In the Truskavets community, all pupils from Years 1 to 11 in eight schools, including 95 pupils of Oriava school, are provided with free hot lunches. For schoolchildren from this mountain village, this is especially important, as some of them have to cover several, and sometimes more than ten, kilometres every day to get to school.
At first, the community only provided free meals for children from priority categories. The programme was later expanded, and now hot lunches are available to all pupils in the schools concerned.
In February 2024, after a major refurbishment, the school canteen in Oriava school reopened. Using funds from the local budget, the kitchen and dining hall were completely updated: the premises, roof, water supply and electrical system were repaired, the windows and doors were replaced, and modern kitchen equipment, furniture and tableware were purchased. Total expenditure amounted to about 800 thousand hryvnias.
The community receives a targeted state subvention for organising children’s meals, while the upkeep of the canteen continues to be financed from the city budget. The daily menu includes porridge, vegetables and salads, meat and fish dishes, fresh fruit and drinks. According to the pupils, the portions are filling and they like the food, so they look forward to lunchtime with particular interest.
The community emphasises that such programmes are not only a form of support for families, but also an investment in children’s health, comfort and decent learning conditions.