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Examining damaged houses in Ukraine

Maryna Skoropad and Alina Shmatko are doing important work as part of the ZOA Ukraine team in the de-occupied villages of the Kherson region. They examine damaged houses there, with funding from EU Humanitarian Aid. Maryna: “I appreciate the opportunity to be useful in such a difficult time for our country and help people who need it most.”

Maryna and Alina work as project engineers for ZOA in Ukraine

‘It is cool to see repaired houses knowing how damaged they were’

Maryna Skoropad and Alina Shmatko both work as project engineers in the ZOA Ukraine team. Thanks to funding from EU Humanitarian Aid, they can assess damages to houses that suffered from shelling and occupation. After that, they calculate the expenses needed to restore those damages. A conversation about their work for ZOA in Ukraine.

What did you plan to become before working at ZOA?

Alina: “Before ZOA, I was a designer of metal constructions. I designed big and small structures, did 3d models and different blueprints, I also did examinations of the industrial buildings and developed their strengthening.

Alina at work

Maryna: “I graduated from the National University with a degree in civil engineering, after which I planned to get another education and become an architect. I worked in a project organization and was engaged in surveying industrial buildings and structures at sites in Kryvyi Rih, Mariupol and Kyiv. I also worked as a design engineer and developed project documentation for the restoration of buildings destroyed as a result of the armed aggression of the Russian Federation.”

Maryna

What are your tasks at the ZOA team?

Alina: “I have to do an examination of the damaged house, write and take photos of all damages, and calculate a Bill of Quantities, where I count the estimated cost of materials and work. After finishing all repair works, I go to the beneficiary to check all works which were written in the agreement and sign a Certificate of Completion.”

Alina

Maryna: “My tasks in ZOA as a project engineer are to assess the damage to private houses in settlements that suffered from shelling and occupation. Also, to calculate the estimate for the restoration of the necessary structures of the house and to advise on the selection of materials.”

Maryna

What do you value most about your work at ZOA?

Alina: “I like my work. I can help people using my knowledge. It is very important for me to be useful nowadays.”

Maryna: “In my work, I appreciate the opportunity to be useful in such a difficult time for our country and help people who need it most. Highlights for me are the touching moments we have with the beneficiaries. Wehear people's life stories, how they fled from war and how much they wanted to return to their homes. Also, people's gratitude inspires me to do my job even better.”

Maryna

How can ZOA help the Ukrainians at this time?

Alina: “People usually are very thankful for ZOA. It is a pleasure to see our beneficiaries' happy eyes. It is cool to see repaired houses when you know how damaged they were. I did more than 400 registrations and examinations) and now I remember almost all houses and beneficiaries.”

Alina: “I would like to tell you a small story about the family of Tetiana Yehorova. She has three children and lives with her husband in a small old house. It was a difficult project because her house  had no foundation under the walls. It was built after the Second World War. At that time, the builders often didn’t think about the quality of these houses, they just had to build more. So Tetiana’s house is the last on the street, and builders ‘forgot’ to build a foundation. And it was all good until the shells began to explode near the house. After that, one wall leaned a little.”

Alina

Alina: “I said that it would be better to find a new one, but Tetiana said that they love their house and don’t want to move anywhere. She and her husband assured us that they will do all the repairs. With money from ZOA and their own, her husband built an added room to strengthen the damaged wall with the perpendicular ones. The roof was also replaced using lighter material – a profiled sheeting.  Now Tetiana Yehorova’s family has repaired safety house. And I am glad for them.”

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