Zelena Dibrova Care Space: how AMI equipped a children’s rehabilitation centre

In Vysokyi, 40 kilometres from Kharkiv, the Zelena Dibrova Centre for Medical Rehabilitation and Palliative Care for Children has never closed since the full-scale war began. It continued caring for children with disabilities, children without parents and children with severe conditions despite shelling, power cuts and shortages. AMI implemented a project here with UNDP support.

1. How it began

AMI’s first joint project with the centre was a HELVETAS-supported sensory room in a swimming pool area that had never operated because of design flaws. That experience deepened understanding of the institution’s needs.

The next project ran from October 2025 to February 2026 through UNDP’s “Supporting Inclusive Recovery for the Resilience and Security of People in Ukraine” programme.

Over four months, the team conducted four tenders, made more than 20 site visits and completed all work on time and within budget.

2. Results

Six rooms, a corridor and a bathroom were fully renovated and equipped for children with disabilities. The centre gained its first accessible bathroom with a shower. An independent expert confirmed compliance with accessibility standards.

The centre can now accommodate 30 children with 30 accompanying adults at once. More than 200 children annually will gain access to rehabilitation and palliative care unavailable elsewhere in the region.

3. Challenges and achievements

Mobilisation reduced the pool of qualified contractors. Power cuts in December 2025 and January 2026 interrupted work, and frost complicated finishing. A generator became essential.

There were no budget deviations or missed deadlines.

4. Community impact

Zelena Dibrova remains the only institution outside Kharkiv offering qualified rehabilitation and round-the-clock care for children with severe conditions. The completed facilities entered service in late February 2026. Since the beginning of 2026, 136 children have received rehabilitation. The centre is working towards integration into National Health Service of Ukraine funding and capacity for 30 simultaneous places.

In May 2026, senior representatives of the regional council, regional military administration and health department visited to discuss the shelter, boiler house and water supply — the next priorities.