On December 5, USAID launched the USAID/ENGAGE Note project, under which educational institutions, non-profit organizations, and self-employed individuals in Ukraine will receive 5000 modern laptops with licensed software.
ABOUT THE PROJECT.
The national project “SOPHIA Note” is the result of joint efforts of international donors, business, Ukrainian volunteers and government. The project is being implemented within the framework of the USAID Youth Program “Dreaming and Acting”, implemented by IREX in partnership with the Ministry of Youth and Sports of Ukraine and the Ukrainian volunteer platform “SpilDiya”, as well as HP Inc. and Microsoft, which provided laptops and licensed software.
Applications for the first wave of the project started on December 5 and will last until December 15. The initiative is being implemented throughout Ukraine, except for the temporarily occupied territories.
The project aims to support Ukrainian youth in access to education, response services and self-realization during the war. The distribution of laptops will take place in close cooperation with educational institutions, organizations and foundations working with and for young people and engaged in important educational and social tasks for communities, helping vulnerable groups. The devices will also be provided to self-employed Ukrainians who really need them.
The main goal is to give Ukrainian youth the tools to solve problems at the local, regional and national levels, to promote youth initiatives.
WHO CAN APPLY AND HOW TO GET THE LAPTOP(S)?
The application can be submitted by:
– schools seeking to provide children who do not have equipment for learning;
– public organizations / charitable foundations / other educational and creative non-profit organizations and initiatives
– self-employed persons.
To participate in the first wave of the competition, you must submit an application by December 15 (inclusive). All details on the necessary steps and criteria can be found on the website of the volunteer association “SpivDia” spivdiia.org.ua/notebook
Applications will be processed from the first day of the project and will be checked by case managers of “SpivDia Note” as they are received. Priority will be given to applicants (including self-employed persons) who really need the laptop(s) to provide access to training, improve or create opportunities to provide response services for children and youth, as well as for the professional realization of young Ukrainians.
QUOTE.
Iryna Tuliakova, Founder and Executive Director of the “SpilDiya” Foundation.
“Since the first days of the full-scale war, SodDiya has been uniting volunteer, public, state initiatives and business to support Ukrainians. Today we are launching the “SpilDiya Note” project to support those who help others and want to increase their usefulness. I am grateful to our partners – USAID/ENGAGE, IREX, HP Inc. and Microsoft for their systematic support of young people and trust in the implementation of the program. Let’s work together for victory!” said Iryna Tuliakova, founder and CEO of the “SOPHIA” Foundation.
Mehri Drakman, Director of the program “Dreaming and Acting” / IREX.
“Young people are able to develop and implement effective solutions in response to the urgent needs of Ukrainian society. From the first days of the volunteer platform “SpilDiya” USAID “Dreaming and Acting” program has been actively supporting its development, and now we are implementing such a large-scale project as “SpilDiya Note”, using the mechanism developed by young people to provide humanitarian assistance, educational and social services to the civilian population”
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
USAID/ENGAGE is a 5-year program aimed at developing and supporting youth in Ukraine, creating an enabling environment in which young people will have the opportunity to realize their dreams, ideas and visions for the country’s development. Using a youth-centered approach – not for young people, but with young people – the program promotes youth innovation, entrepreneurship, increased participation in community decision-making and problem-solving at the national level, and strengthens the potential of Ukrainian youth to be a driving force for pluralism and respect for diversity. “Dreaming and Acting” engages young people in the development and implementation of projects and initiatives, and conducts research to inform youth policy and move towards effective and sustainable change.
Since the beginning of a full-scale Russian invasion Ukraine has supplied to foreign markets 32.2 million tons of grain, pulses, oilseeds and their products, according to the website of the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine.
At the same time in November 2022 5.9 million tons of agricultural products were shipped from the country, which is 1 million tons less than in the first October and September. By crops, 1.6 million tons of wheat (20% less than in October) and 2 million tons of corn (13% less) were shipped from Ukraine during a month.
In turn, exports of sunflower oil in November compared to the previous month increased by 8%, to 466 thousand tons, sunflower seed – by 27%, to 377 thousand tons, soybean – by 67%, to 385 thousand tons, while shipments of rapeseed decreased by almost half, to 412 thousand tons, meal of all kinds – by 25%, to 344 tons, soybean oil – by 36%, to 16 tons.
According to the Ministry of Agrarian Policy, 34.3% of foreign shipments of agricultural products in November were corn, 26.8% – corn, 7.9% – sunflower oil, 7.0% – rape, 6.5% – soybeans, 6.4% – sunflower seeds, 5.8% – meal, 5.0% – barley, 0.3% – soybean oil.
In addition, in the first nine months of the war from Ukraine exported 12.3 million tons of corn (38.2% of the total), 7.0 million tons of wheat (21.8%); 2.8 million tons of rape (8.6%); 2.8 million tons of sunflower oil (8.6%); 2.4 million tons of sunflower seed (7.4%); 1.9 million tons of meal (5.8%); 1.5 million tons of barley (4.7%); 1.3 million tons of soybeans (4.2%) and 168 tys. tons of soybean oil (0.5%).
As reported, in October and September, Ukraine exported 6.9 million tons of agricultural products, in August – 4.6 million tons, in July – 3.0 million tons, in June – 2.7 million tons, in May – 1.74 million tons, in April – 0.96 million tons and in March – 0.33 million tons.
Before Russia’s full-scale military invasion, Ukraine exported an average of 5-6 million tons of agricultural products per month, mostly through its maritime infrastructure in the Black Sea.
Mining and Metallurgical Group “Metinvest” continues to support defenders of Ukraine and in November at enterprises of Krivoy Rog the company manufactured and transferred to the military 12 metal shelters that will strengthen the trenches and protect soldiers from artillery fire.
According to a company press release, the modular shelters are produced by teams of fitters and electric and gas welders at different enterprises of the group. The structures are assembled from corrugated steel according to an advanced design, taking into account the needs of the military. Each structure is six meters long and more than two meters in diameter, but can be easily disassembled for transportation and relocation to other positions. Specialists spend about 400 hours to produce one such construction.
It is noted that the modular shelters for the military are multifunctional. Inside each of them they dispose of six wooden beds and make a lifting floor that can be used as a storage area. They also installed special compartments for storing ammunition and strategic supplies, and heaters with clothes dryers were installed for warmth. The metal stoves were also used to cook food and boil water. In case of danger, defenders will be able to exit through the blocks with an emergency exit.
Protective structures are needed by the military to protect our nation’s borders and on the front lines. Within the framework of Rinat Akhmetov’s Steel Front militarized initiative, the company’s enterprises manufactured and delivered 40 reliable modular shelters to the Ukrainian military. Metinvest enterprises plan to produce them until the end of the war.
It is also reminded that in order to create comfortable conditions for the defenders during the cold season the workers of Kryvyi Rih enterprises delivered 300 huts to the front line. “Metinvest workers” also help the fighters with equipment, fuel, building materials and devices for arrangement of bunkers.
Another press release states that December 6 is the Armed Forces Day in Ukraine. “Metinvest congratulates the incredible Ukrainian military and thanks them for the opportunity to meet new mornings, live and work on their land.
“The whole world friendly to us and even enemies recognize that such a motivated, professional and brave army cannot be found – it is in Ukraine”, – stresses in the congratulation.
It is also noted that Metinvest’s Krivoy Rog enterprises have been side by side with the military since the first missile attack on the city. “We built defensive structures, produced metal hedgehogs, armor plates, provided equipment, fuel and spare parts, equipped the life of the defenders. In the workshops of the enterprises we produced burzhuyki to keep the soldiers warm. Metinvest Group provided all the mobilized workers with bullet-proof vests and helmets, and their families were supported by humanitarian aid from Saving Life. “Until the final Victory and after it Metinvest will be a reliable support of Ukraine and the AFU,” the statement summarizes.
“Metinvest is a vertically integrated group of mining and metallurgical enterprises. Enterprises of the group are mainly located in Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporozhye and Dnipropetrovsk regions.
The major shareholders of the holding are SCM Group (71.24%) and Smart Holding (23.76%) that manage it jointly.
Metinvest Holding LLC is the management company of Metinvest Group.
Hungarian Finance Minister Mihai Varga on behalf of the country spoke out against the adoption of legislative amendments by the European Council that would allow Ukraine to allocate EUR 18bn in macrofinancial aid plus in 2023.
Nevertheless, the EU will continue to seek a solution that would be supported by all member states.
“Hungary opposes the amendment of the financial legislation,” he said Tuesday in Brussels on the sidelines of the open part of the Economic and Financial Affairs Council.
In particular, Hungary opposed the amendment to the multiyear financial legislation, which must be passed unanimously.
At the same time, ministers voted by qualified majority macro-financial assistance plus (MFA+) and an amendment to the financial regulations.
Czech Finance Minister Zbigniew Stanjura, who chaired the meeting, commenting on the situation, said: “Unfortunately, we were not able to pass the package as a whole. Nevertheless, this will not cool down our ambitions to start allocating our aid to Ukraine from the beginning of January. I ask the Economic and Financial Committee to find an alternative solution. That means that we will have to find a solution that all countries will support. We will find a solution to support Ukraine.
All SCM enterprises are now working for the victory of Ukraine, including on the economic front, the owner of the company Rinat Akhmetov said in an interview with the Swiss edition Bilan.
“Wherever possible, we work for the needs of the front – we help the Ukrainian army and the terror defense forces. Our metallurgical plants produce anti-tank hedgehogs, modular shelters for dugouts, we have already produced and handed over 150 thousand body armor vests to our soldiers for free. Our power engineers heroically every day return light to the houses left without electricity due to constant shelling. We are all working for Ukraine’s victory, including on the economic front,” Akhmetov said.
According to him, the situation in the Ukrainian economy due to the war is extremely difficult, but businesses continue to work, preserving jobs and budget revenues.
“The situation in business now is very difficult – as in the entire Ukrainian economy. All of our enterprises have gone to work in military mode since the first day of the war. Because today our main goal is to help Ukrainians to survive and endure”, – stressed the owner of SCM.
Only for 9 months of 2022 SCM sent to the budget more than 60 billion UAH in taxes and fees.
“For us, SCM, the war began in 2014. Both in Crimea and in the temporarily occupied part of Donbass, we lost all assets. We lost businesses, but it hardened us and made us stronger. We have a very strong team where managers think not only about business, but also about people. I am convinced that we will win this war and come out of it stronger,” summed up Rinat Akhmetov.
As reported, Akhmetov’s businesses from the first days of the war were transferred to the military mode of operation, providing the Armed Forces and defense forces with armor, bulletproof vests and engineering structures made of steel.
Also Akhmetov’s businesses under his Steel Front initiative purchase drones, thermal imagers, radios and other equipment for the needs of the military. Since the start of the war, Rinat Akhmetov’s Foundation, his businesses and FC Shakhtar have donated UAH 3.5 billion in support and humanitarian aid to the armed forces.
