Peremoha is the Ukrainian word for Victory.
The Peremoha Mini-Grants program was launched in the summer of 2022 in response to the Russian military invasion of Ukraine. Returned Peace Corps Volunteers could apply together with a Ukrainian partner they had worked with in some way during their service. Funding priorities for the program included humanitarian aid to Ukrainian communities, and projects in alignment with sectors previously implemented by Peace Corps Ukraine: community development, youth development, education, and HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment. We are proud to share with you the stories of the Alliance's Peremoha grantees.
RPCV: Denise Capelli, Community Development 2015-2017
Ukrainian Partner: Maryana, Carpathian National Nature Park (CNNP) recreation department worker & nonprofit leader
Region: Ivano-Frankviska Oblast
Denise and her counterpart Maryana completed two successful SPA (Small Project Assistance) grant projects in the Ivano-Frankvisk region during her Peace Corps service between 2015 and 2017. When the Alliance for Ukraine announced its Peremoha mini-grants program shortly after the full-scale invasion by Russia started in 2022, Denise and Maryana knew they wanted to reunite and put their skills to work again to support their community. There was an urgent need for a new high-functioning stove to support 8,963 internally displaced people (IDPs) from the Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, Mykolaiv, and Kherson regions. Many people fled to the Carpathian Mountains to find refuge in Maryana's small mountain city of approximately 8,044 citizens - doubling its population overnight and adding an incredible amount of stress to the population.
Photo of Denise and her counterpart during her service
Some IDPs that fled to the town were using their own savings to rent accommodations on their own, but were running out of money, and needed support from the town council. The remaining IDPs had been taking refuge in the town’s schoolhouse and were using the stove in the small camp-- an old school kitchen. Using the school to house and feed people was a viable solution over summer break, but in September, 700 kids needed to return to their studies, and the IDPs were going to be moved to the town’s wellness center, which had no cooking source. The updated stove was needed to provide hot meals to all IDPS and the displaced children that would be attending school. The stove would be the primary cooking source for the remainder of their stay.
The stove that will help thousands of people
With hard work, and the Peremoha mini-grants program, Denise and Maryana were able to partner with NGO Promo Carpathians to buy the stove and new pots, pans, and utensils for everyone to use. This gesture eased the financial and emotional stress of many people. The IDPs will most likely remain in the town long after the war is over, because their own towns will need time to rebuild. However, when life returns to normal, the stove will remain as a source of comfort and will continue to provide warm meals to Kindergarten school children for years to come. Denise and Maryana are grateful they could do their part to support people impacted by the war, and are thankful to the Alliance for the opportunity!
The pots and pans bought through the grant
The RPCV Alliance for Ukraine is able to make grants thanks to proceeds raised by sales of the Babusya's Kitchen Cookbook and your additional donations. Please give today!