The territory of the OPEN Spaсe educational space in the lyceum, environmentally friendly and functional recreation areas, playgrounds and sports grounds and much more will be equipped in Bohdanivka, Verbky, Troitske and Mezhyritske territorial communities thanks to DTEK’s Do-It-Yourself Community competition. Residents received certificates for the implementation of 24 top projects.
‘DTEK ENERGY, as a socially responsible business and reliable partner of society, cares about the future of communities. The company has been helping caring residents for eighth years in urban and for five years in rural communities implement interesting and useful ideas to improve the comfort of their lives. The Do-It-Yourself Community has become a favourite public project involving more and more people. This year, the company supported the initiative of Olena Zelenska “Business without Barriers” and prioritized the accessibility principle in competition. We want everyone to have the opportunity to enjoy all the benefits of society and to feel complete,’ said Olena Konovalova, Social Development Manager at DTEK Pavlohradcoal.
Thanks to DTEK ENERGY, residents of villages of Pavlohrad District will equip children’s and sports grounds, equip and plant two beach recreation areas. They will implement several inclusive ideas. In kindergartens, shady canopies will be installed, and sports equipment will be purchased. The schools they will create modern educational spaces, a specialized parking lot for bicycles, a modern museum, restore the continuous flowering garden, develop sports and green tourism and a library system.
Natalia Maslovska is confident that her Bulahivskyi Beach project will significantly improve the leisure of her fellow villagers and attract guests to the community: ‘This is the third time we have won the Do-It-Yourself Community competition. Thanks to the support of our long-term partners, DTEK, new objects of everyday life and leisure appear in our society. There is Dovhe Lake in Bulahivka village. It has been muddy for many years, and the shore is overgrown with bushes. We will turn this area into an environmentally friendly, clean, and modern vacation spot. We will clear the lake and the beach, arrange the entrance to the water. We will also install gazebos, sun umbrellas, changing rooms, eco-swings and slides, benches, trash cans. Residents of the village and our neighbours will be able to safely and comfortably relax by the reservoir, and not look for this opportunity in other cities.’
In 2021, 32 communities in 11 regions of Ukraine have taken part in the competition. Residents of the communities submitted 667 applications, among which the competition commissions selected the winners separately in each community. Among the winners are initiatives in social sector, ecology and energy consumption, health care, sports, urban and rural improvement. This year, the competition places particular emphasis on creating a barrier-free environment and inclusion in a broad sense. The Do-It-Yourself Community project was transformed once DTEK joined the First Lady’s Business without Barriers initiative. Accessibility principles became part of 60% of the programs and initiatives that communities and volunteers submitted to participate in the competition.