2024 Jan 17 /For the Children of Chomonyn

ericstarkloff
Jan 19, 2024
4 min read

Updated: Nov 14

Today was all about the children. We worked to renovate a preschool in the town of Csongor, (Chomonyn), Ukraine. One driver of the project was that the school is now required to have a bomb shelter to remain open, and had to reconfigure some of the space to make room for it. It was also a facility badly in need of upgrades.

The Kindergarten before our support - time travel to 2023 december

This is the original request we received from the local mayor, András Baksa. Here, it was only a dream to renovate the nursery.

The plans - where dreams were born

We are truly grateful for Éva Kecskés (Interior Designer) for her volunteering work to design the rooms, lighting, and other features, based on our experiences helping to renew nurseries in Hungary. The planning work included discussion with the local staff, what they would like to see as part of the plan. It was also a priority to incorporate the teaching method they have in place, so kids will have a wonderful learning opportunity once it's finished.

The renovation included a new activity space and movie room, new storage space and appliances, a new kitchen, and a new group study room.

The full upgrade

In the morning, we stopped by to see the school, with the renovation still very much underway. They started on the project only a few weeks ago and have made amazing progress – new floors, walls, an electric heating system, fresh paint, and wired up for new lighting and AV equipment. Still, there was a ton to do to get it finished. And, we had a group of 40 kids and their parents coming that evening for the grand opening! I felt like we were part of one of those home remodel tv shows with what seemed like an insurmountable amount of work to do before the big reveal.

IKEA Mania - volunteering day begins, with the villages joining in

While crews of workers and parent volunteers worked furiously on the school, our job was to assemble all of the furniture we purchased. I’ve never seen so many IKEA boxes in one place, outside of an actual IKEA warehouse. We quickly got to work. I learned the two lessons of IKEA furniture:

1) Putting together the first item takes a while, but on the second, third, and tenth(!) of the same type, you really crank them out.

2) If there are leftover parts, it’s your fault, not IKEA’s.

We spent all day assembling shelving, desks, kitchen cabinets, and a couple of particularly tricky child-size kitchens. As we built, teams of local volunteers were constantly loading them up and moving them to the school.

Battle of the Stews - local outdoor cooking, with plenty of spirits

While we assembled, two teams cooked outside over an open fire for a celebratory dinner that evening. A group of locals made a Ukrainian rabbit stew. And Brian Spain led another team making an Irish Guinness Beef Stew.

(Both were absolutely delicious, by the way.)

Welcoming the Children Back

We went back to the school, paint just dry, final wiring still taking place, and all the new furniture and appliances rapidly being put into place. The last hour was an absolute hive of activity. A couple dozen more parent volunteers had arrived and everyone was working furiously to get it all in place. We put new appliances in the kitchen and the storage room, hung shelving, and placed furniture. Others were putting out toys and hanging kids’ artwork. Another crew was cleaning up all around us. It was incredible how so many people could work together so fluidly and get so much done in such a short time.

Miraculously, with only a few minutes before the kids arrived, everything was finished. A complete transformation, and a facility not just a huge step up from what they had before, but nicer than most preschools throughout Ukraine. Everyone was super proud.

Have a look at the fully finished project

3 playrooms, a big group room, a kitchen, dishwasher area, washer-dryer room, bathroom, and corridors ready to welcome up to 60 kids in the area.

The kids (and the rest of the parents) arrived and we could just feel their excitement as they entered. Guillaume handed out candy and popcorn and Jonathan said a few words to recognize the work of the volunteers and the importance of the space. He ended his talk with “Who wants to watch a movie?!” which was met with cheers, and movie night began.

Back in the study room, we had a dedication from the Mayor, and Zsuzsanna also said a few words. As they spoke, the parents and workers in the room were tearing up. You could see how much this meant to them. To have a bright spot for their children in a community that really needs a bright spot. I don’t know if there were any dry eyes in that room, but I know mine were not.

The final dedication was with a plaque that Alex revealed on the outside of the school, recognizing the contributors who helped make this project possible. Thank you to all of you. You’ve made a significant impact.

TV21 Local New staff report for the national channel (In English)

Our gratitude goes to:

How can you help?

This is something we love. Working with the local community, making a lasting change, and helping future generations. Do you believe in the same goals? Why not work together? We have many ideas, and we need supporting partners.

If you are in the United States, don't hesitate to get in touch with Alex Davern, who will be coordinating the funds donated to this purpose: alexdavern@gmail.com

If you are in Hungary or you have a smaller contribution to make, please contact Zsuzsanna Bozo, in Hungary. Send a message here: directaidforukrainecharity@gmail.com Please refer to Nursery Project