Recently, the library in the village of Dobrohostiv, Ukraine won an award from Bibliomist’s [8] Community Participation Contest (CPC), providing funding to implement a project to connect labor migrants and their families through the library.
In the last decade, economic problems have caused thousands of people from western Ukraine to leave for the European Union seeking employment. Apart from facing numerous legal and social challenges, these migrants often find themselves isolated from the families they leave behind. Many Ukrainians do not have internet access at home and are unable to connect with relatives and friends abroad through e-mail or Skype.
Myroslava Chehornetska, a 59-year-old disabled widow, whose only son works in France, believes her library can help. “It would be great to create a communications center at the library to help migrant workers keep in touch with relatives abroad. They would be able to write letters, to hear [their] voices, and to see the faces of their dear ones via camera. The potential to come together at the library to discuss our troubles, share our experiences, and do our best to prevent problems would be a real relief for family members and former migrants,” said Chehornetska.
The library addressed this need by applying for the Community Participation Contest, which IREX administers, to equip the library with cameras, modem, printer, and other tools for the center. The project became popular quickly and now hosts roughly 50 Skype sessions per month. Since about 300 residents of Dobrohostiv and the neighboring village of Bystryi, totaling 10 percent of the local population, are currently employed abroad, their families want to communicate with them and seek help from the library. Lyubov Faryma, whose son immigrated to Portugal along with his wife and child, is extremely grateful for the opportunity to use Skype at the library: “I can’t find the right words to describe my feelings after communicating with my children, but these impressions are indelible in my heart and soul.”
Skype calls are not the only new service for patrons. The library now cooperates with the Zaporuka (Pledge) Foundation, which organizes a series of support sessions on migration issues, including showing documentaries on the risks of illegal migration, trainings on securing a pension in Ukraine and using web resources to protect one’s rights, and counseling on EU migration laws. According to the library director Mariya Stefankiv, many migrants are unaware of the potential challenges in both work and everyday life. With these new resources, the library and its staff have already helped some Ukrainians secure legal employment in Italy.
The projects have helped turn the libraries into community centers. Dobrohostiv librarians also plan events for family members who stay in Ukraine, like weekly movie nights for children. Older patrons share experiences through round tables, while children and youth meet with psychologists and religious leaders to express their concerns and get counseling.