Empowering Vulnerable Girls in STEM - Ukraine

The year 2025 has been a significant milestone for our project “Empowering Vulnerable Girls in STEM”. Despite the challenges Ukraine continues to face during wartime, we have remained steadfast in our mission: to provide children and young people, especially girls from vulnerable backgrounds, with access to modern educational opportunities in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).

Through our initiatives, we strive to reduce inequality, strengthen democratic values, and equip the younger generation with the knowledge and skills needed to rebuild and develop Ukraine. This report highlights the progress achieved so far, the inspiring feedback we have received from students and teachers, and the ambitious plans we have for expanding the program across the country.

The Sumy region is among the hardest hit educationally due to relentless Russian shelling. From February 24, 2022, to September 9, 2024, Russian attacks damaged 201 educational institutions, with 10 schools completely destroyed. In 2024 alone, the region endured over 18,000 shelling attacks, which injured more than 50 children and led to mass displacement and severe interruptions in learning. According to recent estimates, students in Sumy missed an average of 39,900 lessons per month between September 2024 and February 2025 because of air raid alarms, evacuations, and power outages. These numbers highlight the urgent need for resilient, safe, and inspiring educational spaces — making STEM classrooms in this region not just a matter of opportunity, but of survival and recovery.

Key Achievements in 20251. Renovation of STEM Classrooms 

• We completed the full renovation of a STEM classroom at Novopetrivska Gymnasium in Kyiv Oblast, which included cosmetic repairs, new furniture, modern laboratory equipment, and essential chemical reagents.
  
  
• In Sumy Oblast, another STEM classroom is currently under renovation, with similar upgrades to ensure that students have access to contemporary learning environments.
  
  
• These classrooms were awarded as a result of our STEM Challenge competition, ensuring that students who demonstrated creativity and innovation now have the tools to continue their educational journey in improved conditions.
  
  

Feedback from children emphasizes how much they value having a modern and inspiring space to learn, while teachers note that these classrooms significantly raise the motivation and engagement of their students.

STEM Challenge 2025

Together with our partner Mondelez Ukraine, we organized the first-ever STEM Challenge across schools in Petriivska (Kyiv Oblast) and Trostianetska (Sumy Oblast) communities.

• Students from grades 7–10 developed their own STEM projects: experiments, prototypes, and scientific research.
  
  
• A total of 9 projects from 8 schools were submitted, demonstrating remarkable creativity and enthusiasm for STEM.
  
  
• Projects were evaluated by an expert jury across five criteria:
  - Innovativeness
  - Educational significance
  - Practical applicability
  - Technical complexity
  - Presentation skills
  
  

Grand Prix Winners:

• “Smart Greenhouse” – Novopetrivska Gymnasium
  
  
• “Eco-friendly Soap for Children” – Trostianets Branch of Lyceum No. 3
  
  

These schools have already started preparations for upgrading their physics and chemistry classrooms, ensuring that their achievements are recognized with tangible educational benefits.

Encouragement Prizes:

• Lyceum No. 1, Trostianets City Council
  
  
• Petriivskyi Lyceum
  
  

This competition not only inspired students but also demonstrated how deeply motivated Ukrainian youth are to explore science and technology as tools for change.

Impact and Feedback

From Teachers:
Teachers expressed gratitude for the new facilities, noting that modern laboratories create more engaging and effective learning environments. They emphasized how updated equipment will enhance the quality of experiments and foster more interactive lessons.

From Students:
Children highlighted how important it is for them to feel part of a modern educational process. Many said that having access to STEM labs motivates them to dream bigger and consider future careers in science, technology, or engineering.

This direct feedback confirms that the project addresses real needs in schools and has a transformative impact on both the learning process and the aspirations of students.

Future Plans

The project is gaining momentum. Beyond classroom renovations and competitions, we are preparing a wide range of activities to expand access to STEM education:

• STEM Challenges – annual competitions to stimulate innovation among schoolchildren.
  
  
• STEM Classrooms – further renovations across different regions.
  
  
• STEM Day Camps – short-term educational camps at schools.
  
  
• STEM Residential Camps – immersive multi-day programs outside schools.
  
  
• STEM Lessons Competition – engaging teachers to share best practices.
  
  
• National Conferences – including events for Girls in ICT Day and Girls in Technology Day.
  
  
• Mentorship Programs – pairing girls with STEM professionals for guidance and support.

Scaling the Project Nationwide

As of today, the project has already established 71 regional branches (multipliers), covering nearly all oblasts of Ukraine, including Kyiv, Kharkiv, Mykolaiv, Sumy, Odesa, Zaporizhzhia, Dnipropetrovsk, Lviv, Vinnytsia, Chernihiv, Cherkasy, Khmelnytskyi, Kherson, Ternopil, Rivne, Poltava, Luhansk, Donetsk, Kirovohrad, Ivano-Frankivsk, Zhytomyr, and Volyn.

Our next steps include:

1. Exchange of Educational Methodologies – joint development and sharing of effective educational practices in STEM and leadership.
   
   
2. International Educational Camps – bringing together youth from different countries to promote cultural exchange, global citizenship, and innovation.
   
   
3. Online Platforms – launching knowledge hubs, courses, and digital resources to connect young learners with global STEM opportunities.
   
   

Why This Project Matters

This initiative is more than building classrooms. It is about building confidence, resilience, and vision among Ukrainian youth, especially girls. By investing in STEM, we are investing in the future innovators, scientists, and leaders who will rebuild Ukraine and contribute to global progress.

Teachers and students repeatedly share that this project gives them hope and motivation. In their words, these initiatives prove that “our voices matter, our knowledge matters, and our future matters.”

How the Blagomay Charity Fund Supports STEM in Ukraine

At Blagomay, we are committed to making modern education accessible to every child, regardless of where they live or their social background.

By investing in STEM education, we open up new opportunities, help children discover their passions in science and technology, and shape a new generation that will build Ukraine’s future.

Call to Action

The “Empowering Vulnerable Girls in STEM” project is just gaining momentum, and we need your continued support to scale its impact. Together, we can ensure that more classrooms are modernized, more girls are empowered, and more communities see the transformative power of education.

Your contributions directly translate into opportunities: new equipment, renovated learning spaces, mentorship programs, and nationwide outreach. Let’s build a strong educational community that will lead Ukraine toward recovery and growth.

Thank you for being part of this journey.