Ivanivka, Chernihiv Oblast, 26 June 2025 — A new veterans’ space has opened in Ivanivka, Chernihiv Oblast. The centre is set to become a hub of support for veterans and their families in the community. Its opening was made possible through the joint efforts of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Ukraine, the Government of Germany, local authorities, and the private sector. The initiative forms part of a broader effort to expand a network of veteran support centres across Ukrainian communities.

The new space in Ivanivka offers psychological and legal assistance, professional advice on employment and entrepreneurship, access to community sports activities, and opportunities for shared recreation for veterans. The same range of services will also be available to veterans’ families. In addition to its in-house operations, the centre will host mobile outreach teams providing tailored support to residents in more remote areas.

This initiative has been supported by UNDP and the Government of Germany through a small grants programme. In Ivanivka, it was implemented by the NGO “Alahar — Centre for Humanistic Technologies”. The total grant amounted to over US$30,000, which was used to procure construction materials, furniture, and equipment essential for equipping the space. Beyond the grant, the project also benefited from co-funding through the local government’s budget and contributions from local businesses, as this model of partnership demonstrates the community’s commitment to pooling resources for the long-term support of veterans and their families.

Deputy Head of Mission of the German Embassy, Maximilian Rasch, stressed that the successful reintegration of veterans depends heavily on communities’ abilities to shape their own solutions, tailored to their specific needs and contexts. “We firmly believe that recovery and sustainable development are only possible when veteran support initiatives emerge from within communities, grounded in their experience and engagement,” said Mr. Rasch. “Spaces like the one in Ivanivka exemplify bottom-up solutions, actively driven by communities and the veteran movement. These are precisely the kinds of initiatives we are proud to support.”

UNDP Resident Representative in Ukraine, Jaco Cilliers, emphasised the importance of building a nationwide network of veterans’ spaces across Ukrainian communities. “We believe that veterans are, first and foremost, carriers of unique knowledge, experience, and leadership, as these are the qualities that can make a profound contribution to local development,” Mr. Cilliers noted. “By equipping them with the tools to adapt and realize their potential, we are not only supporting them but investing in the future of the entire community, and of communities across the country.”

Media enquiries: Yuliia Samus, UNDP Ukraine Head of Communications; e-mail: yuliia.samus@undp.org