The Construction of the Ovruch Kindergarten has Begun

“We are happy to announce that construction is on schedule, and that the results are already visible,” commented Tarmo Needo, Head of  Infrastructure Development Projects in Ukraine. The first stage of construction – four classrooms to host eighty children – will be completed by the beginning of summer 2023. This project is organized by the Estonian Center for International Development (ESTDEV).

Priit Luman, a member of the management board at Nordecon, confirmed that, thanks to thorough preparation, it was possible to work quickly from the start. In fact, Luman confirmed, the pit for the kindergarten’s bomb shelter was excavated within the first week. Waterproofing materials, donated by Primostar OÜ, have also arrived from Estonia, and concrete works and communications construction will begin without delay.

“Despite a snowy and cold winter, Eurocon – Nordecon’s Ukrainian subsidiary – has been working all out in Ovruch for a week. The completion of this kindergarten is highly anticipated by local residents, and the team’s presence in Ovruch has already lifted spirits within the community,” sad Luman. “Building in wartime has certainly been stressful. Power outages and challenges in the supply chain must be taken into account on a daily basis. But, as a local company, Eurocon has the knowledge and skills necessary to assess these risks and carry on working.”

Mariin Ratnik, Undersecretary for Economic and Development Affairs at the Foreign Ministry, noted that Estonia is one of the first countries to help Ukraine rebuild its homeland, by focusing on the restoration of civilian entities and vital infrastructure.

“I am overjoyed that the construction of the kindergarten is underway. We hope that, with our initiative and momentum in reconstruction projects, we may set an example for other countries,” Ratnik commented. “Restoring what has been damaged in the war will be a long-term and complex process, requiring effective cooperation between the public and private sectors both at home and internationally.”

Not only is this project notable for its initiative in rebuilding Ukraine, it holds another original title for Estonia as well. The construction of this kindergarten, in Zhytomyr Oblast, is the first large-scale Estonian development project in which the public and private sector have worked together toward a common goal.

The main contract for the kindergarten’s construction is held by Nordecon, who won a €780,000 government bid to secure it. The modulars that will make up the bulk of the kindergarten are being produced by Harmet OÜ; this company won a state tender worth €1.7 million for this work. Several entrepreneurs have also offered their services free of charge, and this has advanced the project quickly. Tiit Silla Architecture Firm Sport OÜ created workable blueprints, and Primostar OÜ is supplying free waterproofing materials for the underground bomb shelter. Kitman Thule AS, SolarStone OÜ, and Woodhouse Estonia have also offered their help.

“Along with the kindergarten’s construction, we will provide the best educational experience Estonia has to offer, by training the school’s leaders, teachers, and psychologists,” added Andrea Kivi, acting CEO of ESTDEV.

The construction of a kindergarten in Ovruch is Estonia’s first project toward the reconstruction of Ukraine. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has allocated 1.9 million euros from this year’s additional budget to ESTDEV for the organization of this project.