Three modern laboratories are in progress at Volodymyr Dahl East Ukrainian national university

05 April 2024

USAID Economic Resilience Activity (USAID ERA) is establishing three modern laboratories for IT specialists, ElectromechatronicsLab, EnergryLab, and FabLab at Volodymyr Dahl East Ukrainian National University (EUNU) within a grant framework. These laboratories will link EUNU and businesses; enabling tech students to learn practical skills in modern laboratories and apply them to the workforce. 

 

EUNU is a displaced university, relocated twice from the Luhansk region, and is now based in Kyiv. USAID ERA supported EUNU with office furniture (20 tables, 38 chairs, and four cabinets), and laboratory furniture (18 tables and 18 chairs). Additionally, EUNU received four computers, 15 microcomputers, acoustic systems, interactive boards, projectors, three multifunctional devices, networking equipment, software, a 3D printer, a laser machine, eight educational stands from FESTO, and additional engineering equipment. The grant totals approximately UAH 20 million and around 500 students expect to use this modern equipment.

“Based on FabLab, we will address specific requests on manufacturing, for example, producing prototypes of agricultural machinery components. FabLab employees can research the application of digital technologies for optimizing the production processes. The new technology and software provide a wide range of opportunities for research, including inventory management, equipment operation, and plant growth monitoring,” says Serhiy Mytrokhin, the Dean of the Faculty of Information Technologies and Electronics of EUNU.

“In addition to providing practice opportunities for our students, the staff of partner agricultural companies at the ElectromechatronicsLab will have access to equipment and will be able to acquire or enhance skills in the field of electromechatronics and automation. The skills will be relevant, for instance, when servicing terminals for grain storage or other industrial processes. Students can use EnergyLab equipment to acquire competencies in the field of electrical power engineering and automation. In this laboratory, technicians specializing in electrical engineering, power engineering, control and measurement instruments, automation engineering, and industrial automation system developers will be able to improve their qualifications,” says Serhiy Kudriavtsev, the Dean of Engineering Faculty of EUNU.

Finally, 11 EUNU instructors started courses to master the laboratory equipment, coupling the already adapted theoretical components of the 13 academic disciplines. In accordance with the plan, students will have access to the laboratories in September and will be taught updated course programs moving forward.   

Art Coworking Space Unites a Community in Dnipro through Creativity 

Increasing Opportunities
02 April 2024

With support from the USAID Economic Resilience Activity (USAID ERA), the non-governmental organization (NGO) Youth Movement Shift (NGO Shift) has been implementing a social Art Coworking project in Dnipro for over a year, helping nearly 300 youth to acquire new skills through master classes and art therapy sessions and receive training in the creation of visual content and social media management (SMM).  

The creative space, Art Coworking, began operating in 2020 in Kramatorsk, Donetsk but was forced to related to Dnipro when Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022. USAID ERA helped NGO Shift equip their new space with a serger machine, two laptops, a 3D printer, a primer machine, and a coffee maker, which are helping Art Coworking expand their educational courses and workshops and host events. 

Within one year of working at the new location, NGO Shift conducted 22 master classes, 22 meetings for psychosocial support, and 22 art therapy sessions. Program participants took professional courses in sewing, fabric printing, and 3D modeling, which have helped them sustain and build their businesses in spite of the war. 

One local resident, Olha, embroiders clothing with traditional Ukrainian patterns. After participating in training and individual consultations on creating visual content and SMM, she revamped her Instagram page and began to receive more orders for her products.  

Irina, a local ceramicist, took a course in 3D modeling at the co-working space, which helped save money on mold-making. She also participated in training sessions on visual content and SMM, which helped her improve content and ultimately the performance of her social media page. As a result, Irina received new orders, gained confidence in her business, and later developed a business plan. She was awarded a grant from an international organization to purchase a kiln and continues to develop her business and participate in fairs in Dnipro City. 

Oleksandr, an Internally Displaced Person (IDP) from Kramatorsk City, lost his job during the war. In addition to gaining sewing skills at Shift, he attended psychosocial meetings and took an SMM course. With this support, he founded his own company and now oversees a team of professional seamstresses and is expanding his business. 

Both IDPs and local residents affected by the war have responded positively to the meetings dedicated to psychosocial support. These meetings, along with Art Coworking Space’s art therapy and book and conversation clubs have created a community where people can build professional and social connections.  Olena, an IDP from the Luhansk region, attended over 10 sessions of the psychosocial support group and said,

“For me, each visit to this space was very important and positive, with interesting activities and pleasant people. After these meetings, I felt like I was recovering – not just hiding or trying to escape from the war, but simply starting to live my life in a different place and a pleasant environment.” 

NGO Shift invites anyone interested in utilizing the equipment at the Art Coworking Space to contact them. Due to limited space, they strongly recommend to book a time in advance from Monday to Saturday and stay updated by subscribing to their Facebook page.

If you are interested  in launching your creative startup with the help of Art Coworking Space, please send a message through Instagram.

Senior AGRI Project Coordinator

01 April 2024

Kyiv / Lviv / Odesa

ERA BACKGROUND 

Ukraine’s efforts to win the future – emerging from Russia’s full-scale war ready to accelerate its development as a sovereign, independent, democratic, and prosperous state – require a dynamic, inclusive economic recovery. Through partnerships with the government and robust private sector engagement, ERA has supported economic growth and resilience in Ukraine since 2018. Following Russia’s brutal invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 and subsequent occupation of the part of Ukraine, ERA shifted from its focus on Eastern Ukraine to cover development priorities across the country that address Ukraine’s urgent needs in export logistics and infrastructural improvements.

AGRI-UKRAINE GRAIN EXPORT LOGISTICS

USAID’s Economic Resilience Activity (ERA) is one of USAID’s core partners implementing the $350 million Agriculture Resilience Initiative – Ukraine (AGRI-Ukraine) that was established in 2022 to bolster Ukrainian agricultural exports and alleviate the global food security crisis exacerbated by the war. Under AGRI-Ukraine, ERA partners with public and private companies to complement and leverage urgently-needed grain transportation and transshipment investments.

INFRASTRUCTURAL IMPROVEMENTS ERA also directly supports the Government of Ukraine, including the State Agency for Restoration and Development of Infrastructure of Ukraine (SARDI), the State Customs Service and Ukrainian Railways, to upgrade 42 of Ukraine’s border crossing points (BCPs). Modern and more efficient border infrastructure and customs procedures will reduce export costs and increase export capacity, enabling  Ukraine to scale trade and advance its path to EU integration.

About the job

The Senior AGRI Coordinator is responsible for coordinating AGRI interventions with Technical and Operations teams to ensure they are implemented according to schedule and to the best quality, and for monitoring and reporting on their progress. The Senior AGRI Coordinator is based in Kyiv / Lviv / Odesa and reports to the AGRI Operations Manager.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

AGRI Coordination and Reporting:

  • Collect and provide regular information and updates on AGRI interventions to the supervisor. Produce weekly/biweekly/quarterly and annual reports and presentations on AGRI activities and performance results coordinating inputs from relevant staff.
  • Review and analyze the AGRI Technical Team reports to ensure clear and timely information is provided to the management for prompt decision-making.
  • Maintain accurate project documentation and records.
  • Prepare accurate and timely field reports and other project documentation as required.
  • Keep respective activity records in the DAI corporate system (TAMIS).
  • Collaborate with other departments and teams to ensure alignment with overall goals and objectives.
  • Assist with translation / interpretation when requested.
  • Support planning and coordination of a program and its activities
  • Maintain budget and track expenditures/transactions
  • Manage communications through media relations, social media etc.
  • Help build positive relations within the team and external parties
  • Schedule and organize meetings/events and maintain agenda
  • Prepare paperwork and tender documents
  • Keep updated records and create reports or proposals
  • Support growth and program development

About you

  • Bachelor’s degree or higher in Project Management, Economics, Business/Public Administration, Philology, or related fields.
  • Minimum five (5) years of experience supporting project coordination or management with an international organization is required.
  • Proven experience as program coordinator or relevant position
  • Knowledge of program management and development procedures
  • Knowledge of budgeting and reporting
  • Proficiency in office software applications (MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint etc.)
  • Excellent professional communications and negotiation skills and who can relate to people at all levels of an organization.
  • Ability to work independently and in close cooperation with a team remotely. Ability to work with diversity and multi-disciplinary teams
  • An energetic, thinking-forward, and creative individual with high ethical standards and an appropriate professional image.
  • Detail-oriented and efficient. An extremely well-organized and self-directed individual with sound technical skills, analytical ability, good judgment, and strong operational focus.
  • Excellent time-management and organizational skills
  • Fluent English and Ukrainian communication skills, both oral and written.

WE OFFER

Contract length: 12-month employment agreement with a possibility of extension.

Benefits Package:

  • 28 calendar days of annual leave
  • 10 days of internal well-being paid leave per annum
  • Medical Insurance for ERA staff and their families
  • Life Insurance for ERA staff
  • Coverage of all expenses for the business trips
  • Military reservation is possible and granted if you are on a relevant military register

Start date: May 2024

Application process

All applicants must send a cover letter and updated CV (no longer than four pages) in English to ukraine@dai.com

Closing date for applications: April 30, 2024.

For further information about DAI GLOBAL LLC, please consult our website era-ukraine.org.ua.

AGRI Project Coordinator

01 April 2024

Odesa

ERA BACKGROUND

Ukraine’s efforts to win the future – emerging from Russia’s full-scale war ready to accelerate its development as a sovereign, independent, democratic, and prosperous state – require a dynamic, inclusive economic recovery. Through partnerships with the government and robust private sector engagement, ERA has supported economic growth and resilience in Ukraine since 2018. Following Russia’s brutal invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 and subsequent occupation of the part of Ukraine, ERA shifted from its focus on Eastern Ukraine to cover development priorities across the country that address Ukraine’s urgent needs in export logistics and infrastructural improvements.

AGRI-UKRAINE GRAIN EXPORT LOGISTICS

USAID’s Economic Resilience Activity (ERA) is one of USAID’s core partners implementing the $350 million Agriculture Resilience Initiative – Ukraine (AGRI-Ukraine) that was established in 2022 to bolster Ukrainian agricultural exports and alleviate the global food security crisis exacerbated by the war. Under AGRI-Ukraine, ERA partners with public and private companies to complement and leverage urgently-needed grain transportation and transshipment investments.

INFRASTRUCTURAL IMPROVEMENTS ERA also directly supports the Government of Ukraine, including the State Agency for Restoration and Development of Infrastructure of Ukraine (SARDI), the State Customs Service and Ukrainian Railways, to upgrade 42 of Ukraine’s border crossing points (BCPs). Modern and more efficient border infrastructure and customs procedures will reduce export costs and increase export capacity, enabling  Ukraine to scale trade and advance its path to EU integration.

About the job

The AGRI Coordinator is responsible for coordinating AGRI interventions with Technical and Operations teams to ensure they are implemented according to schedule and to the best quality, as well as for monitoring and reporting on their progress. The AGRI Coordinator is based in Odesa and reports to the AGRI Operations Manager.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

AGRI Coordination and Reporting:

  • Collect and provide regular information and updates on AGRI interventions to the supervisor. Produce weekly/biweekly/quarterly and annual reports and presentations on AGRI activities and performance results coordinating inputs from relevant staff.
  • Review and analyze the AGRI Technical Team reports to ensure clear and timely information is provided to the management for prompt decision-making.
  • Maintain accurate project documentation and records.
  • Prepare accurate and timely field reports and other project documentation as required.
  • Keep respective activity records in the DAI corporate system (TAMIS).
  • Collaborate with other departments and teams to ensure alignment with overall goals and objectives.
  • Assist with translation / interpretation when requested.

Procurement and Inventory of goods: in coordination with the Procurement and Inventory Teams:

  • Coordinate gathering information and documents for procurement procedures, Environmental Assessments, and inventory and transfer of the goods and equipment purchased for the AGRI private partners.
  • Monitor procurement and delivery progress and ensure that activities are aligned with the USAID ERA plans and performance indicators.

Monitoring & Evaluation: in coordination with the M&E Team:

  • Support the MEL team in conducting necessary data collection to report against AGRI performance indicators.
  • Coordinate and analyze data to measure project impact and outcomes.
  • Support identification and synthesis of best practices and lessons learned for organizational sharing and learning.

Communication: in coordination with the Communications Team:

  • Contribute to development of monthly equipment delivery and event schedules.
  • Facilitate the organization of public events, mission visits, and work in close coordination with Admin/Logistics/Communications to make all necessary arrangements.

About you

  • Bachelor’s degree or higher in Project Management, Economics, Business/Public Administration, Philology, or related fields.
  • Minimum two (2) years of experience supporting project coordination or management with an international organization is required.
  • Proficiency in office software applications (MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint etc.)
  • Excellent professional communications and negotiation skills and who can relate to people at all levels of an organization.
  • Ability to work independently and in close cooperation with a team remotely.
  • An energetic, thinking-forward, and creative individual with high ethical standards and an appropriate professional image.
  • An extremely well-organized and self-directed individual with sound technical skills, analytical ability, good judgment, and strong operational focus.
  • Fluent English and Ukrainian communication skills, both oral and written.

WE OFFER

Contract length: 12-month employment agreement with a possibility of extension.

Benefits Package:

  • 28 calendar days of annual leave
  • 10 days of internal well-being paid leave per annum
  • Medical Insurance for ERA staff and their families
  • Life Insurance for ERA staff
  • Coverage of all expenses for the business trips
  • Military reservation is possible and granted if you are on a relevant military register

Start date: May 2024

Application process

All applicants must send a cover letter and updated CV (no longer than four pages) in English to ukraine@dai.com

Closing date for applications: April 30, 2024.

For further information about DAI GLOBAL LLC, please consult our website era-ukraine.org.ua.

Alternative logistics solutions aid farmers during the war

AGRI-Ukraine Export Logistics Support
26 March 2024

USAID, through the Economic Resilience Activity (ERA) assists NIBULON, one of the largest Ukrainian agribusinesses and a leader in the grain export market, implement alternative logistical solutions during the war. In order to export grain crops and ensure global food security, USAID ERA has purchased 50 grain wagons for NIBULON, to transport grain purchased from 2600 farms. 

NIBULON works with many agricultural enterprises supplying grain for export, including Nikol, based in Kherson Oblast. For over 20 years, Nikol has specialized in grain and oil crop cultivation. At the onset of the war, Nikol’s facilities were under occupation. Later, after the liberation, the Kakhovka Hydroelectric Power Plant was attacked, and operations ceased again. Thousands of tons of the previous year’s grain harvest were stored in Nikol’s warehouses, but due to the branch’s shutdown, not a single kilogram was exported. This complex situation threatened not only the existence of the enterprise itself but also the livelihood of its employees and the well-being of over 500 families from whom Nikol leases land shares. 

In the summer of 2023, NIBULON resumed operations out of its Zelenodolska branch in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, a very strategic location for Nikol. Thanks to the 50 grain wagons from the USAID ERA, rail exports became possible. Currently, NIBULON uses these wagons to transport grain, like from Nikol, from blocked river terminals to the ports of the Danube. From the ports, the grain is transshipped onto barges and transported to 25 countries around the world. 

With new grain wagons, NIBULON is able to offer Nikol better prices for grain. This income helps farmers pay wages, taxes, repay loans, and purchase fuel and fertilizers for the upcoming sowing campaign. 

“Thanks to assistance from USAID ERA in 2023, we resumed purchasing grain and continue to collaborate with more than 2600 farmers, which allowed us to export 3 million tons of grain through the Danube ports and the deep-water ports of Odessa within the calendar year. Transporting grain solely by trucks is very expensive. Combining road and rail as modes of transportation allows us to optimize logistics costs and offer farmers procurement prices where they can profit. Otherwise, we would have had to stop grain procurement, close river terminals, and that would mean over 500 job losses,” says Mykhailo Rizak, Deputy General Director for Interaction with Public Authorities at NIBULON. 

USAID ERA supports other agro-exporters too. In 2024, USAID ERA purchased 85 grain wagons for Louis Dreyfus Company (LDC) Ukraine, one of the largest exporters of Ukrainian grain and oilseeds among foreign companies. All 85 wagons have already been delivered to LDC’s elevators. 

The procurement of equipment for agricultural companies takes place within the framework of the Agricultural Sustainability Initiative in Ukraine (AGRI-Ukraine), implemented by the USAID, to mitigate the global food crisis exacerbated by Russia’s brutal war against Ukraine. 

More about the initiative here.

USAID ERA helps manufacturer of water filters to increase production capacity

25 March 2024

On March 21, U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Bridget Brink, Director of the USAID Economic Growth Office in Ukraine Kim Kim Yee, and other representatives of USAID Ukraine and the USAID Economic Resilience Activity (USAID ERA) visited the production facilities of a Ukrainian company manufacturing water filtration systems. The company’s production workshop and warehouse were partially destroyed by Russian troops in March 2022. 

To help restore production, USAID ERA purchased two modern injection molding machines, which the company used to begin manufacturing household water pitchers and filter cartridges. This will enable Ukrainian households to purify water at home, and support the company to increase their volume of production. USAID’s support will provide employment for 26 people, increase the number of water treatment products, and allow the company to reach their pre-war production levels.