On January 29, the Zolochiv Secondary School I-III grades No.2 in Lviv region, opened a renovated cafeteria with new equipment provided by the USAID HOVERLA Activity.

This school is the largest in the Zolochiv community, with over 1150 students. In the 1940s, the institution inherited the building from a bank. While additional rooms were built over time, the cafeteria had not undergone renovations since Soviet times.

“The condition of the cafeteria was terrible. The equipment was outdated and barely functional. Despite our school being a high-standard institution with highly qualified teachers and our students winning Olympiads and contests. We were unable to renovate the cafeteria by ourselves. Therefore, we are very grateful to the USAID HOVERLA Activity for their assistance in resolving this issue," said Oksana Smolinska, the school director.

The school was fortunate to receive equipment worth 2.5 million hryvnias from the USAID HOVERLA Activity. This generous donation included electric stoves, convection ovens, serving lines, refrigerators and freezers, laundry and drying appliances, floor washers, shelves, wardrobe cabinets, furniture, and tableware.

 To ensure the procurement of high-quality, useful, and modern equipment, the project team consulted with an authority in this sector, the Lviv Professional College of Hospitality, Tourism and Restaurant Service

“We are particularly thrilled about the new convection ovens. We’ve already tested them by preparing potatoes with meat, and the results were both swift and incredibly tasty! Initially, our cooks hesitated using this equipment, so we invited the owners of a popular café in the city to help. They mentioned that even in their establishment, the equipment is not as modern,” added the director.

This upgrade has also inspired the municipal council to allocate funds for the comprehensive renovation of the cafeteria.

“Frankly, I was one of those students who rarely went to the cafeteria. Although I enjoyed the mashed potatoes and compote, the experience is now far more appealing from an aesthetic standpoint. The premises have been transformed, becoming bright and beautiful, complete with wardrobe cabinets. Thanks to the new equipment, we’re looking forward to enjoying truly balanced and healthy meals, as required by the school. It is a change that will surely encourage students to come to the cafeteria, instead of rushing off to the store,” shared schoolgirl Viktoriya Kmyts.

“I graduated from this school myself and have something to compare. The plates used to be metal, which the children found unappealing. Appearance is crucial for children. Today I went inside, and looked at the equipment, and I must say, it's quite impressive! Now children will have an experience like what we see in American movies, making the cafeteria a trendy place to be. This makes my daily dilemma of deciding whether to pack a sandwich or a roll for my child," said Halyna Halchuk, a fourth-grader's mom.

At the opening ceremony, Lviv Regional Office of the USAID HOVERLA Activity, Oleksandr Voloshynskyy congratulated the students, parents, and the school staff for their upgraded facilities. Gracing the event were Zolochiv Mayor Ihor Hrynkiv, the head of the Department of Education, Youth and Sports of Zolochiv City Council Andrii Zabrotskyi,  deputy head of Zolochiv RSA Viktor Oliinyk, acting chair of the parent committee Aliona Kostiuk, and priest Mykhailo Sukmanovskyi.

Overall, the USAID HOVERLA Activity has provided kitchen sets to 25 communities in Volyn, Lviv, and Poltava regions.