A delegation of the charitable fund of the Roman Catholic Church in Germany, Renovabis, visited Ukrainian Catholic University.
Representatives of the fund, Head of Cooperation with Ukraine Katharina Ebel and Project Manager Martin Buschermohle., on 27 May met UCU students and representatives of the rectorate. They were given a tour of the campus. They also met with the team of the Child Dignity Center at the renovated building on Svientsitskoho Street. Renovabis was one of the benefactors of the renovation.
Support from Renovabis for Ukrainian Catholic University has grown since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion. In particular, Renovabis allocated funds for student scholarships so that, above all, they can continue their studies. In addition to scholarships and the reconstruction of the building on Svientsitskoho Street, Renovabis also supported a number of the university’s social projects.
Katharina Ebel and Martin Buschermohle with UCU students and staff of the Development Department
“A university is not a building. Above all it is people. And these people whom I met at UCU are fantastic. They look for answers to very important questions in wartime. They want to find themselves and to create the future. And this impresses and inspires me,” stated Renovabis’s Head of Cooperation with Ukraine, Katharina Ebel.
Students told the representatives of Renovabis about their studies, which are possible thanks to the support of the fund.
“Thanks to a scholarship, I have the opportunity to find my mission and serve society. I can also volunteer. I took part in a project which UCU’s students carried out together with a volunteer kitchen in Lviv, Breakfast for Ukraine’s Army, where we prepared food for our soldiers. Also, over the last two years, I was a mentor for younger students at the Collegium. I helped them get integrated into our community. I am very grateful to Renovabis for giving me the opportunity to study and develop at this university,” said Anna Sobolevska, a student in the bachelor’s program Ethics.Politics.Economics of the Social Sciences Faculty.
Volunteer kitchen where they made breakfasts for the Ukrainian Army
Andriy Hlushko, a student of the Theology program of the Faculty of Theology and Philosophy, added that the scholarship which Renovabis provides is exceptionally valuable to him, particularly in wartime: “It’s very important that people who don’t even know you trust and believe in you and so are ready to help you gain an education.”
Hlushko volunteers at the Emmaus Center, where professionals work with people with mental disabilities. He also sings in the student choir Encounter and is an active participant in the formational program at the Collegium: “Here young people can get better acquainted with people from various parts of Ukraine, from various families, and also help people with disabilities. This is useful experience and an opportunity to influence change,” stated Andriy Hlushko.
Hlushko and friends volunteer at the Emmaus Center, which is part of the Collegium. In particular, he helps Vadik (sitting in the wheelchair).
The representatives of the fund shared their impressions from visiting UCU and interacting with students.
Renovabis Project Manager Martin Buschermohle has been a friend of UCU for many years. He emphasized that he is very glad to see how the university is developing and expanding.
“We strive to give an example and hope to people and to show that things done with love and motivation – volunteering, social work – give results,” emphasized Martin Buschermohle.
An example of the solidarity of German Catholics with the peoples of Central and Eastern Europe, Renovabis was founded in 1993. Since then, the organization has supported almost 26 thousand projects, with more than 842 million euros. The funds for these projects come from collections held all over Germany as part of the so-called Pentecost Campaign and also from separate donations and government allocations.
Renovabis representatives with the Rectorate
Until recently, aid from Renovabis focused on educational and pastoral projects, in particular on building churches and auxiliary buildings. With the start of the full-scale Russian aggression against Ukraine, Renovabis started also taking part in humanitarian projects like the distribution of food, purchasing electrical generators, support of internally displaced persons and refugees outside Ukraine, and psychological support for children. In total, more than 30 million euros have been allocated for various types of aid connected to the war.
