The first of seven schools in Ukraine rebuilt by the AECID after war devastation has reopened

The Diplomat The Myrcha Gymnasium, in the Kyiv region, which was damaged in 2022 by the entry of Russian troops following the start of the invasion of Ukraine, has just reopened after its reconstruction by the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID). According to AECID, the Myrcha Gymnasium is the first of seven schools whose reconstruction has been undertaken by Spanish Cooperation to be rehabilitated. All of these projects are based on the "build back better" principle, which aims to integrate modern criteria of well-being, accessibility, energy efficiency, and the appropriate use of educational resources in the affected schools. According to the center's director, Nataliia Krytska, in a video released by UNDP, the village was occupied on March 11, 2022, by Russian troops, who entered "at seven in the morning." "The first place they established themselves was the school, which they abandoned on the 31st," she added. "I remember the windows were smashed, the doors were broken. What we saw here I had only ever seen in movies before," recalled Artem, an eighth-grade student. "Thanks to this initiative, students in the area have been able to return to a modern and safe educational environment, including internally displaced persons and students with special educational needs. Furthermore, suitable working conditions are being provided for 24 teachers and educational staff," highlighted the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID). The intervention, part of a project to rehabilitate social infrastructure damaged by the war, has allowed for the complete reconstruction of the building in less than a year. Improvements include enhanced thermal insulation, modernized heating and cooling systems, the provision of adapted school equipment, and the creation of bright, open learning spaces. Accessibility has also been improved with the installation of ramps and adapted facilities, and the center now boasts renovated outdoor spaces, including green areas and sports facilities, reinforcing its role as a community hub. “The renovation of the Myrcha Gymnasium not only restores access to education in dignified conditions but also contributes to social cohesion and the restoration of normalcy in one of the areas most affected by the conflict,” stated the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID). The center serves both the local community and students from several nearby towns, “consolidating its position as a key educational center in the region.”

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