Children, people with disabilities among those who benefited.

NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y. (June 9, 2025) Salesian communities in Ukraine* were able to afford heating and electric bills over the winter thanks to donor funding from Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. Those who benefited from the project include children and older youth, people with disabilities and chronic illness, the elderly, and pregnant women living in Salesian communities in Zhytomyr, Peremyshlyany, Korostyshev, Bibrka and Odesa.

In Korostyshev, financial support for heating bills enabled Salesians to continue operating parish facilities and the youth center, providing a welcoming environment for more than 400 people. In Peremyshlyany, the Salesian community was able to pay electricity bills and avoid the risk of power cuts, ensuring pastoral and social support for internally displaced persons and local residents from 120 households. Activities and meetings continued even during blackouts.

Donor funding also supported the Vsesvit Lyceum in Zhytomyr by covering utility expenses, the purchase of diesel fuel for the backup generator and generator maintenance, ensuring that the school could operate without interruption during the winter. Similarly, the Narnia Private Christian School in Odesa was able to continue teaching activities throughout the winter, thanks to support for electricity bills.

Finally, in Bibrka, donor funding provided long-term energy security by funding gas bills and the installation of a solar power plant. This installation ensures uninterrupted power supply to the building housing the oratory and catechetical hall, even during blackouts. The solar power system reduces operating costs, contributing to sustainability.

One of the youth who benefited from the project is Eva, a student at Vsesvit Lyceum. Despite the difficulties of living in a war-affected area, Eva remains involved in her education and spends time volunteering, on creative pursuits, and with her peers. Eva shared that although the city where she lives is relatively calm compared to eastern regions of Ukraine, the constant threat of air raids, electricity cuts and emotional pressure is part of everyday reality.

“We try to live normally, but you always have worry in the back of your mind,” she explained. “The lyceum has become not just a place of study but a second home — a safe and supportive environment where I can learn and grow.”

Eva’s goals for the future include further developing her skills in visual design and photography, and continuing her involvement in youth leadership and volunteering.

Thanks to donor funding, Eva and her classmates can continue their activities thanks to the uninterrupted supply of electricity.

*Any goods, services, or funds provided by Salesian Missions to programs located in this country were administered in compliance with applicable laws and regulations, including sanctions administered by the U.S. Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Asset Control.

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