Post by Energy Efficiency Fund of Ukraine

💔 March 23, 2022, will forever be remembered by the residents of Mechnikova Street in Irpin as a day of profound tragedy. Six enemy mortar shells struck their residential building directly. The destruction was devastating: the roof collapsed, walls and façades were severely damaged, windows shattered, and internal utility systems were left in ruins. First Steps: Unity in the Face of Destruction Despite the shock, the residents refused to give up. They knew that without immediate action, their home could be lost forever. 🏣 “We understood that every minute of delay put our shared home at greater risk. Fear gave way to determination—we had to save what remained,” recalls Olha Malakh, Head of the HOA Board. “Our shared tragedy quickly brought us together. As much as possible in those extremely difficult circumstances, we became one.” The recovery began with their own hands. Residents pooled resources, cleared debris, removed tons of rubble, and began repairing damaged structures. Thanks to this extraordinary collective effort, the building’s damage classification was upgraded from Category IV to Category II—making it eligible for the Energy Efficiency Fund’s “VidnovyDIM” program. Rebuilding with “VidnovyDIM” 🤝 With support from the Energy Efficiency Fund, financed by the European Union and the Government of Ukraine, the residents were able to undertake the most complex and costly repairs—restoring the façades and rebuilding the roof. The EEF provided a grant of over UAH 4 million for the project. For additional works, the HOA also mobilized support from charitable organizations and foundations. A Symbol of New Beginnings 💪 🫶 Today, the building on Mechnikova bears no trace of the devastation it once endured. It has once again become a safe and welcoming home for its residents. “Today, the lights are back on in our windows, and life has returned to our hallways. This is the greatest happiness we dreamed of during the shelling,” says Ms. Malakh. “We are deeply grateful to the Energy Efficiency Fund and the European Union for the ‘VidnovyDIM’ program, which became a lifeline for us. We are thankful to everyone who supported us. Collective action is a powerful force—it can achieve the impossible, even when everything seems lost. We have regained our home, and words cannot fully express our gratitude.” European Union Alona Shkrum