Cycling from Switzerland to Ukraine: a man has raised over $4,500 to repair a shelter at a school in Mykolaiv

Cyclist Frédéric Korpato, who was raising funds to repair shelters in educational institutions in Mykolaiv. Photo: Denise Jacob

A man from Switzerland cycled over a thousand kilometres through several European countries to Ukraine to raise funds for the repair of shelters in educational institutions in Mykolaiv.

This is reported by NikVesti.

Cyclist Frédéric Korpato joined the initiative of the humanitarian organisation UA Brokers Without Borders, which has been operating in Ukraine since 2022. The organisation implements projects in the Mykolaiv region: in particular, it has assisted hospitals, provided generators and heaters, and is fitting out shelters in educational institutions.

His route took him through Switzerland, Germany, Austria, Poland and Ukraine. In total, he covered over 1,000 kilometres and arrived in Lviv, cycling an average of around 100 kilometres a day. During this time, 39 people joined the initiative, and together they managed to raise over $4,600.

The idea to help raise funds for the repair of shelters came from the Swiss charity «Ukrainer in Bern». One of the Ukrainian women working there suggested to her husband, a cyclist, that he should cycle to Ukraine.

«He developed problems with his knee during the trip — it flared up, and he was in a lot of pain. He stopped in Vienna for some treatment, but still made it to his destination. Lviv was his final destination, as his wife’s family lives there. He set off on 7 April and reached Lviv last Wednesday,» says Olena Litviniuk, a representative of the humanitarian organisation UA Brokers Without Borders.

Cyclist Frédéric Korpato, who was raising funds to repair shelters in educational institutions in Mykolaiv. Photo: Denise Jacob

Cyclist Frédéric Korpato, who was raising funds to repair shelters in educational institutions in Mykolaiv. Photo: Denise Jacob

The humanitarian organisation is currently working at Mykolaiv Lyceum №28 and Nursery School №148. Some of the funds have already been raised — in particular, work on fitting out a shelter at the nursery school is already underway. However, funding is still insufficient for the lyceum, which has around 280 primary school pupils.

«$75,000 is needed for a large shelter for the lower school. The authorities have already renovated one shelter at this lyceum, but it cannot accommodate all the pupils. Around 280 primary school children are forced to walk through the entire school to the other wing and go down to the shelter together with the secondary school, so lessons are held in two shifts. What’s more, there are now plans to merge another school with them, which will mean even more children,» says Olena Litviniuk.

She added that they have so far managed to raise around $50,000 from a single donor to fit out the shelter, with some funds collected during a cycle ride, but additional funding is still needed.

As for Nursery School №148, full funding is already in place, and renovation work on the shelter is underway. The project is costing around $40,000.

In addition, the organisation has previously implemented similar projects in Mykolaiv. In 2024, a shelter renovation programme was launched: in particular, the shelter at the Mykolaiv Ophthalmological Hospital, which is now part of the regional hospital, was restored. Work was also carried out at two educational institutions — the «Dibrovonka» nursery near the railway station and the Halytsynove Gymnasium.

It should be noted that in Mykolaiv, there are three nurseries that have been closed during the war, and proposals have been made to close them down. It is not possible to fit out shelters there, and consequently there are no children attending them.

Later, during a city council session, a decision was taken to close nursery school №138 in the Balabanivka neighbourhood of the Korabelnyi district of Mykolaiv. The education department states that the facility has not been operational since the start of the full-scale war, and it is impossible to resume educational activities there due to its dilapidated condition and the lack of shelters. NikVesti visited the nursery and inspected its condition.