Resettlement of internally displaced persons from a preschool educational institution

Internally displaced persons (IDPs) continue to reside in preschools where they were settled in 2022 as a temporary measure. However, the situation with the place of compact settlement (CCS) in Zirochka kindergarten in Poltava region is complicated by the fact that the institution is operational - the educational process is ongoing and preschoolers attend it. This created challenges for all parties: the kindergarten could not fully operate and accept all interested children, and IDPs lived in a building that was not adapted for long-term stay.

Due to the constant work in the community and regular visits to the MCC, the lawyers of the NGO “Institute of Analysis and Advocacy” received a request for assistance - to help restore the full-fledged work of the institution and find a solution to provide IDPs with housing.

The IAA lawyers conducted explanatory work on the housing rights of IDPs, the need for communities to keep records and the importance of providing decent conditions for displaced persons. The need to restore the normal educational process was also emphasized. As a result, almost all IDPs who lived in the kindergarten were registered for temporary housing. They also received information about possible options for resettlement to other places of compact residence where there are vacant places and other ways to improve their living conditions.

In December 2024, thanks to outreach and cooperation with the Shcherbani village council, some IDPs were relocated to the Slava sanatorium in Myrhorod, Poltava region, where they received decent living conditions. Some families moved to dormitories in Shcherbani and Poltava, while other IDPs were offered the option of settling in a compact settlement in Velykyi Trostianets on a contractual basis.

Although temporary relocation does not solve the issue of permanent housing for every IDP, this step has made it possible to

• restore the full operation of the kindergarten,
• meet the needs of children and their parents,
• prepare places of compact residence to meet all standards, guaranteeing decent living conditions for IDPs.

This work was made possible thanks to the cooperation of the NGO “Institute for Analysis and Advocacy” with the Danish Refugee Council and funding from the European Union.