On 25 November in Kyiv, the Impact.Zhytomyr 2.0 Forum took place—the final event of an educational program aimed at strengthening local initiatives to attract international investment for Ukraine’s recovery and sustainable development.
More than 60 participants in Impact.Zhytomyr 2.0 received three months of individual mentoring from Civitta UA experts, learning how to develop competitive projects that can secure funding and drive change in the region.
The forum was attended by Mariin Ratnik, Deputy Secretary General for Economic and Development Affairs at Estonia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Vitalii Bunechko, Head of the Zhytomyr Regional State Administration; Klen Jaarts, representing the Estonian Centre for International Development (ESTDEV); as well as representatives of the Embassies of Estonia and Switzerland in Ukraine. The event brought together local self-government leaders from over 20 communities in the region and international partners, including representatives of Enabel, the German Marshall Fund (GMF), EIB JASPERS, and SIDA.
“Estonia constantly supports Ukraine in its efforts to win this war and achieve peace. We help rebuild Ukraine not only with cement and bricks, but also by strengthening the resilience of its people through knowledge exchange and developing the competence of local officials. I am glad to see the excellent results of Impact Zhytomyr 2.0. Now it’s your turn to make a real impact,” said Mariin Ratnik.
The Impact.Zhytomyr program is an opportunity to strengthen local initiatives, turn ideas into a clear plan, and attract more international investment to the region investment that will contribute to Ukraine’s recovery and long-term sustainable development.
Vitalii Bunechko emphasized that since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion, Estonia was the first international partner to respond to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s call to partner with one of Ukraine’s regions in recovery projects. Together with ESTDEV, a number of important initiatives have already been implemented in education, healthcare, support for displaced people, and community development, with more underway or planned.
Project concepts presented at the forum
Finalist teams pitched project concepts for Zhytomyr Region communities, including:
- revitalization of the Zhovten cinema and creation of the “Zshyto” creative economy hub in Zhytomyr;
- a children’s extracurricular education center, a pediatric center, and a safe video surveillance system in Berdychiv;
- STEM labs in Brusyliv;
- the “NE_SYDY_MOLOD” youth space in the Horodnytsia community;
- energy-efficient modernization of a lyceum in the Luhyny community;
- the “Future Is Here” career guidance center in the Semenivka community;
- mobile medical teams with mammography services for five communities in the region;
- a waste-sorting eco-initiative in the Cherniakhiv community;
- a psychosocial support system for medical workers in Ovruch;
- modernization of wastewater treatment facilities in the Irshansk community.
The winner
The jury named “Mobile Medicine for Remote Communities of Zhytomyr Region” the winner. The project aims to provide accessible diagnostics and mammography for women in smaller communities—Olevsk, Slovechne, Ovruch, Hradkovets, and Narodychi—promoting medical equity and equal access. The winners received a symbolic “ticket to Tallinn” and an experience-sharing trip to Estonia.
The forum also featured a rapid-fire pitching session in a “speed networking” format between finalist teams and development partners.
About the program
Impact.Zhytomyr 2.0 is a continuation of Impact.Zhytomyr 1.0, implemented by Civitta in partnership with the University of Tartu with support from ESTDEV.
The first phase focused on strengthening local governments’ institutional capacity to design and implement internationally funded projects, with a particular focus on EU funding. More than 280 participants from 64 communities gained practical skills in project management, stakeholder engagement, and sustainable development. As a result, 150 participants developed 63 project concepts and submitted grant applications.
According to ESTDEV’s Head of Development Cooperation in Ukraine Margus Hering, improving the capacity of local authorities will significantly accelerate Ukraine’s recovery and help it meet EU standards. ESTDEV Executive Director Klen Jaarts added that the goal of both phases is to equip community leaders with practical knowledge and tools to implement projects effectively and take advantage of opportunities that cooperation with the EU already provides—both on the path to membership and after accession.
Yaroslav Zhydyk, Associate Partner at Civitta and Head of Regional Development at EasyBusiness, noted that analytical thinking, understanding the logic of change, and knowledge of donor requirements are crucial for a strong application—skills that participants strengthened through Impact.Zhytomyr and Impact.Zhytomyr 2.0.
Ivanna Didur, Associate Partner at Civitta, emphasized that teaching communities how to write projects is only part of the work; it is equally important to build a culture of partnership and cooperation. These changes have already begun in Zhytomyr Region and could become a model for other regions, as communities across the country face similar challenges.
Since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion, Estonia has supported Zhytomyr Region’s recovery. The country has already allocated over €50 million for recovery and development projects over the next three years, including €12 million for 2025. These funds are sustaining key initiatives that are changing life in Zhytomyr Region communities.
Note: The IMPACT. Zhytomyr 2.0 program is implemented by the consulting company Civitta with support from the Government of Estonia, ESTDEV, the Zhytomyr Regional State Administration, and the Zhytomyr Regional Development Agency. The program’s information partner is EasyBusiness NGO.