Mykola Baladin and Nataliia Kapustian are a married couple who live in Kaniv, located more than 80 km from Cherkasy. They know very well what it means to live with a disability in an environment where accessibility remains a challenge. For many years, they have not only overcome these challenges themselves, but have also been actively involved in solving them for others.
Natalia is a representative of the Government Commissioner for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in the Cherkasy region, and Mykola, in his spare time, advises wounded veterans on the proper use of wheelchairs. He has many years of practical experience in this field. He used to work as a locomotive driver for the railway, but suffered serious injuries at work.
“It was an accident at work during my shift. I slipped and fell out of the locomotive cab. Everything after that is a blur — I don’t really remember what happened to me. When I woke up, I was surrounded by the walls of a medical facility. My injuries were severe, and the doctors didn’t give me any prognosis. It wasn’t just that I couldn’t stand up, I had to relearn how to sit, hold my torso and neck. I lost the ability to walk forever. It seemed that everything was lost. But I am an optimist, and over time I found salvation in sports, which means new achievements, communication with people, and constant activity” says Mykola.
Today, he has a new profession: he works from home as a tool sharpener, servicing everything from scissors and knives to axes. Returning to an active life was not easy, but it happened gradually.
“In fact, it took a long time before I was able to recover, even partially. But I didn’t give up: after my injury, as soon as I had the opportunity, I took part in wheelchair racing marathons. Then I had to adapt to the changes, learn a lot and get a new profession. That’s how I got my life back, although it’s completely different now,” Mykola says.
His wife Nataliia also knows what it means to drastically change your life. At the age of 17, she was involved in a car accident, which left her with a serious injury – a spinal fracture. Before the accident, she was involved in athletics and planned to become a physical education teacher.
“That was the end of my dream. The accident took away everything I lived for — the ability to run, my legs,‘ Natalia recalls in an interview. ’I thought I was the only one. I felt very sorry for myself. At that time, the only word in my head and vocabulary was “pity”. Now I don’t like it and tell everyone to forget about it.”
Over time, she returned to sport — this time to shooting. She began training at the Invasport centre and became a member of the Paralympic team. It was sport that brought her together with Mykola — he also competed in wheelchair racing. They met at a sanatorium in Crimea and have been together ever since: they live, travel and work together.
“We both came from sports. This gave us a certain stability. We got used to the fact that we had to hold on even in difficult moments. And now our work has become our main support,” Nataliia and Mykola share.
Last year, the couple experienced health issues. Mykola’s hand problems worsened as a result of years of strain from playing sports. The examinations required significant expenses, which were difficult to cover on their own. Then, support came from the Empower Ukraine project, which is implemented with the support of the European Disability Forum.
“Mykola’s hands hurt a lot. Professional sports backfired on him. Thanks to the support, we were able to treat his hands. I had problems with my spine and needed to undergo tests to understand what was going on. This assistance was very helpful to us because we needed to do an MRI, which, unfortunately, is not free, ” says Nataliia.
Now the couple is back in action and involved in improving accessibility in the Cherkasy region. Natalia works as a representative of the Government Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities in the Cherkasy region. She has many small and large victories under her belt: from creating an accessible space near Taras Shevchenko’s grave to improving accessibility near a school shelter in Cherkasy.
“I always say: if you make it convenient for people with disabilities, it will be convenient for everyone without exception,” adds Nataliia.
Mykola counsels those who have recently experienced trauma, including wounded veterans. They believe that this work is not about the past, but about the future.
“We are not even working for those who already have disabilities, but for those who are acquiring them now, who are moving around in wheelchairs, on prosthetics, or on crutches. We are working for the future. Because our defenders will return, and we want them to not feel what we felt: me 35 years ago, Kolya 40 years ago. Our goal is to make it easier for them,” Nataliia concludes.
The couple does what they believe is right: they create an environment where people with disabilities can live with dignity, study, work and not be marginalised. And they prove that real change begins where there is understanding, experience and a willingness to act.
The Empower Ukraine project was created with financial support from the German Federal Foreign Office (GFFO), CBM and the European Disability Forum. It has been implemented by the League of Strong since September 2023 in three regions: Ternopil, Cherkasy and Ivano-Frankivsk. During this period, the team has helped 862 people receive financial assistance and provided assistive devices to 690 people, including 17 wheelchairs. The team has also provided 4,656 transport services for people with disabilities to healthcare facilities for various medical procedures.