Making Room for Childhood

Feb. 24, 2026

Knights of Columbus sponsors the renovation of two schools and the construction of a new playground amid Ukraine’s hard-hit educational system

By Kateryna Kolodii

Feb. 24, 2026

A ceremony marks the completed restoration of St. Basil the Great Kindergarten in Ivano-Frankivsk, Ukraine. — State Treasurer Myroslav Mazur, Auxiliary Bishop Mykola Semenyshyn of the Ivano-Frankivsk Archeparchy, a student, and priests take part in a ceremony marking the completed restoration of St. Basil the Great Kindergarten on Nov. 21, 2025, in Ivano-Frankivsk, Ukraine.

The war in Ukraine has had a profound impact on the country’s educational system. By some estimates, more than 4,000 educational facilities have been destroyed since Russia’s full-scale invasion began nearly four years ago. Before the war, Ukraine had approximately 15,000 kindergartens; today, about 12,000 remain. In many communities, kindergartens operate part time, at reduced capacity or in unsuitable buildings.

Against this tragic backdrop, initiatives aimed at constructing and restoring children’s spaces are essential for the safety and well-being of future generations. Three such projects were recently implemented with help from the Knights of Columbus: the restoration of a Catholic kindergarten in Ivano-Frankivsk; the rebuilding of a catechetical school in Lviv after a missile attack; and the construction of a new playground in Kharkiv, a city near the front lines.

“Beyond the purely economic or material, our support instills in people a belief that goodness exists,” said State Treasurer Myroslav Mazur. “There are capable men ready to help — this gives people a sense of confidence.”

‘OUR CHILDREN DESERVE THE BEST’

The St. Basil the Great Lyceum in Ivano-Frankivsk dates back to the 17th century. Originally a bishop’s residence, the building that now houses the Lyceum’s kindergarten was seized by the communist authorities in the 1930s and at one point used as a base of operations for the NKVD, the Soviet secret police. After Ukraine gained independence, the city government returned the building to the eparchy.

“After the building was returned to us, we decided to create a Catholic kindergarten there,” said Father Ivan Hornetskyi, finance officer of the Ukrainian Catholic Archeparchy of Ivano-Frankivsk.

“The building’s interior required significant restoration,” Father Hornetskyi said of the 2020-2024 project. “We turned to the Knights of Columbus.”

The Order’s Ukraine Solidarity Fund supported renovation efforts, including replacing the floors in 2024.

“Thanks to [the Knights], we were able to complete the restoration of the kindergarten,” Father Hornetskyi said. “Now everything is beautiful and high quality, and children are already learning and growing here.”

The capacity of the kindergarten is 75 children; enrollment is currently at 56. “Our children deserve the best,” said Father Hornetskyi of the updated building, “so that later they can give back, bear fruit, become good citizens, and work for the good of our country and the Church.”

Through the kindergarten, the Church responds to the needs of the city. “Due to the situation in Ukraine, and in our city in particular, there are not always enough facilities in the municipal educational network,” said Father Markiyan Bukatchuk, the kindergarten’s director. “Our kindergarten is the Church’s contribution to addressing this social issue.” The school also welcomes several children from internally displaced families, mainly from Kyiv and Kharkiv, Father Bukatchuk said.

“We are very grateful for [the Order’s support] and hope for continued cooperation,” said Father Hornetskyi.

The Knights’ support for the archeparchy goes beyond the renovation. “There are internally displaced people living in our church buildings,” Father Hornetskyi noted. “And the Knights regularly help — with clothing, with gifts for St. Nicholas Day or by organizing trips.”

Knights from Blessed Hryhoriy Lakota Council 17651 restore a catechetical school in Lviv, Ukraine. — Knights from Blessed Hryhoriy Lakota Council 17651 restore a catechetical school damaged by a Russian missile strike, Nov. 11, 2025, in Lviv, Ukraine.

‘EVERYTHING WAS DAMAGED’

The catechetical school at the parish of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Lviv has long been a center of spiritual and community life.

On Oct. 5, 2025, the catechetical school was damaged during a Russian attack on Lviv, causing significant destruction to the building.

“All the windows were blown out,” said Ivan Horbach, grand knight of Blessed Hryhoriy Lakota Council 17651. “As a result, everything inside was damaged — the plaster, the walls, the doors — everything.”

Before the attack, the catechetical school educated about 400 children from two local secondary schools in the faith. Knights from the parish regularly hosted activities for the students, including the House of St. Nicholas, where children came to receive gifts.

In the wake of the missile strike, the parish community and Knights of Council 17651 responded immediately, removing debris and completing urgent repairs.

“Children came with brooms and swept; parents helped,” recalled Horbach. “Some people cleared the building, others removed debris, and some made tea to keep everyone warm. It really felt like a parish family.” Repair efforts continued for months following the attack.

“The Knights came every day, helped repair the roof, installed windows, and put in a lot of hard work,” said Horbach.

Financial support from the Supreme Council, made possible by the Ukraine Solidary Fund, was crucial for carrying out the repairs, particularly replacing windows.

“Our council has 49 brother Knights, and all of them were involved,” said Horbach. “I am deeply grateful to the Knights from Canada, the United States and elsewhere, because they showed true fraternal love.”

‘THE KNIGHTS ARE ALWAYS NEAR’

In Kharkiv, a city under constant shelling — around 30 attacks per month — the Supreme Council funded a playground named for Blessed Michael McGivney.

“Kharkiv is a place where people feel the war every day,” said State Warden Levko Dovhan, who attended the opening of the playground and its blessing by Bishop Vasyl Tuchapets, exarch of Kharkiv, on Nov. 2, 2025. “Despite these circumstances, children still need to experience the joy of childhood.”

the opening of the Blessed Michael McGivney playground in Kharkiv, Ukraine. — Bishop Vasyl Tuchapets, exarch of Kharkiv, and State Warden Levko Dovhan attend the opening of the Blessed Michael McGivney playground, built with support from the Knights of Columbus, on Nov. 2, 2025, in Kharkiv, Ukraine.

The new playground is located next to St. Nicholas the Wonderworker Cathedral, a hub of humanitarian aid in addition to being a spiritual center, Dovhan said. There, families — including many mothers with young children — receive food packages and essential supplies.

“The cathedral runs many initiatives and programs involving children,” Dovhan explained. “This playground is an attractive space that brings people together, draws them in, and offers psychological relief.”

After the bishop’s blessing, Dovhan addressed the children present with their families. “I told them that this is for them — because they are our future,” he said.

“We want people to understand that the Knights are always near and ready to support initiatives that give children the opportunity to grow and play,” said State Treasurer Myroslav Mazur. “Even while the war continues around them.”

To learn more about the Order’s work in Ukraine and to support those efforts, visit kofc.org/ukraine.

*****

KATERYNA KOLODII writes from Lviv, Ukraine

Sister Kamila Frydryszewska cares for two children residing at the congregation’s home for single mothers in Korotych, Ukraine

Making Room for Childhood

‘OUR CHILDREN DESERVE THE BEST’

‘EVERYTHING WAS DAMAGED’

‘THE KNIGHTS ARE ALWAYS NEAR’

Related Articles

Stories of Service

‘They Matter to Someone’

‘They Matter to Someone’

Stories of Service

A Gift That Bears Fruit

A Gift That Bears Fruit

Stories of Service

Scarred but Standing

Scarred but Standing

Stories of Service

Homes With a Mission

Homes With a Mission

Stories of Service

Serving the Poorest of Manila’s Poor

Serving the Poorest of Manila’s Poor

Stories of Service

Honoring Our Legacy

Honoring Our Legacy

Stories of Service

A Testament to Unity

A Testament to Unity

Stories of Service

Service and Witness in South Korea

Service and Witness in South Korea