The Women Helping to Rebuild Ukraine 

When the couple’s car took a direct hit, however, they realized they had to stay put. For almost a year, Tetiana dreamed of returning to her hometown but by May 2023, it had been entirely destroyed.  

The school was set up to empower women leaders—heads of homeowner associations and NGO partners—in implementing IFC’s recommendations for resettling and integrating internally displaced persons (IDPs) into new communities. Additionally, it focuses on adapting housing management practices to the unique challenges posed by martial law, ensuring leaders are equipped to foster resilience and support within their communities. 

Not long after, with the backing of her co-residents, she set up a new homeowners’ association for her building in Pavlohrad, where she is now once again advocating for repairs and improvements. 

“This building sheltered my family when we left Bakhmut and I feel a strong connection with it,” she says. “The longer I stay, the dearer it becomes. We had instances of no light and clogged sewers. As an HOA chair, I have a sharp eye and I’m fond of bringing things to order.  With an HOA, we can do a lot of good things.”  

Russia’s invasion has resulted in the massive destruction of civilian infrastructure and damaged thousands of buildings, creating an exodus of refugees and internally displaced people.  

IFC’s Energy Efficiency and Crisis Response program aims to address the housing sector’s most urgent needs—including restoring residential buildings damaged by Russian missiles that need window and roof repairs, or entrance hall and basement refurbishments. Both Tetiana and Marharyta have applied to the program for repairs to the buildings they manage. 

Thanks to more than €18.9 million provided in grants, over 330 buildings have been restored so far and 310 more are under construction, allowing more than 57,100 families to return and live in their own homes.  

In addition, IFC’s program ensures direct grants to municipalities to refurbish municipal buildings for internal refugees, providing Ukrainians with access to medium and long-term shelter in restored and renovated multifamily and municipal buildings—and laying the groundwork for the rapid delivery of affordable housing post-invasion. The program is on its way to restoring over 700 buildings, providing shelter for over 130,000 people.  Building upon the successful delivery of this crisis response program, the European Commission has just signed an agreement with IFC to top it up with an additional €14 million.  

In the meantime, the core work of the Energy Efficiency Fund is continuing, despite the invasion, to support energy-efficient renovations. The initial target of retrofitting 200 multifamily buildings has already been achieved and over 160 more are in progress.  

IFC’s Nguyen says the School of Women's Leadership is playing a crucial role in all these efforts. “It’s helping to strengthen the fabric of Ukrainian communities, and ensure they are better prepared to face challenges and rebuild in the aftermath of conflict.    

“Now I feel empowered to act,” says Tetiana. “I am so full of energy that I feel I must keep going, despite the war. Amid the continued destruction, I want to prove that doing positive things is possible.”