Ivanychi Territory Community

History

The territory of Ivanychi has been inhabited since ancient times. A Bronze Age settlement (II millennium BC) was discovered on the outskirts of the village, where flint knives, a stone axe, and dishes were found.

But officially Ivanychi was mentioned for the first time in historical documents in 1545. At that time, the village was part of the Lithuanian principality and belonged to the family of Volyn landowners, the Ivanytski family.

During its existence, the community was ruled by Poland and the Russian Empire several times. In 1918, Ivanychi became part of a newly independent state, the Ukrainian People’s Republic. But later they were again under the rule of Poland.

After Volyn became part of the Russian Empire as a result of the partition of Poland, the border with Austria-Hungary was marked by the Buh River, which was given the addition of “Zakhidnyi” to its name. The proximity of the border affected the fate of the village in different ways: smuggling of goods and assistance to those fleeing serfdom, which had been abolished in Austria-Hungary earlier.

At the beginning of the XX century, Ivanychi had more than one thousand inhabitants. The village had a parish school, two mills – a water mill and a windmill – and ponds for fish farming. At the beginning of the World War I, a railway line of strategic importance was laid to Ivanychi. 

At the end of 1915, a railway line from Ivanychi was connected to Lviv. As a result, a sawmill was built here, and its main products were exported by rail to Austria and Germany. 

As a result of the World War II, the community came under Soviet occupation. The village of Ivanychi became the centre of the raion and turned into an urban-type settlement. The existing premises of enterprises and public institutions were rebuilt and expanded. A few years later, two secondary schools, a boarding school, and a kindergarten began operating in the village, and new administrative buildings were built.

The number of enterprises grew significantly, the most important of which was the sugar factory, which produced its first product on 9 January 1957 and was one of the first in Volyn. The construction of the sugar factory contributed to the emergence of a new village with its own microstructures: a school, a club, a post office. Today, the factory is privately owned and is called Europatsukor. Modern Ivanychi is divided into two parts by the river Luha and its floodplain: the southern part is the old Ivanychi, and the northern part is the sugar factory village. 

Since 24 August 1991, the village has been part of independent Ukraine.

In 1995, the village celebrated its 450th anniversary. In the same year, the village council approved the coat of arms and flag of Ivanychi, based on elements from the family coat of arms of the first owners of the village, the Ivanytski.

Economy and Welfare

Various enterprises are active in the community, including farms engaged in growing crops. One of the largest enterprises is the Luha-Nova agricultural enterprise.

Although the number of enterprises in the community is not large, local companies provide residents with stable employment. Self-employment is also an important element of the local labour market, including work in individual farms and small retail trade in agricultural products such as vegetables, fruits and dairy products.

The Ivanychi community also provides access to quality medical and educational services. It has a multidisciplinary hospital, a primary healthcare centre and 12 educational institutions, including 6 schools, 3 kindergartens, music and sports schools, and an inclusive resource centre.

The Community and the War

With the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the community did not stand aside from the events that engulfed the country. Residents quickly organised to support the military and internally displaced persons. In the first days of the war, self-defence units were formed from local residents who were on duty at checkpoints, monitoring the situation and ensuring security in the community.

A large number of men and women liable for military service are defending Ukraine’s independence and integrity. They have become part of a great struggle that is determining the future of the country. At this time, the community is supporting them on all fronts by providing various types of assistance.

Local residents are actively involved in volunteer work. They organise charity fairs to raise funds, weave camouflage nets, make candles for the trenches, and collect and deliver food, medicine and other essential items for our defenders. The community volunteers are constantly in touch with the military, providing them with everything they need to perform their combat missions.

The village’s central library has become an important centre for volunteering. A volunteer hub has been set up here, where local residents make socks, gloves and blankets for the soldiers. They are also actively working on creating food parcels that are regularly sent to the frontline.

The community helps civilians affected by the war. There is a humanitarian aid centre on its territory that supports internally displaced persons and people who lost their homes as a result of the war. Here they can get food, clothes, medicines and other necessary things for survival.

The war changed not only the course of history, but also the lives of every resident of the community. However, despite all the difficulties and trials, the community is united in supporting and helping its defenders, making every effort to ensure that Ukraine survives and wins.

Community People

Since December 2020, the community has been headed by Lidiia Tomashevska, who previously worked as the chief physician of the Ivanychi District Hospital and headed the Ivanychi District State Administration for more than a decade. Her many years of experience in healthcare and management help the community to effectively overcome various challenges and develop successfully.

Before the full-scale invasion, the community held traditional celebrations and large-scale events. Today, all activities in the community are aimed at supporting the military, so fundraising fairs and charity events are often held here.

The community is famous for its sporting achievements. For example, in 2024, Anastasiia Alpieieva became the Ukrainian champion in freestyle wrestling.

Every year, the community celebrates the Pride of Ivanychi Community. This is the result of the work of the community’s educational, cultural and sports institutions with gifted children. The most talented students of general secondary education institutions, children’s music school, children’s and youth sports school and pupils of the Culture and Leisure Centre are awarded here.

Development Strategy

The Ivanychi Community has approved its Development Strategy until 2029, with further socio-economic development as its main priority. The aim of this strategy is to ensure the sustainable development of the community, improve the quality of life of residents and ensure stability in all areas: economy, education, healthcare and social sphere.

The main aspect of international cooperation is cooperation with other cities abroad. Today, Ivanychi is developing active relations with the  Konskowola Commune of the Pulawy County, Lubelskie Voivodeship, Poland, and the city of Erzhausen (Germany). In the course of such cooperation, meetings are held periodically to exchange experience, as well as study visits, cultural events, and the implementation of joint projects.

Cooperation with the German city of Erzhausen has become the basis for a number of joint projects that have significantly improved infrastructure and raised living standards in the community. With support, generators were purchased for educational and medical institutions to ensure the continuous operation of important social facilities, even during power cuts.

As part of this cooperation, the fleet of specialised vehicles for the Production Department of Housing and Communal Services was also upgraded. This allowed for better delivery of public services and more efficient management of the community’s infrastructure. Thanks to support from Erzhausen, the community also partially provided local schools with the necessary equipment, which significantly improved the learning environment and the educational process for children.

This international cooperation is of great importance for the development of the community, as it allows attracting additional resources and introducing new opportunities for the development of infrastructure, education and social services. The Ivanychi Community plans to further develop its partnerships and implement new projects with foreign partners, which will contribute to sustainable development and improve the quality of life of its residents.

Sources

• Community website: ivaselrada.gov.ua
• Community’s Facebook page: facebook.com