Ivano-Frankivsk (Ivano-Frankivsk Region), September 10: The representatives of United Nations Development Programme, Coca Cola Company and Ivano-Frankivsk local authorities discussed the opportunities of cooperation for engaging local communities in preserving and revival of water resources of Ukraine. The activities are planned in context of UNDP-led Municipal Governance and Sustainable Development Programme with replication of experience of Ivano-Frankivsk municipality, which has been an active partner since 2004.
The aim of UNDP-led Municipal Governance and Sustainable Development Programme (UNDP/MGSDP) is facilitating participatory governance for improving quality of life in Urban Ukraine. Ivano-Frankivsk municipality became Programme’s partner in 2004 and since then it widely uses community-based approach to local development. This approach envisages active engagement of local communities to solving social, economic and environmental problems.
With support of Ivano-Frankivsk City Council and UNDP/MGSDP, local communities implemented 75 projects for total cost of UAH 10.2 mn., which benefited more then 30 thousand city residents and demonstrated extraordinary success of cooperation of city council, international organisations and local communities. Owing to human resource development activities held by UNDP/MGSDP, local communities established community-based organisations of various types (Associations of Co-Owners of Multi-Apartment Buildings, public organizations etc).
The micro-projects of community-based organisations were mainly related with water supply, energy-saving and environment sector, like water pipes reconstruction, flat roof repair, introduction of heat consumption meters, premises repair etc. The projects of public organisations of schools were aimed at windows insulation, reconstruction of water supply and sanitation systems, toilets repair, sports ground construction, floor replacement and reconstruction of the premises of school canteen. The delegation of UNDP and Coca Cola company representatives learned the experience of Programme implementation in Ivano-Frankivsk municipality during visit to school #13, where the local community implemented the projects for toilets repair and sport ground construction for total cost of UAH 295 thousand.
The cooperation with UNDP/MGSDP and planning new initiative was discussed with participation of Victor ANUSCHKEVYCHUS, Ivano-Frankivsk City Mayor, BOGDAN BILYK, Department Head for economic and integration development of Ivano-Frankivsk City Council and Municipal Project Coordinator in Ivano-Frankivsk municipality, Oksana REMIGA, UNDP Senior Programme Manager, Iryna SKALIY, UNDP/MGSDP Project Manager, Kadri OZEN - Public Affairs Director, Coca-Cola Eurasia and Africa Group, Olga CHUMAK, Coca-Cola Ukraine Media Relations Manager, Bogachan BENLI, Regional Project Coordinator, Every Drop Matters Regional Water Partnership, Tatyana KUDINA, Programme Assistant, EDM Project Coordinator, UNDP.
In 2009, UNDP with support of ТМ “BonAqua” held a contest “Every Drop matters” (EDM). The contest aimed at engaging local communities to initiatives for preserving and rehabilitating water resources of Ukraine. In contest of the project the communities identified a natural spring, located in the immediate vicinity of the prime users, and with joint efforts and under the support of UNDP rehabilitated and created a recreational area, thus demonstrating willingness to join the initiative on preserving and protecting natural water resources and environment. In the framework of the project, a number of educational events were implemented, which involved local communities representing all cities, towns and villages throughout Ukraine. School communities were highly encouraged to participate.
The EDM Project is initiated with the aim to: 1) Revitalize and preserve natural water resource and environment; 2) Involve local communities into the Project thus promoting self-help approach to implementing important initiatives; 3) Raise awareness among the youth about the importance of preserving and protecting natural water resources and environment. Owing to the EDM Project, 15 local communities in 12 regions of Ukraine will receive high quality drinking water from revived natural sources by the end of 2009.
Oksana REMIGA, UNDP Senior Programme Manager said: “UNDP is enjoying cooperation with Ivano-Frankivsk municipality, because local communities apply innovative methods of effective use of resources. Local authorities for their own cost disseminate this experience among other communities of the municipality. Local authorities are watching carefully to the experiments of local communities”.
Speaking during the official meeting, Iryna SKALIY, UNDP/MGSDP Project Manager said:
«The quality of drinking water significantly influences the quality of life in Urban Ukraine. The efforts of international organizations aimed at improving the quality of water have great impact. Therefore, we hope that such work will be supported in future not only by international organizations and city councils, but also by business companies”.
UNDP/MGSDP was initiated in 2004 for promoting democratic governance aimed at improving the livelihoods of people in urban areas across Ukraine under the framework of public-private partnership. The Programme cooperates with local communities of citizens, academia, small businesses and civil society organizations in 23 municipalities and 5 settlements across Ukraine and other partners in private and public sectors. Together they apply various sustainable development mechanisms. Since 2004 till 2009, UNDP/MGSDP supported 200 local community projects with a total cost of UAH 23.7 mn. For more information on the Project's activities, please visit: http://msdp.undp.org.ua
For more details, please, contact www.msdp.undp.org.ua, Galyna Gulenko, Monitoring and Communications Officer of UNDP/MGSDP, by tel. (+8044) 5014203 or via e-mail: galyna.gulenko at undp.org.ua.
