In 2023, Metinvest's Kryvyi Rig mining companies engaged in the transformation of basements of local educational institutions into shelters. The largest projects were implemented with the support of Ingulets Iron Ore Enrichment Works. For the New Year holidays, students of lyceum No 127 and kindergarten No 187 received comfortable, modern shelters for offline learning during air alert sirens.
Creating a safe space in educational institutions is now an absolute necessity for children and young people to be able to receive education through live communication with teachers and peers. This issue is particularly acute in Ukrainian cities and towns that are closest to the war zone and are exposed to the risk of air attacks on a daily basis. In Kryvyi Rih, setting up shelters in kindergartens, schools, vocational schools, and universities makes it easier to switch from offline to online learning. On the verge of the New Year, with the support of Ingulets Iron Ore Enrichment Works, overhauled and re-equipped shelters were commissioned at Kryvyi Rih Lyceum No 127 and at nursery school No 187 in the Ingulets residential neighbourhood.
"The need to create shelters in our city's educational institutions was dictated by martial law and the desire to provide our children with the opportunity to study not at home at computers, but in familiar surroundings with live communication. This is crucial for their development. That's why Metinvest's companies have joined the effort to create safe and comfortable spaces in educational institutions. Parents will know that children are safe while they are working. This is a good approach that is worth replicating," said Oleksandr HERASIMCHUK, General Director of Metinvest Group's Ingulets Iron Ore Enrichment Works.
From November to December, construction, repair and installation work at the lyceum and the kindergarten was carried out at an extremely fast pace without compromising the quality. Specialists arranged additional entrances from the street, relocated utility lines, installed WC facilities and washbasins, installed ventilation systems that will heat the buildings in winter and reduce the temperature in summer, and completed finishing works. As a result, the typical basements of the lyceum and kindergarten became similar to modern art spaces. Together, they can house more than 400 people.
"To catch up on learning, children need to attend schools and kindergartens, gain knowledge and experience of communicating with each other. Thanks to the creation of such safe and comfortable spaces, this is now possible. Teachers, parents, and students are extremely happy about this. I am very grateful to Metinvest for helping the city solve this problem," said Antonina VOROBIOVA, head of the Education Department of the Ingulets District Executive Committee.
Overall, in 2023, five shelters were equipped with the support of Metinvest. Aside from lyceum No 127 and kindergarten No 187, two buildings of the occupational mining college and at the polytechnic college of the Krivyi Rih Technical University are not in proper condition to provide shelter to people during air alert sirens. All the work was coordinated by NGO "Kryvyi Rih Foundation for the Future". In total, Metinvest allocated UAH 7 million to implement these projects.
