The organization focuses on educational, integration, charitable, and media projects. Its activities span a wide range of areas, from providing psychosocial and integration support to Ukrainian refugees to facilitating exchange projects between Swiss and Ukrainian communities.

How did the organization begin?

The association started with a school for Ukrainian children (ages 5-7), financially supported by the women’s association Zonta Bern in April 2022. Initially, it was challenging for children of this age to integrate into the Swiss system—especially for traumatized children or those with developmental delays, which were not uncommon at Ukraine Schule Bern (USB). As the school built its reputation and new requests emerged to support Ukrainian refugees, especially women, and to mobilize funds for Ukraine, the idea of establishing an organization and broadening the interpretation of the USB brand was born. The USB flash drive symbolized connection and unification, leading to the transformation of Ukraine Schule Bern into Ukraine Schweiz Bern.

During the first year of the full-scale war, USB was officially registered as an organization by a group of Ukrainian and Swiss activists.

“We have been working tirelessly to help Ukrainians find their place in new circumstances, integrate while preserving their identity, maintain solidarity with Ukraine in Switzerland, and shape a positive image of Ukraine among the Swiss,” says Olena Krylova-Müller, Chair of the USB Board.

Educational and Integration Projects

One of the most important areas of activity for the USB Association remains education, youth work, and support for integration initiatives for Ukrainians.

In education, the focus over the past two years has shifted to supporting Ukrainian children for whom maintaining access to Ukrainian education is crucial. The USB team assists children in transferring to the Ukrainian online school Optima, which allows them to concentrate on studying key Ukrainian subjects (Ukrainian language, literature, and history) while having their grades in most subjects recognized by Swiss schools.

To support the self-realization and stability of children, creative activities are organized, and a nature lovers' club is available.

“This school has become an educational space and a place where our children enhance their social skills, build self-confidence, and maintain cultural connections with their homeland. For us as parents, it provides peace of mind regarding the reintegration of our children. The psychological stress of reintegrating children into Ukrainian schools is something we’ve observed through the experiences of friends who have returned to Ukraine,” shares one mother, who wished to remain anonymous.

During joint events with the Youth Red Cross of the Canton of Bern, the Association is engaging Ukrainian youth. Among the youth initiatives already implemented are Ukrainian audio guides in Bernese museums, several dance studios, and an entomological club for teenagers organized by biology students.

"The interests of different youth groups (including high school students, university students, those not studying, employed individuals, and the unemployed) vary greatly. We are currently structuring our work with young people and creating a Youth Council at USB, which will enable us to take initiative and elevate youth activism to a new level. We invite interested young people to join us on our Telegram channel ‘Youth in Switzerland’ - @molodijkaSchwitzerland," says the coordinator of the youth movement.

As volunteering grows and various projects are implemented, the USB Association itself is expanding. Today, the Association's activities extend beyond Bern to the cities of Burgdorf, Spiez, Thun, Basel, and St. Gallen. Gradually, USB has transformed into a platform for supporting various integration initiatives for Ukrainians in Switzerland.

"It doesn’t matter what kind of initiative it is — it can be a creative children’s group, a conversation club, art therapy, a psychological support club, a senior citizens' club, literary meetings, quizzes, or local history hikes. The main thing is that it aims at integration and is led by Ukrainians with an active stance in life. We are ready to help them organize, gain planning skills, and ensure the sustainable implementation of their integration activities," says Svitlana Manzer, coordinator of the educational and social direction of the USB Association.

Impact on Migration Policy

In 2023, the USB Association became actively involved in addressing the issues faced by Ukrainian refugees in Europe, supporting fieldwork and data analysis conducted in Switzerland as part of a project by the European Migration Center. Participation in research and discussions related to the social and labor integration of refugees (including youth) while preserving their potential for reintegration has become one of the Association's strategic interests. The case of Ukrainian refugees in Switzerland is unique, yet it provides a foundation for drawing lessons applicable to integration policies in general within a country where a quarter of the workforce consists of migrants.

Initiatives Between Switzerland and Ukraine

"We have never been involved in merely sending humanitarian aid to Ukraine. At the beginning of the war, humanitarian aid arrived through multiple channels, and its use was not always targeted effectively. Our aim has always been to strengthen the capacity of communities, organizations, and volunteer groups that support people on the ground. In other words, we acted on the principle of 'teaching people to fish rather than giving them the fish,'" recalls one of the volunteers.

The Association's initiatives include: sleeping pallets and creative development materials for children sheltering in the Kharkiv metro, provision of a specially equipped minibus for evacuating elderly people and individuals with disabilities from occupied territories in the Donetsk region, equipping a volunteer brigade delivering aid to hard-to-reach areas near combat zones in Donetsk and Kharkiv regions, laptops for social workers to register affected households for assistance in Kharkiv region, computer equipment for people with physical disabilities.

Leveraging the extensive expertise of the Chair of the Board of USB, Olena Krylova-Müller, in implementing international development programs in Ukraine and supporting reforms aimed at European integration, USB is now focused on fostering connections and exchanges between organizations and communities in Switzerland and Ukraine.

For example, educational coordinator Svitlana Manzer conducts training and provides consultations for private Ukrainian schools interested in democratizing the education process using Swiss experience. In September 2024, with the Association's support, 11 buses were delivered from the city of St. Gallen to the city of Chernihiv.

According to Olena Krylova-Müller, topics of interest for exchange in the context of Ukraine's recovery, where Switzerland can share its expertise, include: energy-efficient management, approaches to regional development, vocational education reform, the use of artificial intelligence in development strategies.

Recently, the USB Association became a member of the Agenda 2030 Platform, which unites over 50 Swiss non-governmental organizations engaged in sustainable development.

Media Projects and Shaping Ukraine's Image

Since last year, the Association has been actively pursuing the goal of shaping a positive image of Ukraine within Swiss society. The first initiative in this direction was a traveling photo project by Yulia Wimmerling titled "(Not) Cornered", which highlighted the lives and values of women refugees from different regions of Ukraine who had settled across various cantons in Switzerland. The project was exhibited in public libraries and featured in cinema magazines. Currently, the Association is preparing a second photo project.

Svitlana Prokopchuk, the Association's media coordinator, writes a column for the Bern-based magazine Journal B and hosts the "Ukrainian Wave" program on Radio Rabe (Radio Rabe - Ukrainian Wave).

"Using these and other channels allows us to communicate to the Swiss who Ukrainians are and what modern Ukraine is all about. This way, the Swiss can better understand our fight for freedom and independence," explains Svitlana Prokopchuk.

What kind of future do we see for USB?

The USB team envisions its mission on two levels: on the one hand, helping Ukrainians integrate into Europe while preserving their identity, and on the other, fostering strong, solidary partnerships between Europe and Ukraine.

"USB serves as an example of how unity can help Ukrainians find their place in new circumstances and utilize their potential for the benefit of Ukraine. The Association's activities become an important bridge that advances Ukraine's presence in Europe and mobilizes European solidarity to support Ukraine," summarizes USB's strategic development consultant.