Winners will receive financial support to implement social projects in their communities

Kyiv, 2 December 2021 – The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has selected the winners of the “Veterandvizh 2.0” hackathon held at the end of October.

More than 20 ex-combatants from Dnipropetrovsk, Zhytomyr, Zaporizhzhia and Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts (government-controlled areas) presented ideas for the implementation of social projects in their communities.

Before presenting their ideas at the hackathon, participants had the opportunity to work with professional mentors from various fields who helped them improve their projects.

UNDP Deputy Resident Representative in Ukraine, Manal Fouani, said that support to social projects identified by the communities during the hackathon would both accelerate the reintegration of ex-combatants into Ukrainian society and promote faster community growth.

“It is an inspiration to witness the ex-combatants’ zeal for change, and their commitment to contribute to the development of their own communities," Fouani said. “The weight of conflict experience in eastern Ukraine is heavily carried by the ex-combatants and people living in conflict areas, and it is our collective responsibility to avail better opportunities of engagement, reintegration and socio-economic development for them.”

The winning projects presented at the hackathon were:

•  “Digital technologies in the service of ex-combatants of Popilnyanshchyna”, the main idea of ​​which is to create a space in the Popilnyansky territorial community, where ex-combatants will be able to master basic computer skills and learn how to use Internet services;
• “Inclusive Gym”, which will provide sports rehabilitation for ex-combatants with disabilities in a barrier-free sports space in the Berdychiv territorial community;
• “The Mentorship of ex-combatants 2.0: Adaptation of ex-combatants in the community”, which will help improve the levels of the social and psychological lives of ex-combatants through creating a free orienteering platform in Rubizhne, Luhansk Oblast;
• “Comfort for Veterans”, which seeks to improve the infrastructure of an ex-combatants’' space that is already operating in Lysychansk in the Luhansk Oblast;
• “Military Souvenir”, which aims to create a carpentry shop in Zhytomyr territorial community for ex-combatants, where they will not only be able to train or improve their skills, but also undergo creative therapy;
• “New City Beach”, which is focused on the restoration of the beach in Novopskovsk territorial community in Luhansk Oblast through the joint efforts of ex-combatants and local government bodies;
• “Polygon Production”, which is aimed at creating a video production unit to promote positive content in Zaporizhzhia.

The Deputy Minister of Veterans Affairs of Ukraine Ihor Bezkaravainyi stressed that this hackathon was a real opportunity for ex-combatants to gain skills in developing and implementing socially important projects for the community.

“Such events have huge potential to help veterans quickly integrate into civil society at the community level,” Bezkaravainyi said. “The projects that will be implemented by the veteran community will be useful to all residents of the community. This will show veterans to be not only people who have contributed to protecting the state's sovereignty, but also to be people who care about the community and their loved ones. It will undoubtedly have a positive effect on the life of veterans, and on society as a whole.”

The “Veterandvizh” hackathon for ex-combatants was organized under the UN Recovery and Peacebuilding Programme with the financial support from the government of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

Background

The United Nations Recovery and Peacebuilding Programme (UN RPP) is being implemented by four United Nations agencies: the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the UN Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women), the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).

Twelve international partners support the Programme: The European Union (EU), the European Investment Bank (EIB), the U.S. Embassy in Ukraine, and the governments of Canada, Denmark, Germany, Japan, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Sweden and Switzerland.

Media enquiries

Yuliia Samus, UNDP Communications Team Leader, yuliia.samus@undp.org