Together to Recovery: How Novhorod-Siverskyi is Building a Brighter Future for Its Community
How can communities better prepare for the challenges of post-war recovery while making the most of limited resources? What obstacles do they face, and how can these be identified? What tools are available to facilitate effective recovery? These questions were the focus of a roundtable discussion as part of the “Build Back Better” project. Representatives from the Novhorod-Siverskyi community, the regional office of the State Emergency Service, and experts exchanged ideas and shared practical recommendations for sustainable recovery, highlighting the importance of collaboration and the involvement of local initiatives. The event marked the culmination of the community’s extensive learning journey on recovery strategies.
Svidomi attended a roundtable organized by the Right to Protection Charitable Foundation (CF), featuring partners and representatives of the Novhorod-Siverskyi community. The discussion covered the results of the foundation’s collaboration with the community, including a comprehensive needs assessment, outcomes of community training sessions, and the development of a program under the pilot project “Build Back Better: Prevention, Preparation, and Protection of the Population through the Restoration of Sustainable and Environmentally Friendly Water Supply, Hygiene, and Sanitation Infrastructure.”
What Was the Goal of the Event, and Was It Achieved?
Chernihiv, December 2024 – The event, focused on empowering communities for recovery, brought together representatives from the Chernihiv Regional State Administration, the Novhorod-Siverskyi community, the State Emergency Service (SES) in the Chernihiv region, the Chernihiv Regional Development Agency, project partners, and other stakeholders.
The meeting kicked off with discussions on enhancing the capacity of the civil protection system and improving community preparedness for emergency response. Participants emphasized the importance of adopting a risk-based approach to risk management, responding swiftly to challenges, and fostering stronger cooperation between response services and local communities.
Key topics of the discussion included the preparedness of communities for emergencies and the specific challenges they currently face. As the pilot community for the project, Novhorod-Siverskyi prioritized restoring the security sector, given its vulnerable position along the border with Russia.
The discussion also explored:
- The decisions necessary to minimize risks.
- The importance of securing international assistance and ensuring effective coordination between authorities and organizations.
- The implementation of risk management tools at the community level.
Elvira Radkovska, project manager at the Right to Protection CF, highlighted the key components addressed during the roundtable.
“The roundtable presented the structure of the Disaster Risk Management (DRM) Package, along with a roadmap for implementing each component and the results of joint activities by project partners, using the Novhorod-Siverskyi community as an example. Community representatives also shared their experience of applying the DRM Package as an effective tool in practice. It was crucial to discuss the collaboration between communities, international organizations, and local entities,”
she explained.
A significant part of the meeting involved discussions among representatives of various government branches. They shared challenges and worked together to seek solutions. This exchange served as a vivid example of how community engagement — through surveys and active participation — can become a driving force for meaningful change.
Partners of the “Build Back Better” project presented recommendations tailored to the Novhorod-Siverskyi community, drawing on lessons learned from other regions in Ukraine, as well as international standards and best practices for post-war and crisis recovery. Particular attention was given to the need for a strategic development plan that holistically addresses social, economic, and infrastructural aspects. Experts stressed that successful recovery depends on close collaboration, transparency in decision-making, and trust among all stakeholders.
Events like this offer a valuable platform for sharing experiences and seeking guidance. The dialogue revealed that the Novhorod-Siverskyi community holds significant potential for recovery but requires proper support and direction to fully realize it.
Key Takeaways from the Training for Participants
One of the central topics discussed at the roundtable was the set of challenges the community faces on its path to recovery. Participants highlighted the issue of insufficient funding, a common problem in many regions affected by war. However, experts emphasized that a budget is merely a tool, and its effectiveness hinges on proper planning and management.
Elvira Radkovska pointed out that funding was one of the critical issues addressed during the event.
“The funding issue is particularly urgent for the community, so it is crucial to direct resources toward infrastructure restoration. Equally important is the training communities need for effective recovery. The role of local authorities is vital in the recovery process, as they are responsible for making crucial decisions, developing strategies, programs, and other key documents,”
she explained.
Other key points of discussion included the lack of sufficient communication between different groups within the community: residents, local authorities, and businesses. The absence of a unified development vision often hinders progress. The conclusion drawn was that more residents should be involved in decision-making by creating platforms for dialogue. This will help better understand local needs and build trust among all parties involved.
Considerable attention was also given to the role of security in community recovery. It was revealed that many people in high-risk areas lack the knowledge and skills that could help them manage daily life in such conditions. Representatives from the State Emergency Service (SES) were particularly interested in foreign experiences in disaster prevention. Experts proposed initiatives focused on training residents in areas like project management, finance, and social entrepreneurship. Such knowledge could be key not only to restoring what has been lost but also to building a strong foundation for future development.
“Through our cooperation, we’ve been able to enhance skills in organizing and carrying out emergency rescue operations, improve the quality of the warning systems, broaden the population’s knowledge of emergency preparedness, and overall, increase the level of protection for our people,” said Maryna Neliubova, head of the sector for civil protection, defense, and mobilization work in the Novhorod-Siverskyi community.
These initiatives were warmly received by the roundtable participants, who agreed that cooperation and active participation from every resident are essential for a successful recovery.
Further Recovery Steps for the Community
“The participants of the event reached a consensus that recovery and security are two interconnected elements, so issues like preparedness, emergency response, and the process for returning to normal life should be given equal attention,” says Tetiana Yerokhina, civil protection consultant at the Right to Protection CF, summarizing the main outcome of the roundtable.
The final stage of the roundtable involved creating an action plan for the community, aimed at ensuring safety and implementing the principle of “better than before.” Participants identified several priorities to promote sustainable development and recovery, focusing on inclusiveness and the efficient use of available resources.
Tetiana Yerokhina also shared the key takeaways she gained as a representative of the foundation.
“For me, it was important to hear the opinions and impressions of project activities from representatives of the Novhorod-Siverskyi community and the Main Directorate of the SES in the Chernihiv region. The community leadership, along with experts from various departments, divisions, and village heads, responds to threats, makes decisions, allocates resources, and most importantly, creates daily living conditions for the community’s residents. They ensure access to all types of services,” she says.
The main conclusion from the event was the recognition of the need for specific knowledge and skills, especially in the field of civil protection. Specialists from the SES department offered valuable insights, as they are professionals who understand the situation at the regional level and can assess the preparedness of communities in comparison.
According to the project team, who worked alongside partners, they were pleased to see a shared understanding of the challenges that complicate the recovery process.
“We’ve made some progress and identified common issues among communities regarding resilience, preparedness, and emergency response, as well as in the processes of mitigation and recovery after disasters,” said Tetiana Yerokhina.
These challenges were identified during both the project implementation phase and the roundtable discussions. After being reviewed by the organization’s legal team, they will be submitted to the relevant services. However, they can already be categorized into several components:
- Imperfections in the regulatory framework and the obsolescence of certain legal acts.
- Lack of financial resources to exercise powers related to organizing and ensuring civil protection for the community.
- Absence of a comprehensive approach at the state level for training emergency services, civil protection units, fire and rescue teams, and other specialized services.
- Flaws in legislative acts concerning powers and the feasibility of implementing them in evacuation measures.
The roundtable proved to be an important step in understanding the challenges faced by communities and in developing practical solutions to address them.
“Such projects are not just suitable for other communities—they should be implemented on a mandatory basis. First, because they involve working with professionals. Second, your experts taught us to follow international protocols and standards. It’s crucial for Ukrainian professionals to work properly, according to the best global practices. I recommend that all communities seek out similar recovery-focused projects and definitely engage if such cooperation is offered,”
summarizes Liudmyla Tkachenko, head of the Novhorod-Siverskyi community.
The roundtable concluded on an optimistic note: participants emphasized the importance of joint efforts and the realization that recovery is a process that relies not only on resources but also on the activity and cohesion of the community. The expressed willingness to cooperate offered hope that the community would not only return to normal life but also advance to a new level of development.
Elvira Radkovska wraps up the event by stating, “We will distribute the conclusions among the participants and partners. Our focus was on applying the risk management practices from the pilot project. Moving forward, we aim to implement similar initiatives in other communities.”
The initiatives are carried out by the Right to Protection CF within the framework of the pilot project “Build Back Better: Prevention, Preparation, and Protection of the Population through the Restoration of Sustainable and Environmentally Friendly Water Supply, Hygiene, and Sanitation Infrastructure,” which is being implemented in collaboration with the 3R Risk Reduction Consortium and supported by the NGO ACTED.
