Vesele Territorial Community

History

The community is located in the south-west of the Zaporizhia Region. In late 2020, the Menchykury Village Council joined the community. In this way, six Starosta-headed districts were formed.

The community preserves a large number of historical landmarks. More than twenty historical landmarks are located in the territory of the community; eighteen archaeological landmarks have been investigated.

A large number of barrows were excavated there, which include catacombs, log, Scythian and nomad burials. The materials found during the excavations belong to the Middle Ages; various types of burial structures, decorations of the late nomadic period were discovered. Among the burials of the Bronze Age, the Malomykhailivska catacomb deserves attention as it is a rare find in the open steppe, a multi-chambered catacomb with sequentially arranged chambers.    

In 1989, a historical and local history museum was founded in the community displaying over 1,500 exhibits, including items from the Scythian period.

A network of reserves has been created. The reserves include: reserves of local importance such as Yelyzavetivskyi Forest (a forest reserve), Izvestivskyi Pond (a landscape reserve), Tsilyna Chernomorchenka (an ethnological reserve).

In 2009, the Church of the Intercession of the Holy Virgin was built in the settlement of Vesele, which was solemnly opened in 2010. 

Economy and Welfare

The community has an agricultural type of economy. There are 131 agricultural enterprises, including 80 farms, which cultivate more than 30,000 km2 of land. Trade is important. In early 2022, 695 business entities were registered in the territory of the community.

Chemical Aviation Technologies, which produces ХіАТ-650 light-class planes, operates in the territory of the community; the planes are used for passenger transportation services and for agricultural purposes. The company’s airfields are used to train the cadets of the Kharkiv National University of the Air Force named after Ivan Kozhedub and the Kropyvnytskyi Flight Academy of the National Aviation University are taught to fly. Out of 50 people who receive flight licenses in Ukraine, 30 cadets gain flight experience in the territory of this community.  

Energy-saving technologies are used in the communal sphere of the community. To solve the problem of water supply, solar panels were installed at the water pumping stations, which made it possible to ensure uninterrupted water supply to residents and save energy resources.

In the community, much attention is paid to the field of education, which includes seven general secondary education institutions, four preschool education institutions and three out-of-school education institutions.

Investments in education after the unification of the community are one of the priorities. The Vesele Multidisciplinary Grammar School is a leading educational institution that has implemented a number of successful projects in various areas, in particular, youth development and sports, energy saving ones.

In 2018, the Vesele Community took over the central district hospital. In 2020, the surgical, surgical and therapeutic department was completely renovated using the funds from the community and local businesses. Today, the Vesele Multidisciplinary Hospital is equipped with modern medical equipment, including an oxygen station that saves patients suffering from COVID.

Community and War

The territory of the Vesele Community was occupied in the first days of the full-scale russian aggression. Complete isolation led to a shortage of the most necessary goods: food, medical preparations, fuel and lubricants, as well as cash. Constant terror against the civilian population forced the majority of residents to leave their homes.

The Vesele Settlement Council organized the provision of humanitarian aid to its residents, both in the first days of occupation in the territory of the community, and for internally displaced persons in the city of Zaporizhia. In addition, together with the volunteers of the community, the evacuation of the population was carried out, the supply of the most necessary medicines (painkillers, diabetes medicines) from the city of Zaporizhia was organized.

During the full-scale invasion by russian troops of the territory of Ukraine, the residents of the Vesele Community made a lot of efforts to bring the long-awaited Victory closer. Our volunteers have been working quite actively. One of such caring people was Svitlana Kovalenko, who, starting from the first days of the war, has been supplying residents with medicines and personal hygiene products, helping evacuate people from the occupied territory, and to this day actively supports our defenders by supplying them with food, clothing, military equipment, and also organizes fundraising events to purchase the necessary equipment. 

As a result of cooperation between the community and donors (USAID/DOBRE, GIZ) as well as charitable organizations and funds (Posmishka UA, Future UA, ADRA), the Vesele Settlement Council provides internally displaced persons in the city of Zaporizhia with food, personal hygiene products, household chemicals, clothes, bedding and other basic necessities.

Currently, the territory of the community remains occupied and is being fortified from various sides by the invaders for defensive operations. Therefore, there is a high probability of destruction of both houses and communal facilities, as well as social and cultural buildings. In addition, some educational and medical institutions have already been looted and all material values have been taken away. There are risks of mining important infrastructure facilities.

People of the Community

The head of the community is Petro Kiiashko (67 years old), who has been elected head of the community for eight convocations (since 1991) and is still the head of the Vesele Settlement Council.

He devoted 30 years of his life to the development of this area, for which he received a large number of state awards.

Since the foundation of the community under the leadership of Petro Kiiashko, many successful projects, both social and business ones, have been implemented.

As a result of participation in the USAID Ahrosilrozvytok Program, a mobile line for sorting household solid waste was purchased (1.5 million hryvnias). In 2020, under the USAID Competitive Economy Program in Ukraine, the community received grants for more than UAH 1.1 million for the implementation of two business projects.

In 2018, within the framework of the U-LEAD with Europe Program, an administrative services centre was opened providing 163 services. Interior reconstruction was carried out in the premises; the centre is equipped with furniture and modern equipment with specialized software. In 2021, the space of the Administrative Services Centre and the list of services provided at the Action Centre was increased (1.5 million hryvnias)

Since the foundation of the community under the leadership of Petro Kiiashko, many successful projects, both social and business ones, have been implemented.

As a result of participation in the USAID Ahrosilrozvytok Program, a mobile line for sorting household solid waste was purchased (1.5 million hryvnias). In 2020, under the USAID Competitive Economy Program in Ukraine, the community received grants for more than UAH 1.1 million for the implementation of two business projects.

In 2018, within the framework of the U-LEAD with Europe Program, an administrative services centre was opened providing 163 services. Interior reconstruction was carried out in the premises; the centre is equipped with furniture and modern equipment with specialized software. In 2021, the space of the Administrative Services Centre and the list of services provided at the Action Centre was increased (1.5 million hryvnias)

The community has created conditions for the development of alternative energy sources. As a result of cooperation with private businesses, in 2018 the Solar Park Vesele solar power plant with a capacity of 16 MW on an area of 28.5 hectares was built in the territory of the former landfill.

Development Strategy

The Sustainable Development Strategy of the Vesele Settlement Territorial Community for 2021-2027 was approved in 2021.

The Vesele Community, using its potential, develops its own investment attractiveness, promotes entrepreneurship using cultural assets and the natural environment. The community implements a development policy focused on cooperation and integration of different categories, supporting the social and professional activities of its residents.

• Sustainable economic growth – transition from the production of raw materials to the processing industry and services.
• Modern high-quality infrastructure and environmental safety of the community.
• Quality services, an active community, meaningful leisure and communication with residents.

List of Sources

• Website of the community
• Facebook page of the community
• m.facebook.com
• flickr.com