Foreign Minister Tsahkna in Ovruch: Children Who Have Suffered from the War Must Become Our First Priority

On June 2, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Estonia, Margus Tsahkna, led the opening ceremony of a kindergarten for local children in the town of Ovruch, in the Zhytomyr Region of Ukraine. The project was a collaboration between the Estonian public and private sectors, financed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and implemented by the Estonian Centre for International Development (ESTDEV).

“Since the war in Ukraine began, 484 children have been killed, over 1,000 injured, and more than 19,000 have been abducted and deported to Russia. We do not yet know the fate of Ukrainian children in occupied territories. These are not simply numbers; every child must be accounted for in our hearts,” stated Margus Tsahkna at the kindergarten’s opening ceremony. “We must stand up for the future and safety of Ukrainian children, and building a kindergarten is one way to protect them. No child should suffer from Russian aggression and fear,” Tsahkna emphasised.

“Although building new facilities in a country with ongoing military activity is not easy, it is symbolic that Estonia’s first solution in Ukraine is the opening of a new kindergarten. We are supporting Ukraine in building their future by giving their children the opportunity to study in a safe and inspiring environment,” said Andrea Kivi, Acting Executive Director of ESTDEV.

With the completion of the Ovruch kindergarten, Estonia has become one of the first countries to build an educational institution within the framework of the reconstruction of Ukraine. During the first stage of construction, four classrooms, common areas, a playground, and a bomb shelter (without which no kindergarten in Ukraine can operate) were completed. This kindergarten has been the largest public-private cooperation project in Estonian history.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Estonia allocated €2.7 million for the first stage of construction of the Ovruch kindergarten. ESTDEV coordinates Estonia’s activities in rebuilding Ukraine, including the kindergarten’s construction and the implementation of other Estonian cooperation projects.