More than 500 Ukrainians with disabilities, including veterans who lost their hearing in the war zone, have already received assistance under the project of the League of the Strong NGO. The project will be implemented in March-August 2023. This was announced by Daria Sydorenko, Executive Director of the League of the Strong.
“This is a joint project with our partner organisations, Vidchuy, See with Your Heart, Active Rehabilitation Group and Family for People with Disabilities. Obviously, some of the services provided by our partners under the project will continue to be extremely relevant, such as hearing prosthetics for veterans or support for families raising children with complex developmental disabilities. That is why we will look for additional opportunities to implement similar projects,” explained Daria Sydorenko.
As part of the current project, 20 veterans received hearing aids. 18 people with disabilities received uninterruptible power supply equipment in case of power outages. More than 400 children with developmental disabilities and their families took part in group classes on various topics.
The project has also enabled 83 people to take regular classes at the Hornyatko Dobroty (Cup of Kindness) Vocational Training Centre for Young People with Disabilities in Kyiv. A special floor was laid, doorways were arranged, walls were painted and the ceiling repaired, windows were replaced, and the kitchen and bathrooms were made accessible to people with disabilities. The centre has been fully operational since May.
The project was implemented with the financial support of a European partner, the Catalan Development Cooperation Fund. This is a non-profit organisation made up of city councils and other local governments. The Fund allocates part of its budget to finance activities for development cooperation and international solidarity.
As a reminder, the League of the Strong is a public union that was formed at the end of 2021. Its main task is to unite NGOs and activate people with disabilities to participate in the exercise of their rights. Since the full-scale invasion, one of the focuses of the organisation’s work has been to help people with disabilities. Currently, the League of the Strong community includes 50 organisations.