Looking at Hirska Community: Recommendations for Occupied Territories
Why did we start this project?
In July 2022, the Hirska City Military Administration approached us with a request to develop a strategic vision for the recovery of their community. Since the early days of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the area had suffered severe losses: destroyed homes, mines, and social institutions, while the town itself fell under Russian occupation. Despite these challenges, residents remained determined to return home and rebuild their community.
The key challenges included the absence of spatial data, a lack of resources, restricted access to the site, and uncertainty about the future due to the ongoing war. Together with the local administration, the Ro3kvit team initiated work on recovery scenarios that integrate the experiences of residents, the community’s history and memory, and potential development pathways after the war.
Having worked on the vision for Mariupol, we understand the challenges that war-affected communities face, including the complexities of post-war reconstruction, displacement, and the importance of preserving residents’ memories. Our goal was to help the Hirske community develop a recovery approach that acknowledges its multilayered history and presents several possible future scenarios.
Community history
In 2014, the Hirska community found itself on the frontline. Following the full-scale invasion in 2022, Russian forces occupied the territory, destroying residential buildings, mines, and social infrastructure. Today, the community remains under full occupation, while its administration has been relocated to various cities across Ukraine. Despite this displacement, the community has united, establishing humanitarian hubs in Bohdanivka, Khmelnytskyi, Kyiv, Poltava, and Korsun-Shevchenkivskyi. These hubs assist not only Hirska residents but also all those affected by the war in Luhansk Oblast.
What Does This Document Contain?
These Recommendations for the Hirska Community are based on three key components:
● Surveys and Workshops – A description of how we engaged residents to understand their experiences and needs. This participatory approach ensures that the recovery strategy aligns with the actual demands and priorities of the community.● Community Memory – An analysis of collective memories that shape the community’s values and identity. This information serves as the foundation for strategic decisions in the document.● Recommendations Based on Three Scenarios: 1. The Hirska community remains under occupation. 2. The Hirska community returns to Ukrainian control, but the war continues. 3. Ukraine is fully de-occupied, and the war has ended.
These scenarios are interconnected. Even under occupation, planning for the future is essential to ensure a swift recovery after liberation.
How was the work conducted?
In July 2024, we held a series of online and offline workshops in collaboration with the Hirska community administration. Despite challenging conditions—power outages and the geographical dispersal of participants across Ukraine—we managed to collect valuable data and shape a shared vision for the community’s future.
Resident participation in developing these recommendations was a key factor. It not only ensures that recovery plans meet real needs but also helps maintain community cohesion despite displacement.
A Call to Donors – Supporting Displaced Communities
This project demonstrates how communities can adapt and build a future even under difficult circumstances. We are proud to have helped the Hirska community feel supported and confident in planning for recovery.
Our approach exemplifies an urban strategy shaped by the needs and input of the residents themselves. It has a lasting impact, encouraging local administrations to involve communities in the rebuilding process.
We believe that our methodology can be adapted to support displaced communities worldwide—whether affected by war, climate change, or natural disasters.
To expand this approach, we are seeking partners and donors for:
● Pilot projects in displaced communities across Ukraine;● Development of methodologies and educational programs for professionals and communities;● Promotion of the initiative through training events and publications.
We aim to scale this experience, offering sustainable solutions for the recovery and development of communities in crisis.
Project team
This project was implemented by the Ro3kvit team in collaboration with the Hirska City Military Administration.
Hirska City Military Administration : Oleksii Babchenko, Maryna Kravtsova, Vitalii Kovalenko, Yuliia Bila, Iryna Biletska, Yevheniia Shevchenko.
Ro3kvit Team: Fulco Treffers, Jolanta Zarzycka, Tetiana Samiliv, Sofiia Bondar, Alisa Aleksandrova.