Integrating IDPs: The Case of Nyzhnye Selyshche
“Many people have integrated so well here that they already have close friends among locals. They already have relationships. It feels like the line is blurred when people settle in long-term,” shares Inna Pryhara, a member of the NGO Transcarpathian Association of Local Development. She leads the integration efforts for internally displaced persons as well as volunteers at an IDP shelter in Nyzhnye Selyshche. This year, her team received a clear indication that their local community is on the right track, as their efforts have produced specific, measurable results.
From the first days of the full-scale invasion, many residents of Transcarpathia have dedicated efforts to help those forced to leave their homes. Meanwhile, local authorities were assessing the next steps and evaluating the impact on the labor market, security, and social infrastructure.
In the Khust territorial community (hromada), the Nyzhnye Selyshche Starosta Okruh, aside from the central city, welcomed the highest number of IDPs.
“Of course, no one was fully prepared for such a large-scale invasion, because no one expected it,” recalls Yuriy Popadynets, head of the okruh, “We never thought it could happen. From day one, the private sector, local NGOs, and entrepreneurs stepped up, all seeking ways to assist those who had been displaced.
Since we didn’t know the people coming in, naturally, there was initial concern about the large number of newcomers.
Yet, in those early days, despite the lack of a clear plan or guidelines, there was no sense of fear either. We organized rapid response teams to patrol the area in cooperation with the Security Service, police, and local authorities, providing a sense of security. Local residents felt reassured, knowing the situation was under control. Newcomers, too, understood there was a structure in place and someone to turn to if issues arose.”
According to an August 2024 study by the International Organization for Migration (IOM), 80,000 IDPs currently live in Zakarpattia region, and 53% of them have been there for over two years.
There is a trend showing that the longer IDPs stay in a host territorial community, the less likely they are to return to their original regions anytime soon.
Only 7% of IDPs displaced for over two years expressed an intention to leave their current location in the short term.
“About three-quarters of this group indicated plans to stay in their current location for an extended period,” the IOM study notes. “Among IDPs intending to remain for more than three months (69%), 47% plan to settle and integrate, highlighting the importance of strategies focused on durable solutions. Of those aiming to return to their place of origin in the long term (14%), nearly two-thirds plan to do so only after the war ends.”
So, what happened in Nyzhnye Selyshche to inspire both volunteers and locals?
In the spring of 2024, residents from three villages in Zakarpattia region—Nankove, Nyzhnye Selyshche, and Kopashnovo—came together to raise funds to repair a 13-kilometer road connecting their villages. Both local residents and IDPs who had relocated here since the full-scale invasion contributed to the project.
A gathering of villagers. Photo from the Nyzhnye Selyshche Okruh Facebook Group
Oksana Nefyodova, the administrator of the IDP shelter Selysky Shelter, recalls the strong support for the road project:
“Everyone supported us, saying, ‘We live here, so of course, we’ll contribute.’ People travel to Khust by car for help, hospital visits, or leisure. They understand that better roads mean easier, smoother and faster trips.”
The road in Nyzhnye Selyshche
Why is this case significant?
It’s about uniting different approaches to define what integration truly entails. In terms of resources, integrating IDPs involves newcomers and locals learning to share and utilize common resources fairly. Culturally, it represents a social bridge between these groups as they learn to communicate, understand each other better, and cultivate a shared community culture.
Researching the topic, Ivan Titar, a researcher at the Department of Monitoring Studies of Socio-Economic Transformations at the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, observes that economic approach is more visible in the realities of Ukraine. Globally, however, many researchers argue that “economic integration is a prerequisite for other types of integration.”
United by a Common Challenge
“In the initial days of the full-scale invasion, many people arrived here—relatives, friends, and acquaintances,” recalls Inna Pryhara. “Nyzhnye Selyshche has about 3,200 official residents. Within the first month, the village welcomed around 1,500 IDPs (according to the starosta, the head of the village, about 700 were officially registered — ed.). At that time, it was difficult to track exact numbers.”
The local authorities provided temporary shelter for displaced people in a school and a kindergarten, making use of the area’s relatively strong social infrastructure. Around 70–80 people lived there initially. Early on, children from an orphanage in Shchastia and a group from Vrubivka (Luhansk region) also joined, staying at the shelter free of charge for a certain period.
On March 1, our volunteer group set up free meals at the former Geleta restaurant, announcing the service in our Facebook group. We served 70 people on the first day, 120 on the second, and 150 by the third. We continued providing meals until August 2023. Initially, we relied on our own resources, but later arranged with charities that funded the food supplies.
The village welcomed us warmly. It was heartening to see locals bring homemade food—meats, greens, eggs—to the dining hall. For over six months, neighboring women gathered weekly to make halushky, Ukrainian cabbage rolls, so that we could have a little rest.
By summer 2022, it was clear that the authorities planned to vacate the school and kindergarten. Only those with nowhere else to go remained.
The NGO Transcarpathian Association of Local Development team began searching for alternative housing solutions. Through partnerships with Pro Lungo Maï, Medico International, and the Medical Aid Committee in Zakarpattia Region, an IDP shelter was first established, followed by the more structured the 10 Families project.
Residents of the IDP shelter, Selysky Shelter
The 10 Families Project
The 10 Families project aims to support integration of the families through three pillars: housing, employment, and social and psychological assistance.
The first stage involves purchasing and renovating houses in Nyzhnye Selyshche, which are then provided to IDPs for free use. Residents contribute financially, but not as rent. “We’re creating a resident club, like a condominium, where each family pays 2,000 hryvnias per month into a community fund,” explains Inna Pryhara. “This fund will cover repairs, like major fixes that may be needed in the future.”
The project’s second focus is employment. Families receiving housing must ensure that at least half of their able-bodied adult members are working within the community.
One of the Apartments for the 10 Families Project in Nyzhnye Selyshche
In addition, the project offers grants for participants to start small enterprises, such as greenhouse farming, cooking, baking, and agricultural cooperatives. Other ideas from IDPs, like setting up an apiary or a sewing workshop, are also being considered.”
The Power of Support
The third pillar of the 10 Families project is social and psychological support. The project employs a coach to assist families with integration and a dedicated team of local volunteers.
Additionally, a psychologist regularly visits the IDP shelter:
“Young people are generally more open to seeking help. Some already recognize their need for support and meet with the psychologist regularly, sometimes weekly. The example of someone who has benefited from therapy can be very encouraging,” explains Inna Pryhara. “For instance, last May, I felt severe burnout from volunteering and began psychotherapy myself. I openly share this experience with the people we work with, explaining how much it helped me process difficult experiences through psychological support. This openness often encourages others to consider trying it.”
Inside the Selysky Shelter
At the Selysky Shelter, an administrator organizes activities, such as shared dinners and workshops, to foster a sense of community among residents. Additionally, there are two social workers who assist with matters involving interaction between residents and the state, such as paperwork/
Oksana Nefyodova, the shelter administrator, observes that socializing is easier in the village:
“As an IDP myself, I understand how challenging it can be to integrate into a new place among unfamiliar people. In villages, with their smaller populations, everyone greets each other, which makes integration feel more natural. In a city, people might not even acknowledge you in a shop, even if you try to start a conversation. Here, though, it’s much easier to connect with others.”
Oksana Nefyodova, the shelter administrator
Multicultural environment of Zakarpattia region fosters acceptance of different languages and dialects:
“There’s never been a language barrier here. I lived in Lviv for a time, and there, the language barrier was more evident,” recalls Inna Pryhara. “Zakarpattia region has a diverse population, including many Russian-speaking locals, particularly in cities. There has never been any prejudice here against people who don’t speak Ukrainian. For example, in our shelter, many people haven’t yet switched to Ukrainian, and we don’t pressure them to do so. I’m aware that some believe everyone should switch to Ukrainian, especially given that Russia is waging war under the pretext of “protecting the Russian-speaking population.”
After a recent training for psychologists led by a Swiss specialist here in Nyzhnye Selyshche, I realized that pushing people to change their language is counterproductive.
She noted that for many who have lost their homes, their native language is their only remaining tie to it. Pressuring them to change it often leads to aggression.
“That’s why we never insisted on the transition before, and this experience reinforced that approach. Those who want to switch to Ukrainian will do it naturally on their own,” she explains. “I even notice that some IDPs are beginning to pick up local dialect expressions. Some regularly say ‘faino’* and others joke about going for ‘kavil’”*.
* faino — a Ukrainian dialect word for “good”, “nice”.
* kavil — a Ukrainian dialect term for “coffee”.
During the visit of representatives of the organizations Pro longo maï, Medico International, Medical Aid Committee in Zakarpattia Region and the Transcarpathian Association of Local Development to Nyzhnye Selyshche
The team of the NGO Transcarpathian Association of Local Development always strives to prevent any conflicts. To do this, it is necessary to understand the peculiarities of life in the village and discuss them with the new residents in advance:
“For example, the new residents were informed about the Green Holidays, a local observance involving three days when physical labor is traditionally avoided. Respecting this is very important to the locals,” says Inna Pryhara. “We share these kinds of cultural customs with our new residents, and they respond well to it. I believe that seeing the new residents working the land alongside locals has helped build trust. In Zakarpattia region, working the land is highly respected.”
New residents of Nyzhnye Selyshche collect beetles in a potato field together
The Employment Challenge
In an interview with Hromadske Radio, psychologist and conflict resolution expert Iryna Eigelson identified three common “images of IDPs” in Ukrainian society. Among these, only the portrayal of relocated businesses is distinctly positive; the other two do little to support the integration of new residents.
“One image often portrays IDPs as passive recipients of aid. They are shown as needing housing, temporary shelters, humanitarian support, and various programs,” says Eigelson. “While this isn’t negative, it gives the impression that IDPs are dependent and lack self-sufficiency. Then, there’s the occasional image of IDPs as unwilling to work or integrate, which can appear in both media and local communities.”
Seeing displaced people solely as objects prevents communities and even cities from fully understanding the skills and expertise IDPs can contribute.
The Employment Center doesn’t always bridge this gap, partly because many IDPs don’t register, feeling there are limited opportunities for their qualifications.
In Nyzhnye Selyshche, employment for new residents is addressed holistically: there are grants for small businesses, social workers assisting in job placement, and offers from local businesses.
“”I don’t know if this is noticeable in Uzhhorod, but we actually have a shortage in the labor market, as many locals have moved abroad,” says Inna Pryhara. “Sometimes local business owners call us to see if any IDPs with specific skills are looking for work.”
The okruh starosta Yuriy Popadynets echoes this view, recognizing that IDP employment is a meaningful measure of integration and vital for local governance: “It has a positive impact on the economy, as it helps sustain local-level processes.”
In the greenhouse managed by the family of the new residents of Nyzhnye Selyshche
Employment isn’t only crucial for the economy—it plays a key role in social integration as well. “When people find work, they have new opportunities to connect with locals in informal settings,” adds Pryhara. “It helps ease any concerns that IDPs are somehow ‘different’, thus fostering community bonds.”
A Common Road Forward
The road repairs in Nyzhnye Selyshche are now complete, with even some funds left over for future needs. This road was a significant infrastructure project for the community, but its completion also holds deeper meaning.
In her materials for the All-Ukrainian Association of Amalgamated Territorial Communities, Natalia Hrynchuk, Associate Professor of the Department of Regional Policy at the Educational and Research Institute of Public Administration and Civil Service of the Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, provides a list of key principles that should be followed. The last on the list, but not the least, is “positive experience of participation”.
Thus, a good road should also become a kind of material contribution of new residents to the community. A marker on the map that will undoubtedly indicate their participation in the life of the Nyzhnye Selyshche Okruh.
Starosta’s report in the Facebook group of the Nyzhnye Selyshche Starosta Okruh
Establishing connections, exchanging opinions, traditions and creating common experiences in the moment is an important part of integration. As a result, the lives of not only IDPs but also Transcarpathians are changing. For example, according to Inna Pryhara, the locals have become more aware of the war through communication with people affected by it:
“Many tourists visit us and remark that they don’t feel the impact of the war here. We don’t even have a siren in our village—it hasn’t gone off in ages. But when you speak with people face-to-face, there are always some details that slip through, and you realize that the war is very, very close.”
Kateryna Maiboroda, Varosh
Photos: Inna Pryhara, Oksana Nefyodova, and from the Facebook group of the Nyzhnye Selyshche Starosta Okruh
*This material has been prepared within the framework of the Dutch-Slovak-Ukrainian project “Strengthening the Rule of Law at the Local/Regional Level in Ukraine: The Case of Zakarpattia Oblast,” supported by the Government of the Kingdom of the Netherlands under the MATRA program, a leading Dutch initiative for social transformation support.
The project is being implemented by the Institute for Central European Strategy (ICES) in collaboration with the Dutch organization Foundation of Justice, Integrity and Anti-Corruption (FJIAC) and Transparency International Slovensko (TI SK), in partnership with the Zakarpattia Regional State Administration and the Regional Council.
**The content of this material does not reflect the official position or opinions of the project’s implementers or donors. The sole responsibility for the content of the publications lies with the editorial team of Varosh.
* Vrecer N. Living in Limbo: Integration of Forced Migrants from Bosnia and Herzegovina in Slovenia. Journal of Refugee Studies. 2010. Vol. 23. № 4. Р. 484–502.
