Partnership that Works for Communities

Yesterday, March 23, an important meeting took place at the Residence of the Italian Ambassador, dedicated to advancing joint initiatives and strengthening the partnership between the Ukrainian Education Platform and the Government of Italy. The Ukrainian Education Platform has a long-standing collaboration with the Italian government, which today is becoming increasingly significant. Together with the Italian humanitarian organization Condivisione fra i Popoli (CFP) and in partnership with support centers in the Dnipropetrovsk and Mykolaiv regions, we provide assistance to families with children in frontline communities.

The meeting confirmed that effective partnerships are built on trust, joint effort, and a shared commitment to act together.

The presence of Denys Uliutin, Minister of Social Policy, Family, and Unity of Ukraine, emphasized the importance of cooperation between the state, civil society, and international partners for systemic change. Italy’s support reflects trust in Ukrainian organizations, investment in community resilience, and a shared belief that every child has the right to grow up in a safe environment and in a family.

During the meeting, participants also discussed the implementation of the humanitarian project «Chervona Kalyna», which coordinates measures to protect vulnerable communities in the Dnipropetrovsk and Mykolaiv regions. The Ukrainian Education Platform team, together with the support centers – CO «Globa 22» and NGO «Youth of Ukraine» – held working sessions with Italian partners to review the key stages of the project and expected results.

The «Chervona Kalyna» project reaches areas where other initiatives rarely operate, providing support to children, women, people with disabilities, internally displaced persons, and rural residents. It is implemented by the Ukrainian Education Platform in partnership with CFP (Condivisione fra i Popoli), MEDU (Medici per i Diritti Umani), CO «Globa 22», CF «Peaceful Sky Kharkiv», and NGO «Youth of Ukraine», with financial support from the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (Agenzia Italiana per la Cooperazione allo Sviluppo).

The project involves the operation of Psychosocial Support Centers in Dnipro, Kryvyi Rih, Petrykivka, and Mykolaiv, where residents can receive psychological, social, legal support, and speech therapy for children. Mobile teams travel to remote communities to ensure access to services. The educational component includes social-emotional learning and remedial education. A key component of the project is an awareness campaign and activities to prevent gender-based violence.

The Ukrainian team expresses sincere gratitude to Ambassador Carlo Formosa and Ms. Monica Bartoli Formosa for the warm atmosphere of the meeting, their openness, and for building a strong partnership aimed at supporting communities and creating real change in people’s lives.