Trade Union Aid Delivers Vital Repairs to Ukrainian College – in Kryvyi Rih
The repair and refurbishment of educational facilities may not make headlines, but it plays a vital role in ensuring that young people can continue learning safely under the most difficult conditions. We are therefore delighted to report that the first stage of essential repair works has now been completed at the Mining and Electromechanical Professional College of Kryvyi Rih National University.
This work has been funded entirely through donations from British trade unionists. Thousands of pounds have been contributed by UNITE, ASLEF and the GMB unions all affiliates of the Ukraine Solidarity Campaign, demonstrating once again the practical solidarity of the labour movement with the people of Ukraine.
The College is a major centre for engineering and technical education in Kryvyi Rih, one of Ukraine’s most important mining and metallurgical cities. Since Russia’s full-scale invasion, the city has been subjected to repeated missile and drone attacks, while years of war have placed enormous pressure on public services and deprived educational institutions of much-needed investment.
Workers at the College are organised through the Free Trade Union of Education and Science of Ukraine and the Trade Union of Metallurgists and Miners of Ukraine. Following an appeal from trade union members for urgent assistance to restore and upgrade the College’s facilities, Ukraine Solidarity Campaign supporters stepped forward to help.
As local trade union representatives explained:
“This institution currently trains more than a thousand students who represent the future of a free, independent and prosperous Ukraine.”
The repair works are designed to help ensure the safety of students and staff while maintaining the quality of education under wartime conditions. The improvements form part of a wider effort to preserve educational opportunities despite the constant challenges posed by the war.
This is only the beginning. Ukraine Solidarity Campaign is continuing to raise funds to support the College through the coming winter, including further repairs and the provision of equipment for the College’s air raid shelter. We are also grateful to have received new donations from Prospect and the University and College Union (UCU) towards this work.
Every contribution makes a tangible difference. By supporting this appeal, trade unionists and supporters are helping to protect education, defend communities and stand in solidarity with Ukrainian workers.
Please support the Frontline Education Appeal by donating through our Crowdfunder or directly to the Ukraine Solidarity Campaign account.
