"Very nice and comfortable": Mariupol IDPs about social housing

Kateryna and Volodymyr, together with their son, fled the blockaded city of Mariupol in the spring of 2022. They ended up in Dnipro, where they were forced to rent accommodation. In 2024, the couple applied for social housing under the project of Mariupol Mayor Vadym Boichenko, "I'Mariupol. Housing."

In May, the third social housing facility was opened in Dnipro. It provides living conditions for 192 families of Mariupol residents. Kateryna and Volodymyr received the keys to a comfortable studio apartment in the renovated building. Kateryna points out that such support is especially important for the family, as it allows them to save significantly on their family budget.

"The room is very cosy, and the whole place feels nice. There is a children's room and a gym for the child. Modern kitchens, we have a separate bathroom in our room, it's very convenient," says Kateryna.

Soon, Liudmyla and her husband will move in with their family as well. They have been living in Chernivtsi since 2022. At the "I'Mariupol" centre, they were advised to join the queue for social housing under the project of the Mariupol municipality. And so, the couple got the private living space they wanted. 

"We are happy with everything. There is a fridge and a kitchen, we have everything we need to live comfortably. We are grateful to Mayor of Mariupol and all partners," said Liudmyla.

The "I'Mariupol. Housing" project is being implemented by the Mariupol City Council with financial support from the French government, in partnership with the International Organization for Migration, in coordination with the Government of Ukraine and the Donetsk Regional Military Administration. The project is also supported by the GM "Proliska", UNHCR, Rinat Akhmetov Foundation and Grohe. The initiative has already created four social housing facilities for 476 Mariupol families in Kyiv and Dnipro. New facilities are planned for Chernivtsi, Kropyvnytskyi and Zaporizhzhia.