On 2 June, Minister of Foreign Affairs Margus Tsahkna opened a kindergarten for local children in the Ukrainian City of Ovruch in Zhytomyr Region. This is the first large-scale Estonian development project in which public and private sectors have worked together toward a common goal. This kindergarten comes complete with a bomb shelter and training for education managers, kindergarten teachers, and psychologists in Zhytomyr Region. With the completion of the Ovruch kindergarten, Estonia became one of the first countries to complete an educational building as part of the reconstruction of Ukraine. The kindergarten project was funded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and implemented by the Estonian Centre for International Development (ESTDEV).
“We have to stand up for the future and the safety of Ukrainian children, and the construction of the kindergarten is one way to protect them. No child must suffer under Russian aggression and terror,” said Tsahkna at the opening of the kindergarten.
Preparations for construction of the kindergarten began at the end of May 2022, when a delegation from ESTDEV traveled to the Zhytomyr Region to get acquainted with civilian objects whose restoration or reconstruction were considered vitally important to the community. The kindergarten in Ovruch was, indeed, one of these sites.
“Although building new facilities in a country with ongoing military activity is not easy, it is symbolic that Estonia’s first solution in Ukraine is the opening of a new kindergarten. We are supporting Ukraine in building their future by giving their children the opportunity to study in a safe and inspiring environment,” said Andrea Kivi, Acting Executive Director of the Estonian Centre for International Development (ESTDEV).
For the kindergarten, as with other construction projects in Ukraine, it is vital that Estonia offers modern solutions that are energy-efficient, durable, and environmentally friendly. “This kindergarten is an excellent example of how Estonian innovative solutions reach Ukraine through development cooperation and offer inspiration for the restoration of other buildings,” claimed Tarmo Needo, Head of ESTDEV’s Infrastructure Development Programme in Ukraine.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Estonia allocated €2.7 million for the completion of the first construction phase. In order to find construction partners, ESTDEV organized five public procurements with the help of the State Shared Service Centre, ensuring that the entire process would be transparent and legal:
- Harmet OÜ won a €1.7 million public tender to design and produce the modules for the kindergarten.
- Nordecon AS and its subsidiary, Eurocon Ukraine TOV, earned a €780,000 public tender to carry out the main contract for construction.
- Kumer Saag OÜ obtained a €59,510 tender for the production of kindergarten furniture.
- Metos AS won a tender of €33,289 to provide and install equipment for the kindergarten’s kitchen.
In addition to public procurements, ESTDEV brought several private Estonian companies on board as philanthropists. Estonian companies contributed an estimated €100,000 of products and services toward the construction of this kindergarten free of charge. This accelerated the entire project significantly.
For example, Solarstone and Sunly donated a set of solar panels and a power bank, reducing maintenance costs for the kindergarten and providing essential energy in the event of power outages. Tiit Sild’s architecture firm Sport OÜ created blueprints for the kindergarten, and Primostar OÜ supplied waterproofing materials for the school’s underground bomb shelter. Other indispensable donors include Sportservice OÜ, who donated sports equipment, and Kitman Thulema AS, who contributed office furniture for the staff. In addition, Woodhouse Estonia has been in an advisory role for the project since its very beginning.
In order to bring the Ovruch kindergarten to completion, ESTDEV has partnered with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Iceland, which contributed €66,000 toward the purchase of furniture and presentation equipment, and the Government of Flanders, who provided €100,000 to train kindergarten teachers and education leaders in the Zhytomyr Region, strengthening the quality of primary education. ESTDEV also works with the Estonian Ministry of Culture to ensure that, in addition to other standards, all buildings created by Estonia follow the principles of high-quality spatial culture as outlined by the Davos Baukultur Quality System. According to the System, an environment created during reconstruction must contain layers of culture and engender new, added value.
Mariin Ratnik, Undersecretary for Economic and Development Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, characterized the restoration of war damage in Ukraine as a long-term and complex process, necessitating effective cooperation between the public and private sectors, domestically and internationally, to achieve results. “We hope that, with our initiative and speed in this reconstruction, we can act as an example for other countries as well,” said Ratnik.
The second stage of the Ovruch kindergarten is about to begin to expand the kindergarten by another four classrooms for a total of 160 children.
The Estonian Centre for International Development (ESTDEV) coordinates Estonia’s activities in rebuilding Ukraine, including the kindergarten’s construction and the implementation of other Estonian cooperation projects.
