GER³ has completed the rehabilitation of the bomb shelter at Koziivka School, creating a safe and dignified space for students, teachers, and staff during air raids.
The completion of the shelter marks an important milestone for the community. For the first time since 2020, when in-person learning was disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic, Koziivka Kindergarten and Koziivka Secondary School will be able to resume face-to-face classes. Under current requirements, Ukrainian schools must have access to a functioning bomb shelter before they can restart in-person education.
The newly renovated shelter will provide protection for 298 children and 62 staff and faculty members during Russian aerial attacks. Children from two surrounding villages will also be transported to the Koziivka schools, allowing more students in the area to benefit from a safer learning environment.
The comprehensive rehabilitation included:
- Repairs to ceilings, walls, and flooring
- Installation of appropriate bathroom facilities
- Construction of two emergency exits
- New water supply and sewage systems
- Heating and electrical improvements
- A two-stage anti-radiation ventilation system
- Accessibility upgrades, including a wheelchair-accessible bathroom and entrance lift
Beyond providing physical protection during air raids, the project will help restore access to an essential part of childhood: learning together in a classroom.
Returning to face-to-face education gives children the opportunity to reconnect with their teachers and classmates while rebuilding a sense of community, routine, and stability after years of disruption, displacement, and uncertainty.
GER³ is proud of the team that made this rehabilitation possible and deeply grateful to the Koziivka school staff and faculty for their support throughout the renovation and during the shelter’s opening ceremony.
