro, Odesa, Sumy, and Zaporizhzhia regions.

Currently, more than 13,000 children are using them.

At the start of this academic year, 13 new shelters were opened.

According to Olena Zelenska, “during the war, shelters are not a choice but the only option for in-person learning and development. Today, when sirens often replace school bells, children have the right to remain students, not just witnesses of war. Every safe, equipped space gives them a chance to study, develop, communicate with friends, and feel a sense of normal life.”

The shelter restoration project is being implemented as part of the foundation’s program to ensure children’s access to education and development. Launched in 2024, it remains a priority since protective shelters are the only way to bring students back to classrooms.

The renovated shelters are equipped with areas for studying, rest, and play. They are fully accessible: entrances are fitted with mechanisms for wheelchair access. In kindergartens, separate rooms with beds for rest have been created. Such shelters serve a dual purpose — hosting lessons as well as extracurricular activities.

With the new school year, practical training sessions were held in these shelters. Specialists from the State Emergency Service, National Police of Ukraine, and emergency medical centers taught children mine and fire safety, traffic rules, and first aid.

“We understand that shelters for schools and kindergartens are not just construction projects. They are systemic solutions that allow children to continue learning even in the most difficult conditions. This is especially important in frontline regions: here, every renovated shelter is a guarantee that the school year can continue in safe conditions. Thanks to our partners, we are setting up shelters where children need them most,” said Nina Horbachova, Director of the Olena Zelenska Foundation.

The Olena Zelenska Foundation is a Ukrainian charitable organization founded by the First Lady of Ukraine in 2022.

It implements projects for children, adolescents, and youth in three main areas: supporting family-based childcare, ensuring children’s access to education and development, and providing psychosocial support. Since the start of the full-scale war, more than 70 partners from over 30 countries have joined the foundation’s projects.