Social housing for Mariupol residents opens in Chernivtsi: Rinat Akhmetov Foundation equips shared spaces

A social housing facility for Mariupol residents who were forced to leave their hometown because of the war has opened in Chernivtsi. The new housing has been provided to 52 families, primarily the families of servicemen and people with disabilities.

The project is an example of successful international and Ukrainian cooperation. The building, which is more than 100 years old, had previously served as military barracks and a social canteen and was in a state of disrepair. Today, it has been fully restored: the renovation was funded by the French government, the work was carried out by the International Organization for Migration (IOM), and the Rinat Akhmetov Foundation equipped all shared areas, including modern kitchens, children's playrooms, a gym and recreational spaces.

The building belongs to Yuriy Fedkovych Chernivtsi National University, which has leased it to the Mariupol City Community for a symbolic fee of one hryvnia.

Chair of the Supervisory Board of the Rinat Akhmetov Foundation, Nataliia Yemchenko, emphasised that such spaces not only create comfortable living conditions but also help internally displaced people integrate into their new communities.

"We have already seen this in Dnipro, where the first three social housing facilities were opened. Sports grounds, children's playrooms, parks and community spaces become meeting places for children and parents from the entire neighbourhood. This is how true integration happens – when Mariupol residents become part of a new community, and that community welcomes them," she said.

Head of the Mariupol City Military Administration, Vadym Boichenko, noted that the opening in Chernivtsi marked the fifth location of the project.

"Together with the Rinat Akhmetov Foundation, we have already provided quality social housing for nearly 550 Mariupol families in Dnipro, Kyiv and now Chernivtsi. Today, another 52 families have received modern, fully equipped homes. Next, we will open similar facilities in Kropyvnytskyi and Zaporizhzhia," he said.

Among the new residents is Anastasiia, a displaced woman from Mariupol and the wife of a prisoner of war. She says that having a home of her own has become a symbol of safety and an opportunity for her family to begin a new chapter.

"For me, home is, above all, a feeling of security. It is the place you return to after a difficult day, where you can finally feel at peace. I truly like Chernivtsi and this building. I am sincerely grateful to everyone who made it possible for us to live here and remain one big Mariupol family."

The opening of the social housing facility in Chernivtsi has become another step in the joint efforts of the Rinat Akhmetov Foundation, the Mariupol City Military Administration, and international partners aimed at creating decent living conditions for Mariupol residents who lost their homes due to the war.

The “I’Mariupol. Housing” project was launched in 2023. It is being implemented with the support of the Government of France, the International Organization for Migration, as well as a number of Ukrainian state institutions. The Rinat Akhmetov Foundation is a long-standing partner of "I’Mariupol" and will continue to support the project. Social housing facilities are scheduled to open soon in Zaporizhzhia and Kropyvnytskyi.