As part of the Ukraine Recovery Conference (URC) in Gdańsk, the Olena Zelenska Foundation hosted the workshop “Safe School: Comprehensive Solutions for Ukraine’s Children,” dedicated to creating a safe educational environment amid the full-scale war.
Participants discussed the challenges Ukraine’s education system is facing, the impact of the war on children, and comprehensive solutions to ensure access to safe, in-person learning despite ongoing threats.
The workshop featured Yevhen Kudriavets, First Deputy Minister of Education and Science of Ukraine; Mariia Karchevych, Deputy Minister of Health of Ukraine; Ivan Fedorov, Head of the Zaporizhzhia Regional Military Administration; Orest Stepaniak, Head of the School Nutrition Reform Team; Oksana Zbitneva, Head of the Coordination Center for Mental Health under the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine and the “How Are You?” All-Ukrainian Mental Health Program; and Victoria Romanova, CEO of the Olena Zelenska Foundation.
Opening the workshop in a video address, the First Lady of Ukraine stressed that a safe educational environment is one of the key prerequisites for preserving childhood and securing the future of Ukrainian children, even in times of war.
“Children are learning now. Their childhood is happening now, and it must be protected now. That is why we cannot wait until the war is over to create safe learning conditions. We must do it today,” the First Lady said.
Yevhen Kudriavets presented the government’s approach to restoring in-person learning and emphasized the importance of strengthening partnerships between the state and the international community to make it possible.
Mariia Karchevych noted that creating safe environments is critically important given the impact of war and prolonged stress on children’s health.
Ivan Fedorov shared the experience of frontline communities.
“We cannot put our children's lives on hold until the war is over. Our responsibility is to create the conditions today for them to grow, learn, and build Ukraine's future,” said the Head of the Zaporizhzhia Regional Military Administration.
The discussion also focused on the comprehensive “Safe School” model implemented by the Olena Zelenska Foundation. Modern shelters also mean energy independence, upgraded school kitchens, and an accessible, psychologically supportive learning environment.
“A safe educational environment is a combination of physical infrastructure and support for children’s emotional well-being. That is why we see a shelter not simply as an engineering structure, but as a space where children should feel safe, calm, and confident, even during wartime,” said Victoria Romanova, CEO of the Olena Zelenska Foundation.
Overall, the Olena Zelenska Foundation has equipped 31 shelters in schools and kindergartens across different regions of Ukraine, providing safe learning conditions for more than 14,000 children. More than 30 additional projects are currently underway.
The workshop participants emphasized that an approach combining safety, high-quality meals, psychosocial support, barrier-free environment, and energy independence should become the foundation for scaling up such solutions in communities across Ukraine.