A preschool in the village of Kotelva, Poltava oblast, has reopened after a €526,000 renovation financed primarily by the European Investment Bank (EIB). The Romashka preschool, which serves 80 children and employs 15 staff, 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 also accommodates children internally displaced by the war.
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). As of July 2026, the EIB has provided €740 million through these programmes to restore critical social infrastructure across Ukraine, including schools, hospitals, housing, and water systems, supported by €15 million in EU grants.
EIB Vice-President Karl Nehammer said the project reflects European solidarity, providing energy-efficient, accessible facilities for communities facing extraordinary challenges. Stefan Schleuning, Head of Cooperation at the EU Delegation to Ukraine, called the preschool an investment in the community's future. Ukrainian 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 protective shelter for maintaining education during air-raid alerts. UNDP Resident Representative Auke Lootsma noted that recovery starts at the community level and that the reopening strengthens resilience.
The EIB has been present in Ukraine since 2007 and has stepped up financing since Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022, reaching €4.5 billion in support. The Ukraine Recovery Programme is part of the EU for Ukraine (EU4U) Initiative and the Ukraine Facility, with a mandate from EU leaders to accelerate activities in cooperation with the European Commission, European Parliament, and member states.