Feedback from libraries participating in the P.AGE project

Three more libraries received books as part of the B50 P.AGE project, which aims to restore the potential of children from the de-occupied territories of Ukraine. We are pleased to be able to support young Ukrainians in this difficult time, thank you to everyone who joined the project, and share with you the feedback from its participants.

Library of the Kozacha Lopan Lyceum (Kharkiv region)

From 24 February to 11 September 2022, Kozacha Lopan, which is located just 2 km from the russian border, was under temporary occupation. During this time, the enemies imposed their “order” here – terrorising, searching and torturing people. The russians set up one of their headquarters in the building of the local lyceum, which resulted in damage and contamination of the school. The library of the lyceum was also damaged: the blast wave smashed the windows, and the enemy burned all the textbooks they found.

The damage caused to the library was partially repaired by the B50 community, which at the end of October 2023 donated 50 modern Ukrainian-language publications covering important topics of development, maturation, leadership, patriotism, science, history, and others to the Kozacha Lopan Lyceum. Students of different age groups are already eagerly taking the donated literature, and we are pleased that the books from B50 have found their readers in Kozacha Lopan.

Library of the Ripky Lyceum (Chernihiv region)

The story of Ripky is an admirable one: ordinary people without any weapons or military experience managed to defend their home from the invaders. On the 8th day of the full-scale war, russian troops arrived here. The first small enemy convoy was stopped at the cost of one dead and one wounded, and the second one was stopped by a peaceful rally and negotiations, during which the community leadership managed to agree with the invaders to leave Ripky.

There was no occupation and no active hostilities in the village, so the buildings, including the local lyceum and library, were not damaged. But the book collection needed to be updated. That’s what B50 volunteers did as part of the P.AGE project and donated 50 interesting educational books to the library of the Ripky Lyceum. We know for sure that this literature will not lie idle, because the lyceum’s teaching staff actively fosters children’s interest in books: in the second semester, they are initiated as readers, children receive prizes for the best readers every month, and library lessons and themed school events are held.

Alla Revenok, head of the library:

If a child does not read, it means that they have not found their book yet.

We are sure that among the books donated by the B50 community, every student of the Ripky Lyceum will find THEIR own book😊

Library of Kherson School No.39 

Another participant in the third phase of the P.AGE project was Kherson secondary school No. 39 “School-Family”, located on the outskirts of the city, 5 km from Antonivskyi Bridge and 10 km from Chornobaivka airfield. Despite the fact that Kherson is currently under constant shelling, the school and library building have not been damaged.

According to Svitlana Shybaeva, deputy director for educational work, the library of school No. 39 lacks modern literature, so on St Nicholas Day, the B50 community donated a set of 50 new high-quality Ukrainian-language books. The students of the school have already taken a liking to our “gift”, and the psychology books for teenagers are particularly popular.