Belgium and Enabel support Ukraine’s recovery, from life-saving healthcare to safe classrooms

Kyiv/Chernihiv, 20 August 2026 – During his visit to Ukraine on 18 and 19 August, Belgian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, European Affairs and Development Cooperation Maxime Prévot, accompanied by Jean Van Wetter, CEO of Enabel, visited several Belgian-supported initiatives in the Kyiv and Chernihiv regions.

In a country still living under missile and drone attacks, reconstruction is not an abstract concept. It is a patient recovering after complex surgery. It is a blood centre preparing to serve frontline regions. It is a teenager learning a trade for the future. It is a child returning to school because there is finally a safe place to shelter during an air alert.

Restoring lives through specialised healthcare

At the Kyiv Regional Hospital, Maxime Prévot inaugurated two newly renovated cranio-maxillofacial surgery operating theatres supported by Enabel. This highly specialised field treats injuries to the skull, face and jaw – among the most devastating consequences of the war, affecting civilians and military personnel alike.

In partnership with the Ukrainian organisation Superhumans and the Belgian company Materialise, a global leader in 3D technologies for facial reconstruction, Enabel is also helping build an integrated cranio-maxillofacial care pathway aligned with European standards. This includes specialised equipment, training and innovations that improve both surgical outcomes and patient rehabilitation. ukraine’s recovery

Building stronger health systems

On 19 August, the delegation visited the Chernihiv Regional Blood Centre, where Enabel is supporting the renovation, expansion and equipment of a facility that serves both Chernihiv and neighbouring Sumy region. Once completed, the centre is expected to accommodate at least 72 donors per day and process more than 200 blood units daily.

This initiative combines an immediate wartime response with long-term health system strengthening. The Red Cross-Flanders supports quality, management and operations, while the Ukrainian NGO Agents of Blood works on voluntary donor mobilisation. By aligning the centre with European standards, the project is also intended to serve as a model for wider blood system reform in Ukraine.

Investing in the skills that will drive recovery

Recovery is not only about rebuilding infrastructure; it is also about building human capital. At the Bosch Junior Academy, hosted by the Chernihiv Higher Vocational School, young people aged 15 to 17 are learning automotive electronics diagnostics using modern equipment and industry-relevant methods. The academy is part of Enabel’s Junior Academy initiative, which brings together vocational schools, public authorities and companies to better connect training with labour market needs.

The model, developed with Bosch and expanded through partnerships with Belgian companies such as Puratos and ETEX, reflects a simple but powerful idea: reconstruction requires skilled people. By investing in vocational education, Belgium and Enabel are helping young Ukrainians see a future in their own country and giving businesses access to the talent they need to rebuild.

Safe classrooms, resilient communities

The visit concluded at the Novi Petrivtsi Lyceum near Kyiv, where Enabel has supported the construction of a modern protective shelter and the renovation of the school’s kitchen.

The shelter enables around 600 students to continue learning safely despite the ongoing threat of air raids. Designed not only as a protective structure but also as a modern educational space, it is equipped with laptops, microscopes and other learning tools. During emergencies, it also provides protection for local residents.

Enabel additionally upgraded the school’s kitchen as part of Belgium’s support to Ukraine’s school nutrition reform. Together with the shelter, it shows how recovery is built through everyday services that keep communities functioning: children can learn safely, parents can work, and families have more reasons to remain in their community despite the war.

From recovery to Europe’s future

“Enabel’s work in Ukraine is about much more than rebuilding infrastructure. It is about helping people regain access to healthcare, education and opportunities. Every school that reopens, every health service strengthened and every young person gaining new skills contributes not only to Ukraine’s recovery, but also to the country’s long-term resilience and European future,” said Jean Van Wetter, CEO of Enabel.

Implemented by Enabel in close cooperation with Ukrainian authorities, civil society, educational institutions and Belgian partners, these initiatives reflect a shared vision: rebuilding not only infrastructure, but also opportunities, public services and hope for the future.