A preschool in the village of Kotelva, Poltava oblast, has reopened following a €526,000 renovation financed primarily by the European Investment Bank (EIB), the EU Delegation to Ukraine announced on 22 July 2026. The Romashka preschool received €438,000 in EIB support and €88,000 in local financing. The upgrade includes a new roof, energy-efficient windows and doors, refurbished facades and interiors, new furniture and educational equipment, barrier-free access for children with disabilities, and a protective shelter for air-raid alerts. The preschool serves 80 children, including those internally displaced by the war, and employs 15 staff members.
The renovation was carried out between April 2024 and June 2026 under the €340 million EIB-financed Ukraine Recovery Programme, one of three joint EU-EIB recovery initiatives implemented with Ukraine's Ministry of Reconstruction, Infrastructure and Transport, the Ministry of Finance, and local authorities, with technical support from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). EIB Vice-President Karl Nehammer said the project is designed for today's realities: energy-efficient, accessible, and built to meet the needs of communities facing extraordinary challenges. Stefan Schleuning, Head of Cooperation at the EU Delegation to Ukraine, called the preschool an investment in the future of the Kotelva community. Minister for Reconstruction Mykola Kalashnyk thanked European partners and UNDP for their support. Head of the Kotelva territorial community Natalia Sidnenko highlighted the importance of the new protective shelter for maintaining educational services during air-raid alerts. UNDP Resident Representative in Ukraine Auke Lootsma said recovery starts at the community level. As of July 2026, the EIB has provided €740 million through its three recovery programmes to restore schools, preschools, hospitals, housing, heating and water systems across Ukraine, supported by €15 million in EU grants.