Resilience Point in Prykolotne: How a Community in Kharkiv Region Is Strengthening Its Resilience Despite the War

Volodymyr Petrovych Sitnikov lives in the village of Prykolotne in Kupiansk district, Kharkiv region, and works in the municipal sector. He remains at home, despite the frontline being very close. As he puts it simply: “I will hold on for as long as I can. It is hard to leave your home.”

The community endured seven months of occupation. Today, there is no regular public transport, and three agricultural enterprises are no longer operating. Around 500 residents live from one delivery of food supplies to the next. The roads and railway junction are under constant shelling.

When the opportunity arose to apply for a mini-grant, Volodymyr Petrovych and the community initially considered setting up a stop for a social bus. However, shelling quickly destroyed that plan—along with the bus stop itself. It became clear that any gathering place in a frontline community poses a risk. Moreover, transport no longer reaches the village.

“We realised that we needed to think differently, prioritising safety and people’s basic needs—those things that are essential in everyday life,” he explains.

A solution was found quickly. The most pressing challenges were power outages and the lack of communication. This is precisely what the community decided to address through the mini-grant programme.

“Electricity cuts happen all the time. People need to stay in touch with their families and loved ones. They need a place where they can always charge their phones and access the internet,” says Volodymyr Petrovych.

The idea quickly turned into action. Once confirmation was received that the grant had been approved, there was no delay. Equipment was purchased immediately, because every day mattered.

As a result, the community established a solar-powered resilience point where residents can charge their devices and access the internet even during emergency power outages.

“It helps enormously. We take the panels outside, they charge quickly, and the power lasts for a long time. Now, at least, there is some stability in knowing that communication will not disappear completely,” says Volodymyr Petrovych.

People come to the resilience point every day. With the arrival of spring, residents of Prykolotne have even begun planting vegetable gardens again, little by little, so they can grow their own food. Despite everything, people are doing their best to carry on and rebuild their lives, even in such difficult circumstances.

“People come to us all the time. Some need to charge their devices; others simply want to check whether there is a connection. It gives people peace of mind. We are deeply grateful for this support—it is truly felt here, on the ground,” Volodymyr Petrovych says sincerely.

The project is implemented by the NGO Responsible Citizens in partnership with JERU – Joint Emergency Response in Ukraine (Welthungerhilfe and Concern Worldwide), with financial support from the Ukraine Humanitarian Fund (UHF).

United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs / OCHA Ukraine