First Lady of Ukraine Olena Zelenska, together with the team implementing the school nutrition reform, visited three educational institutions in the Cherkasy region where kitchen facilities and canteens were modernized as part of the reform. The visit took place with the participation of Deputy Head of the Presidential Office Viktor Mykyta and Deputy Minister of Education and Science of Ukraine Andrii Stashkiv.
All three institutions have adopted the “basic kitchen” model, where each school has its own kitchen facility. Two of them were funded through a state subvention, while another was financed from the city budget.
Olena Zelenska also took part in a meeting dedicated to the Strategy for Reforming the School Nutrition System.
“For many parents, the confidence that their children are guaranteed a meal at school becomes an important factor when choosing a community to live in. This means regional development, economic growth, and stronger communities. In addition, one of the main goals of the reform is equality. We want every child – regardless of whether they live in a large city or the smallest village – to have access to quality, safe, and tasty meals,” the First Lady said.
The First Lady thanked local officials in Cherkasy for their responsible approach to children and their needs. The city not only uses state subventions but also allocates its own funds to co-finance free meals for primary school students. In addition, six kitchen facilities have been renovated with city funds, and the construction of a culinary hub for training cooks has been launched.
“It is important that you are already working with parents and children: tastings, meetings with nutritionists, and educational materials will inevitably result in a change in the eating habits of entire families and generations in the future. Building a culture of healthy eating is our greatest investment today,” Olena Zelenska emphasized.