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Shulhynka Territorial Community
Population:
The Shulhynka Rural Territorial Community is located on the territory of the Starobilsk district, Luhansk region.
The total area of the territory is 33.61 thousand hectares (84% of the community’s territory are rural lands)
The population of the community as of January 01, 2021 was 4,377 people
Men: 2,151
Women: 2,226
The community includes 12 villages. The administrative centre is located in the village of Shulhynka.
History
The oldest population centre in the Starobilsk district, the village of Shulhynka celebrated its 400th anniversary in 2008.
The Shulhynka rural territorial community was created though the merger of 4 village councils: Shulhynka, Baydivka, Hvorostyanivka and Malokhatka. The ancient history of the community begins in the 16th century, when it was founded by Ataman Shulheyko, the place got its name – Shulhyne town, and the small river flowing through it was called Shulha (which means left), which is the left channel of the Aydar. In the middle of the 17th century, the settlement became a guard town and was constantly transformed under the influence of historical events.
In 1914, a roller steam mill was built in Shulhynka, then the district’s most modern mill and the only one that ensured the production of flour of the highest quality. The mill functions to this day.
Today it is the main estate of the community.
Economy and Welfare
Economically, the community has mostly an agrarian focus. 37 agricultural enterprises operate here.
During a full-scale invasion and occupation, entrepreneurs help the residents in every possible way.
One of the brave entrepreneurs, Mykola Solodukha, supports the residents of the community with necessary food products, refuses to collaborate with the occupiers and constantly maintains contact with the community authorities.
A significant breakthrough in the development of the village was the implementation of the New Village project under the programme of the President of Ukraine. In just three months, a modern service centre with the latest IT technologies, was built and solar batteries and benches with the function of recharging gadgets were installed.
The service centre also has a post office, a pharmacy, a police station, a grocery store adapted for people with disabilities, a park and playgrounds.
In the future, the community plans to develop the agricultural sector, as it has fertile land convenient for business.
Community and War
On February 27, 2022, regular troops of the Russian Federation invaded the territory of the community.
On the first day, the Russian military engaged in mass looting (robbing of shops and administrative buildings).
Residents of the community began to organize peaceful protests against the invasion of Russia.
Thanks to the solidarity of the staff of the village council and the donations of the community residents, an aid headquarters was organized for displaced persons and vulnerable groups of the population to distribute food and household items. Local farmers helped the residents and delivered milk despite all the risks.
People of the Community
Head of the community Nataliya Petrenko was born in the village of Novoaydar in 1980. She has been in local self-government since 2006. She was a deputy of the local council for three convocations. In 2017, she was elected secretary of the Shulhynka Village Council. In September 2020, she was elected village head of the Shulhynka community.
She successfully implemented projects from the Ukrainian Women’s Fund as a community mobilizer. This project protects women’s rights and promotes gender equality in all areas.
In 2021, she successfully implemented the powerful project – New Ukrainian Village – under the presidential program. The New Ukrainian Village is a modern space in which Administrative Services Centres, a post office, a pharmacy implementing the Affordable Medicines programme, police checkpoints, shops, maintenance centres, a fire station, a medical centre, etc. will operate. The surrounding area has a sports complex, children’s playgrounds, village clubs, modern lighting, renovated road surface, bicycle and jogging paths.
At the beginning of 2022, a memorandum was signed with the SOS Children’s Towns charitable foundation on the creation of a modern centre for families with children.
Many residents of the community stood up for the defence of Ukraine from the first days of the war. To this day, they are gloriously holding the fort.
Since 2014, the volunteer movement in support of the defenders of Ukraine has been headed by the head teacher of the Shulhynka Lyceum, Halyna Haliyeva, whose husband and son have been at the forefront since the first days. Despite the threat, the courageous team of teachers of the Shulhynka Lyceum did not betray Ukraine and refused to cooperate with the occupation authorities.
Development Strategy
A centre with developed agriculture, open for investment, the Shulhynka rural united community is a comfortable area for living with a developed and accessible infrastructure and quality services.
A memorandum was signed on the implementation of the project entitled Children’s Towns on the creation of a modern centre for families with children.
In 2022, a powerful project from the World Bank to support the community’s farmers was supposed to be started.
The community strives to develop powerful agriculture in the Black Earth region, establish tourist routes and become attractive for life and recreation.
It also aims to be a capable, comfortable, safe, and active community with professional local self-government in all spheres.