On 29 April, the Swedish-Ukrainian Polaris Programme held an information session for hromadas of Dnipro Oblast. More than 90 representatives of local self-government and oblast authorities took part in the in-person event. Participants learned about the support and development opportunities the Programme offers to hromadas across various areas.
Susanna Dellans, Team Leader, SALAR International Representative in Ukraine, stated: “Our goal is to ensure that every hromada – regardless of its size or location – has access to the necessary tools and knowledge for sustainable development. At the heart of our efforts is the support of multi-level governance capable of making effective decisions that meet the needs of residents. Even during wartime, the Polaris continues to strengthen cooperation with hromadas in multiple areas, helping them build capacity and a resilient future.”
The Polaris delegation included experts who presented key areas of support for local self-government. The primary focus was on helping hromadas make the most of their available resources and ensure integrated development, particularly in the areas of education management, administrative service delivery, strengthening the capacity of starosta institutions, and advancing international cooperation.
The Programme is already working with five hromadas in Dnipro Oblast across two areas: prevention and response to domestic violence (Troyitske and Pokrovske village hromadas), and local recovery (Vasylkivka and Solone village hromadas, and Samar city hromada).
"The Swedish-Ukrainian Polaris Programme is an important partner in the recovery and development of our region. Thanks to this initiative, hromadas in Dnipro Oblast receive support in strengthening their potential for sustainable development, improving the quality of local services and education reform, preventing domestic violence, and in other areas of Polaris’ work,” said Iryna Hrytsai, Deputy Head of the Dnipro Oblast Military Administration.
The reform of upper secondary education sparked significant interest among participants. Oleh Fasolia, Head of the “Education at the Local and Regional Levels” team, presented a successful example from Solonianska hromada, where an anchor lyceum was established with the support of Polaris experts. The lyceum currently has 1,300 students. Hromadas also expressed interest in conducting audits of the Administrative Service Centres across Dnipro Oblast.
The Polaris Programme "Supporting Multilevel Governance in Ukraine" actively promotes the development of local self-government and will continue to assist hromadas in Dnipro Oblast in implementing key initiatives to strengthen their capacity and ensure effective delivery of public services.
