On 28 March, H.E. Mr. Mutsuo Mabuchi, Ambassador of Japan in Ukraine participated in the opening ceremony of sanitary-hygienic project at the Pakul village. The project became one more example of the effectiveness of UNDP-led Chornobyl Recovery and Development Programme’s (CRDP) approach to overcoming the effects of the world’s worst nuclear accident in Chornobyl.  

The sanitary and hygienic project has been implemented by a local community-based organization (CO) “Dobrobut” [Well-being] with the support from “KUSANONE” aid programme of the Embassy of Japan in Ukraine. The total cost of the project amounted to 130,000 hryvnias (around USD 26,000). As result of the project’s implementation, the school has been linked to the water supply system and obtained newly-constructed toilets and shower-rooms for its schoolchildren.

After the conversation with “Dobrobut” members Ambassador Mabuchi was pleased with the quality of the project performance, but most importantly, with the changes in community’s life-perception.    

“Dobrobut’s activities showed that the belief in better future and the sense of mutual aid in community are very important for the overcoming of consequences of Chornobyl accident” – said Ambassador Mabuchi.

The sanitary-hygienic project in Pakul school has become the third project implemented by “Dobrobut”. It was established with the support of the UNDP-led Chornobyl Recovery and Development Programme in 2003. Since that time it has already implemented school heating system and web-site projects (www.un.org.ua/pakul). 

“An example of direct cooperation between the local community and donors is an indicator of the effectiveness of our Programme’s activities”, CRDP project manager, Pavlo Zamostian said – “CRDP has provided the community members with all the necessary knowledge to write grant a corresponding proposal and to implement the project. Thus, it can find effective solutions to its problems as well as engage other donors without anybody’s support.” 

Apart from Ambassador Mabuchi, Mr. Takanori Nishino, an official of Multilateral Cooperation Division, representing International Cooperation Bureau at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, Mr Yoshio Matsuki, Coordinator for Grass-Root Grant Programme, Head of community organisation in Pakul Mr Oleg Datsyuk, representative of the Ukrainian Ministry of Emergency Mrs Iryna Khrumoliak, Head of District Administration Mr Viktor Lazar, and other representatives of Chernihiv Regional Council, UNDP Ukraine and Japanese Embassy have participated in the opening ceremony.

The Pakul village is located in the 3rd zone (the zone with the right to voluntary re-settling outside the zone’s boundaries). It has about 700 inhabitants, including 100 schoolchildren, all of them would benefit from their school’s new lavatories every day.

The Chornobyl Recovery and Development Programme (CRDP) launched its activities based on the recommendations of the report “The Human Consequences of the Chornobyl Nuclear Accident. A Strategy for Recovery”, initiated by the UN Agencies in February 2002. CRDP forms the third phase of the UN Chornobyl Programme, which operated in 1999-2002.

CRDP operates in the 4 most Chornobyl-affected regions in Ukraine, namely Kyiv, Zhytomyr, Chernihiv and Rivne, which include 17 districts.

For further information, please, contact: Ms. Dzvinka Kachur, UNDP/CRDP, at: (38044) 253 07 08