STEM centres and communities wishing to set up their own educational spaces can now make use of this DIY guide. The savED charity and the Tokarev Foundation have produced this practical handbook. The guide is based on the experience of creating a network of DIY ‘Beehives’ in regions where offline education has been hardest hit by the war. The founder of the Tokarev Foundation, IT entrepreneur, and investor Sergey Tokarev, explained this.
Features and benefits of DIY ‘Beehives’
‘Vulyk’ is a centre for hands-on training in the use of laser engravers, 3D printers, programming tools, robotic prototypes and more. The DIY (do-it-yourself) approach involves independent exploration and creation without formal theoretical instruction.
The educational network covers five communities in the Chernihiv, Mykolaiv, and Dnipropetrovsk regions. In 2025, over 800 schoolchildren took part in various STEM activities at the pilot centre in the village of Tsarychanka. According to a survey, 96% of participants were introduced to new technologies. More than half of the schoolchildren plan to apply the skills they have acquired in the future.
“The centre in Tsarychanka is just one example. However, a DIY guide will help us build a national infrastructure so that Ukraine can tackle the shortage of engineering staff as effectively as possible over the next 10–15 years,” says Sergey Tokarev.
According to savED data, in 2025 only 41% of Ukrainian schoolchildren regularly took part in extracurricular activities. The main reasons are financial and staffing shortages, as well as a lack of suitable facilities.
At the same time, the economy is facing high demand for specialists in mechanical and chemical engineering, automation, and electronics.
Why is it worth investing in human capital
The organisers of the DIY ‘Beehives’ see this initiative as a tool for long-term investment in human capital. They are convinced that this is the answer to the structural shortage of technical professionals in Ukraine.
“Success can only be achieved when charitable foundations, business, the state, and tech philanthropy work together. That is why we are providing a DIY guide to all interested parties. It explains how to train teachers, equip the space and create the conditions for free access to modern technology education,” emphasises Sergey Tokarev.
The guidebook was presented on 16 April in Kyiv, attended by educators, companies supporting STEM initiatives, and representatives of the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine. The document is available free of charge.