Sofiivka Territorial Community

History

Sofiivka was founded by General Dunin between 1791 and 1796 and was named in honour of his bride, Sofia. Its colonization was connected with the settlement of the steppes between the Bazavluk and Saksahan rivers by order of the Novorossiysk Chancellery in 1770-1780.

By 1859, there were 4,011 citizens in the settlement. It had an Orthodox church and held 4 fairs a year. 

The wooden St. Nicholas Church was rebuilt in 1870.

And in 1904, the Dormitory Church was built of stone.

The Sofiivka Settlement Council was established in 1956. It included 5 settlements. Amalgamation of Sofiivka and Zaporizhzhia Village Councils to form the United Territorial Community in late 2016 became a new historical event. Sofiivka turned into the community centre. Three more village councils joined the Sofiivka territorial community in 2018 and 2019.

The Sofiivka Village Council founded the first decentralized festival “Christmas Star” in 2018.

It is a festival competition of verteps (Nativity plays) and ritual compositions. The aim of the “Christmas Star” is to develop Ukrainian amateur art; reproduce, popularize and preserve folk customs, holidays, traditions and rituals; promote the extension of the participants’ artistic outlook; enrich their spirituality; and establish creative relationships between amateur artists of local communities.

The festival is organized by the Dnipro Regional Office of the U-LEAD with Europe Programme together with the community.

“Christmas Star” has united 100 ensembles and 1,500 participants from 18 regions of Ukraine. The festival was viewed by more than 157 thousand viewers from all over Ukraine and 26 countries (the USA, the UK, Italy, Australia, Germany, Poland, the Czech Republic, Israel and many others). 

Economy and Welfare

The local economy is based on agricultural production.

There is a large sunflower oil plant in the community. The economic potential is in the development of agriculture, fish farming, and bee-keeping.

Today, the Sofiivka territorial community cooperates with many international partners, including:

– The DOBRE (Decentralization Offering Better Results and Efficiency) Program, funded through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), Global Communities;

– U-LEAD with Europe;

– Consulate of the Federal Republic of Germany in Donetsk (office in Dnipro);

– Ukrainian-Polish project Evaluacia;

– Cooperation within the framework of the GIZ programme funded by the Federal Republic of Germany.  

– USAID Project “Support for Agricultural and Rural Development”;

– U-LEAD with Europe within the framework of the e-solutions component for communities “E-governance and e-democracy”.

Community and War

Two volunteer offices were established in the community during the war. Also, the humanitarian centre was founded at the Sofiivka Settlement Council. It provides food and hygiene products to internally displaced persons and local residents in urgent need. 

Volunteer centres make tinned stewed meat, pates, dry borscht, cookies, crisps, pancakes, honey with nuts, ginger and lemon, and other products for our Armed Forces.

Almost 1,000 people moved to the Sofiivka Community in 2022 after the occupants’ invasion of Ukraine. They came from Donetsk, Luhansk, Kharkiv, Kherson, Zaporizhzhia regions and from the cities of Nikopol and Marhanets.

Today, 807 internally displaced persons live in the community, including 344 men, 463 women, and 222 children.

The community was not occupied and no military battles fought in its territory during the full-scale invasion.

Community People

Petro Sehedii has been the Head of the Sofiivka Community since 2010.

During his tenure as Settlement Head, he has initiated many projects, including as follows:

– a kindergarten was opened at the overhauled former primary school in Petrove;

– a 120-seat kindergarten was renovated in Sofiivka;

– a water supply pipeline was built to the villages of Petrove and Zaporizke, about 500 households and 2 schools were connected to the central water supply;

– external street lighting was installed in the community’s population centres.

– a modern parking area was constructed and the memorial sign “I love Sofiivka” was installed in Sofiivka;

– the Sofiivka basic school for 940 children and the Creativity Centre for 343 children were repaired;

– the Youth Public Council was established;

– medical equipment for the Physiotherapy Unit of the local hospital was purchased; 

– participation in the Ukrainian-Polish project Evaluacia and gaining international experience;

– a heating plant was built using alternative fuel. 

Development Strategy

In 2018, the Executive Committee of the Sofiivka Settlement Council, together with the working group members, developed the Sustainable Development Strategy of the Sofiivka Territorial Community for 2018-2028. It included the project “Revival of long forgotten crafts. Creation of a forging workshop in the Sofiivka community”. 

As part of the project, a special facility was equipped to house a forge.

Today, the blacksmith cooperates closely with the municipal enterprise, making garbage containers, park benches, and trash bins. 

In 2020, the largest building project in the community was implemented. The local school was overhauled using energy-saving technologies. The Sofiivka basic school was renamed the Sofiivka Lyceum of the Sofiivka Settlement Council in 2022. The lyceum is designed for 800 pupils and has modern multimedia equipment and furniture.

A large-scale project to overhaul three kindergartens was implemented in 2021. Today, 500 community children can receive preschool education here. 

List of Sources

Sustainable Development Strategy of the Sofiivka Settlement Territorial Community for 2018-2028.

Data provided by the Director of the Museum of Local History.