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Kivertsi Territorial Community
Volyn`
Population:
The Kivertsi community is located in the Volyn region in the western part of Ukraine. The total area of the community is 470.61 km2. The Nyzhniy Verbizh community includes 6 rural population centers.
As of January 1, 2023, the population of the community was 23,343 people.
Men: 10,971.
Women: 12,372.
Internally displaced persons: 1,105.
History
People have settled in the territory of the modern Kivertsiska community since ancient times. Traces of prehistoric settlements and hillforts, remnants of Old Rus vegetable gardens have been preserved on the banks of the Styr, Putylivka, and Konopelka rivers, their numerous tributaries, above lakes, in forest tracts, and on steep hills.
The population centers of the modern Kivertsi community in their historical development have repeatedly been under the rule of various states – Poland, Tsarist Russia, the Soviet Union, German occupation, and Ukraine.
Kivertsi became a major center of crafts and trade in the 19th century. Its foundation is associated with the construction of the railway in the 1870s. Gradually, the railway station turned into a settlement and took the name from the neighboring village, which is now called Prylutske.
The opening of the Kyiv-Brest railway contributed to the improvement of transport connections in Volyn, encouraged the development of passenger transportation and added to the spread of appropriate logistics and the emergence of new stations, and later villages and towns. Thus, in 1810 a Jewish settlement-shtetl Trokhymbrid (Sofiyivka) arose, which received the status of a town in 1865. In 1864, the Polish colony of Przebraże (now Hayove) was founded. Other settlements turned into local economic and administrative centers. Thus, in the early 20th century, the villages of Havchytsi, Sokyrychi, Chovnytsia, Slovatychi, Susk, Hopniv and others belonged to the Trostianets volost.
The turbulent 20th century also had a significant impact on the historical development of the villages and towns of the current Kivertsi community. Thus, during World War I, the villages were under Austrian occupation from 1915. On the territory of the community, near the village of Chovnytsia, battles of the Russian army against the Austro-Hungarian and German troops took place in the context of the Brusilov Offensive.
During World War II, the UPA was active in the community. UPA militant groups (boivkas) are known in the villages of Mykove and Omelne. Residents of the community’s villages took an active part in the military-administrative formation of the Kolky Republic, which operated from the end of April to November 3, 1943.
Within the boundaries of the Kivertsi community, there is a part of the Tsumanska Pushcha National Nature Park. 19 species of plants listed in the Red Book of Ukraine, 21 species of regionally rare plants, as well as 7 rare plant groups listed in the Green Book of Ukraine have been discovered on the territory of the park. There are more than 20 objects of the nature reserve fund on the territory of the Kivertsi community, including 7 protected areas of local importance, 8 botanical monuments of local importance, 1 ornithological reserve of local importance, and 1 hydrological monument of nature.
Economy and Welfare
There are 1,201 business entities and 41 industrial enterprises operating in the Kivertsi community (including 21 enterprises registered in the community). They specialize in the following areas:
− mining and quarrying – 1 enterprise;
− processing industry – 30 enterprises;
− electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply – 8 enterprises;
− water supply, sewage, waste management – 2 enterprises
The community has land plots at its disposal that are potentially attractive for investment and agriculture. This is especially relevant given the medium- and long-term expectations of transport accessibility (railway hub and international connections).
The processing industry in the territory of the Kivertsi urban territorial community is quite diversified. The community has food processing, woodworking, chemical industry, metalworking, rubber and plastic products manufacturing enterprises, and others.
From the point of view of economic development, the community can also interest tourists passing through the community, which will increase the revenue from the tourist tax. On its territory, there is already a hotel- and restaurant-business facility, “President SPA Hotel” on state road P-14, which shows the potential for the development of a tourism- based economy.
The education sector in the Kivertsi urban territorial community operates effectively, for which the largest part of the community budget is allocated. On the territory of the community there are 13 secondary education institutions, 10 preschool education institutions, 1 culture center, 13 club institutions, 10 libraries, a sports school, an after-school education center, an inclusive resource center, a music school, and a museum.
Much attention is paid to children with special educational needs, who receive psychological, pedagogical and correctional services in education institutions. Specialists of various profiles work with children, whose task is to help each child integrate into society.
The community also hosts annual folk festivities “Ivana Kupala FEST” on the occasion of one of the most colorful summer holidays, which has become a real theatrical event that brings together community residents, guests, and tourists.
Charity float fishing tournaments are held in the Kivertsi community on Lake Molodizhne.
The community has various sports grounds with artificial turf and 2 stadiums in the town of Kivertsi and the village of Trostianets. The local youth football team won the district football tournament.
Community and War
From the first days of the war, the community’s residents showed their determination and courage, not hesitating to defend their homeland from russian aggression.
More than 800 men defend Ukraine in the ranks of the Armed Forces of Ukraine today. To date, 78 soldiers from the community have fallen, there are also missing and seriously injured defenders.
Volunteering in the community during the war became a true symbol of cohesion and support. In these difficult times, residents united to help each other and support the Ukrainian defenders. A Coordination Center was created at the Town Council, where the collection of food, medicine, and warm clothes for military personnel and internally displaced persons was organized. Volunteers make camouflage nets, knit warm socks and mittens to support Ukrainian fighters on the front lines. Families that found themselves homeless due to the hostilities also receive significant support.
A residential building for internally displaced persons has been constructed in the village of Trostianets with funds from the European Union and NEFCO.
Community People
Kivertsi Town Mayor Oleksandr Kovalchuk was first elected to the position of Trostianetsk Village Mayor in 2015. Then he was re-elected to the position of the Town Mayor in 2020 and has held this post since then.
From the first days of russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the Kivertsi community began to accept internally displaced persons who were forced to leave their homes seeking safety. A decision was immediately made to create the Coordination Center of the Kivertsi Town Council for the period of martial law.
The center’s first priority was to open a 24-hour multi-channel hotline for communication, rapid response, and assistance to persons who arrived and needed any help. A form was also developed to collect information about the needs of the displaced persons and the ability of community residents to assist them (with housing, food, things, etc.).
Employees of the Town Council and its executive committee organized a 24-hour duty, during which information was collected about IDPs and their needs to study the situation in the community and further monitor it in the Volyn Regional Military Administration.
On the territory of the Kivertsi community, checkpoints were set up by the town’s volunteer units and law enforcement officers, who referred the arrivals to the Coordination Center at the Kivertsi Town Council. Information about the work and location of the Coordination Center was also posted on the official website and groups on social networks.
In one of the premises belonging to the Kivertsi Town Council, a Social Shop has been opened to provide humanitarian aid to IDPs and, in the future, to community residents (in the form of clothing, food). The Kivertsi community is a member of the “Good Communities” coalition, whose creation was initiated by the NGO Cehrin. Thanks to the support of Prozorro, the territorial community reports monthly on the humanitarian aid received and used.
The Coordination Center has processed over 15,000 requests from community residents for humanitarian aid, including 4,000 requests from families of military personnel and 250 from internally displaced persons. The Center’s specialists do their best to respond to all requests quickly and provide the necessary items in a timely manner.
Development Strategy
The effective work of the Kivertsi community is based on strategic planning of activities. Since November 2021, the Kivertsi urban territorial community has been a partner community of the USAID Governance and Local Accountability (HOVERLA) Activity in the Volyn region and a Memorandum of Intent has been signed with the USAID “HOVERLA” Project.
The project is being implemented by DAI GLOBAL LLC (DAI), which demonstrates the successful and effective work of the Town Council towards the decentralization of local government in Ukraine.
The Kivertsi Town Council implemented more than two dozen projects together with the USAID “HOVERLA” Project. Also, it wrote and approved the Development Strategy until 2027 jointly with the Local Economic Development Agency of the Yavoriv Area within the framework of the project “Strategic Analysis and Recommendations for Empowering Local Governments and Communities through Relevant Strategic Documents” which was made possible thanks to the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
The main tasks of local authorities include:
- formation of high-quality road and roadside infrastructure in the community
- modernization of the housing stock and engineering infrastructure of the community
- formation of environmental awareness among community residents
- development of physical culture and sports, popularization of a healthy lifestyle
- development of municipal institutions and enterprises
- modernization of education institutions and improvement of the system of providing preschool, after-school and general secondary education services
- improvement of the efficiency of the waste management system
- introduction of energy-saving technologies
- updating and production of planning, urban planning documents, a comprehensive spatial development plan
- ensuring of environmental safety and protection of the population and territories from man-made and natural emergencies.
List of Sources
- Official website of the Kivertsi Town Council – kivrada.gov.ua
- Official Facebook page of the Village Council facebook.com
- Official website – First Information Agency “Volyn News” – volynnews
- Online media – VolynPost – VolynPost (volynpost.com)
- NEFCO information website – nefco.int
- Official Facebook page of the Tsumanska Pushcha National Park – facebook.com