Share
Through the “Capable and Resistant: Sumy” project, East Europe Foundation supported 12 initiatives across education, health, and shelter. During monitoring visits, the project team saw firsthand how these solutions are working in communities across the region.
To see the results and speak with the people behind them, the Foundation’s regional coordinator Kateryna Chepik visited several partner organizations in Sumy region.
“During monitoring visits, what stays with you most is not the facilities or the equipment – it’s the people. The real impact of a project becomes clear in conversations with those who run it or rely on it,” Kateryna shares.
In the Boromlya community, NGO “Space for Useful Action” created an energy-independent shelter in the local lyceum, equipped with a mini solar power station, an energy storage system, smart air monitoring, computer equipment, and VR headsets.
According to lyceum staff, the upgraded space allows classes to continue during air raid alerts and gives more than 300 students access to modern educational technology.
In Sumy, NGO “Eleos-Ukraine” renovated the entrance area and rest zone at the psychiatric and addiction care unit of the regional medical center, bringing them in line with accessibility standards. The organization also refurbished the entrance to an emergency medical care office in the village of Zarichne to meet inclusive design requirements.
These changes improve access to healthcare for community residents and create more comfortable conditions for patients visiting the facilities.
Another stop on the monitoring visit was the CHILD inclusive learning and development community center in Sumy, supported by CF “Help Group.” The center offers school readiness programs, correctional and developmental sessions for children with special educational needs, and psychological and speech therapy support.
Parents who spoke with regional coordinator Kateryna Chepik noted the positive changes they had seen in their children’s development.
The results of the “Capable and Resistant: Sumy” project are visible across the region – more accessible healthcare in some communities, safer conditions for learning in others, and additional support for children and families. Together, these initiatives form a network of local solutions that help communities stay resilient and continue to develop despite ongoing challenges.
The “Capable and Resistant: Sumy” project is implemented by East Europe Foundation.