New EU-backed school opens in western Ukraine, welcoming 500 students

This article is published in association with European Investment Bank.

• A brand new school in Sukhovolia village is one of six EIB-financed educational facilities completed or underway in Lviv Oblast.
• The €3.85 million project was built with financing from the Ukraine Early Recovery Programme.
• The school’s kitchen and canteen were designed in line with First Lady Olena Zelenska’s nutrition reform in schools.

Construction of a new modern school in Sukhovolia, one of the fastest-growing communities in Lviv Oblast, is officially complete. The facility will soon open its doors to 500 children and over 80 staff. The project was made possible with financing from the European Investment Bank (EIB), the lending arm of the European Union, under the Ukraine Early Recovery Programme.

The building, with a total area of more than 8 000 m², features modern classrooms, workshops for crafts and technical subjects, a sports hall and an assembly hall. The grounds include a football field, sports areas, playgrounds and landscaped green spaces.

The canteen and kitchen were designed in line with Ukraine’s School Nutrition Reform, initiated by First Lady Olena Zelenska, to improve the quality of nutrition in school meals by strengthening local capacity, modernising canteen infrastructure, increasing human capacity and fostering a culture of healthy eating.

“The new school in Sukhovolia reflects our joint commitment to invest in Ukraine’s recovery and in its people,” said EIB Vice-President Teresa Czerwińska. “Through our recovery programmes, the EIB is proud to support communities with modern, resilient infrastructure that directly improves people’s lives. We are also proud to support access to essential nutrition during emergencies.”

The Ukraine Early Recovery Programme is one of three joint EU-EIB recovery initiatives implemented together with the Ministry for Development of Communities and Territories of Ukraine, the Ministry of Finance and local authorities, with technical support from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

“The new school in Sukhovolia is first and foremost about children – 500 students who now have a safe, modern place to learn and grow. It is also a powerful symbol of resilience for the whole community. By supporting schools like this, the European Union is investing directly in Ukraine’s future and in the next generation,” said Jocelin Cornet, Head of Section for Reconstruction, Energy, Infrastructure and Environment at the EU Delegation to Ukraine.

In Lviv Oblast, eight projects under EIB recovery programmes are already complete or underway, with a total investment of €15 million. These include six educational facilities and two hospitals. Earlier in 2025, the EIB also supported the completion of St. Luke’s Hospital in Lviv and preschool No. 7 Dzvinochok in Truskavets.

“We need more schools like this and more modern infrastructure across Ukraine,” said Deputy Prime Minister for Restoration and Minister for Development of Communities and Territories of Ukraine Oleksii Kuleba. “We regularly have open calls for municipalities under the Ukraine Recovery Programme III, where communities can apply for support to rebuild housing; upgrade and equip schools, hospitals and water plants; or provide modern shelters. We are now starting the selection of approximately 100 new projects under Ukraine Recovery III, financed by the EIB and the European Union.”

Head of the Zymna Voda Territorial Community Volodymyr Gutnyk said: “This school was very much needed in our community. Thanks to the support of the European Union, it has now become a reality. It is an investment in our children and in the future of Sukhovolia.”

Head of the Lviv Oblast Military Administration Maksym Kozytskyi said: “This new facility reflects what can be achieved with combined efforts of central executive bodies, local community, regional state administration and international partners – modern, safe, healthy and inspiring school for our children.”

UNDP Resident Representative in Ukraine Auke Lootsma concluded: “This project demonstrates that recovery is happening on the ground. Schools like Sukhovolia’s provide stability and hope, which are vital for communities during wartime. We are pleased to support communities with the expertise and guidance needed to make such projects a reality.”

Background information

The EIB in Ukraine 

Present in Ukraine since 2007, the EIB has stepped up its financial support for the country’s resilience and modernisation since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Since then, the EIB has provided €3.6 billion in financing, with almost two-thirds already disbursed. Through its EU for Ukraine (EU4U) Initiative, coupled with its key role in implementing a dedicated window under Pillar 2 of the Ukraine Facility, the EIB is strongly committed to stepping up and accelerating its activities in line with the mandate given by EU leaders and in close cooperation with the European Commission, the European Parliament, Member States and international partners.

EIB recovery programmes in Ukraine

The Sukhovolia village school was built as part of the Ukraine Early Recovery Programme, one of three recovery initiatives supported by the EIB. As of July 2025, the EIB has provided €740 million through these programmes to support Ukraine’s recovery. The funding helps the government to restore essential services in communities across the country – including schools, kindergartens, hospitals, housing, heating and water systems. These EIB-backed programmes are further supported by €15 million in EU grants to facilitate implementation. The Ministry for Development of Communities and Territories of Ukraine, in cooperation with the Ministry of Finance, coordinates and oversees programme implementation, while local authorities and self-government entities are responsible for managing recovery sub-projects. The UNDP in Ukraine provides technical assistance to local communities, supporting project implementation and ensuring independent monitoring for transparency and accountability. More information about the programmes is available here.