Tradition runs deep in the village of Podilske. At primary school rehearsals are underway for the national folk dance competition.
在普达斯基村庄,这里还沿袭着传统,在一所小学,学生正在为全国民间舞蹈比赛进行彩排。
Among the youngest generations, ambitions are undimmed. This year we competed in national gymnastic competition and I won.
在这些年轻一代中,他们的志向依然明确,今年我们参加了全国体操比赛,我获胜了。
Youth is a powerful force in Podilske. In 2015 aged just 24, Artiom Kukharenko ran for mayor of the village and won with 80% support.
年轻人是这座村庄的强大力量,2015年年仅24岁的库克轮科竞选了该村市长,并获得了80%的支持。
His manifesto was simple to stop young people leaving. What advice does he have for the next president:
他的宣言很简单,那就是不要让年轻人离开,他对未来总统的建议是:
You should pay attention to the creation of new jobs. Everyone voices the same concern.
你应该关注增加新的工作机会。所有人都有着同样的担忧。
The school's Ukrainian language teacher says most of her students leave after graduation.
该学校的乌克兰语老师认为,她的多数学生毕业后都离开了。
It's quite clear that people want more money, and there is no vision for that in small villages.
很清楚人们想要挣更多的钱,在这样的小村庄是不行的,
So that is why quite a lot of young people just go abroad. People are talking a lot about low income and low pensions.
这也就是为什么大量年轻人出国。人们一直在谈论低收入和低退休金。
We don't have anywhere to work here. All the people have to go somewhere else.
我们没地方去工作,所有人都去其它地方了。
Seventy percent of Ukraine's land is given over to agriculture, which generates 18 billion dollars in exports.
乌克兰70%的土地都被用作农业了,这为出口赚取了180亿美金。
But mayor Kukharenko says agro-industrial corporations are swallowing up family farms and jobs.
但库克轮科市长认为,农工类公司正在吞噬家庭农场和工作。
What does the youth need today? A house, a decent job, which provides a decent salary, which may offer them a start.
年轻人如今需要什么?住宅,像样的工作,可观的收入,这将为他们提供一个好的开端。
The poor credit system that we've got is a huge burden, not only for the youth but also for people who are better established.
糟糕的信贷系统给我们造成了很大的压力,不仅仅是年轻人,还有生活富裕的人。
Kukharenko says the high unemployment leads to alcoholism and mental illness among some residents.
库克轮科认为高失业率导致许多民众酗酒和心理疾病。
It seems a bleak future. But for a dose of optimism, head to Podilske's primary school.
未来看似黯淡无光,但在普达斯基小学可以看到希望。
I don't want to leave Ukraine. But I want to go to another city and then return here to look after my parents and look after my village.
我不想离开乌克兰,我想去其它城市,之后回来照看父母和村庄。
I want to go to the most polluted places in Ukraine, to the cities, and work on improving the environmental problems there.
我希望去乌克兰污染最严重的地区,去城市,去解决环境问题。
Big ambitions for themselves and for their country, but how can rural communities harness and keep their homegrown talent?
他们对国家有更大的抱负,但乡村社区如何利用并留下这些本地人才?
Ukraine as a country faces huge challenges in the years ahead. For villages like this one the biggest battle is survival itself
乌克兰未来几年将面临更大的挑战,像这样的乡村,它们面临的最大障碍是生存。
Henry Ridgwell for VOA news Podilske, Ukraine
亨利·里奇维尔,VOA新闻乌克兰,普达斯基报道。