The “The League of the Strong” continues to grow. Three more organisations, with which “The League of the Strong” has long been collaborating, have become associate members. These are the NGO ‘Episprosvita’, the ‘Nezabutni’ Charitable Foundation and the NGO “Foundation 03:00”.
Associate membership brings together organisations that share the values of the “The League of the Strong”, seek to strengthen their own capacity, develop partnerships and jointly advocate for systemic change.
Associate membership is an institutional level of participation in the “The League of the Strong”, which provides organisations with expanded opportunities for collaboration: access to expert support, sub-granting, joint applications, joint advocacy and representation of the organisation in the association’s activities.
Today, “The League of the Strong” community brings together over 130 members, including 3 associate members and 9 full members, among whom are 6 founding organisations.
“The League of the Strong” is an umbrella organisation that brings together organisations of people with disabilities and those working with people with various types of disability, providing services in local communities, conducting research and representing the interests of their communities. We create a space for collaboration, coordinate joint initiatives, develop partnerships and strengthen advocacy to ensure that the rights and needs of all people with disabilities are taken into account in decision-making,” says Daria Kukurika, Executive Director of “The League of the Strong” Public Organisation.
“Epiprosvita”
The NGO “Epiprosvita” is an organisation that supports people with epilepsy and their families, combining medical, legal, social and psychological support with advocacy for systemic change. Over the course of five years, the team has helped ensure that five essential medicines for the treatment of epilepsy are now available free of charge, helped update treatment protocols, trained over 9,500 “Ukrzaliznytsia” train conductors to provide first aid during epileptic seizures, and implemented a series of educational and awareness-raising projects for patients, educators and specialists.
Representatives of the NGO “EpiProsvita” have already taken part in the “The League of the Strong” educational programmes on advocacy and fundraising, as well as attending networking events and conferences. According to them, such collaboration provides an opportunity to expand their network of partnerships, learn from the experience of other organisations and improve their own work.
“The League of the Strong” has long been associated with transparency, integrity and a high level of professionalism. For us, as an advocacy organisation, it is important to have partners who can advise, guide and strengthen our work to promote the rights of people with epilepsy. The League also has a strong network and resources that all civil society organisations seeking positive change in society should make use of,” says the organisation’s chair, Nia Nickel.
“Nezabutni”
The “Nezabutni” Charitable Foundation is Ukraine’s largest organisation supporting people living with dementia and their families. The foundation provides psychological, legal and humanitarian support, ensures access to medication, runs the All-Ukrainian Dementia Helpline, organises support groups and runs the “Unforgettable Café” project for people with dementia and their carers. A separate area of its work involves advocating for the rights of people with dementia and developing state policy in the field of cognitive disability.
The Foundation notes that membership of the “The League of the Strong” will be a further step towards strengthening this work.
“It is important for us to be part of a leading community that systematically promotes the rights and interests of people with disabilities in Ukraine. We are convinced that it is through partnership, the exchange of experience and joint advocacy that lasting change can be achieved. Membership of “The League of the Strong” is an opportunity to amplify the voices of people with dementia and to ensure that cognitive disability is properly taken into account in government policies and programmes,” the foundation states.
The “Unforgettable” team has already taken part in events and training programmes organised by “The League of the Strong”. The foundation notes that these have become a valuable platform for exchanging experiences, developing partnerships and gaining a better understanding of current challenges in the field of protecting the rights of people with disabilities. The organisation highlights the mentoring support on fundraising as particularly useful.
“03:00 Foundation”
The NGO “03:00 Foundation” works to ensure that people with visual impairments have equal opportunities for education, employment, self-fulfilment and participation in society. The organisation runs educational projects, helps make culture, the arts and public spaces more accessible, carries out accessibility audits, provides training on how to interact appropriately with blind people, and supports military personnel and civilians who have lost their sight. Its areas of focus include the professional integration of people with visual impairments, the development of adaptive sport and the creation of an accessible environment.
“For us, being part of “The League of the Strong” community is, first and foremost, about people. It’s about those who work every day to make the issue of disability more visible and society more open and accessible. It is within such a community that strong partnerships and initiatives are born, which would be difficult to realise on our own,” say representatives of the “03:00 Foundation”.
The organisation notes that one of its most valuable collaborative experiences was its participation in the project “Provision of essential protection and support services to civilians affected by the conflict in Ukraine”. Thanks to the project, the team was able to strengthen its capacity, and the initial meeting with intern Anna Kovnir developed into a full-fledged collaboration. After the project ended, she stayed on to work at the “03:00 Foundation”, becoming an integral part of the team.
“The League of the Strong” continues to build a community of organisations working to promote equal rights, accessibility and the full participation of people with disabilities in all areas of life. Together, we are amplifying the voice of civil society and creating more opportunities for systemic change.
“We are delighted that three more associate members have joined “The League of the Strong”. This means greater expertise, broader representation of different communities and an even stronger collective voice. We have already carried out important projects with each of these organisations, are proud of the results achieved, and are convinced that there are even more joint changes ahead,” says Daria Kukurika, Executive Director of “The League of the Strong” Public Organisation.
To become an associate member of the General Association “All-Ukrainian Association of Organisations for the Interests of People with Disabilities “The League of the Strong”, please complete the following form: https://forms.gle/Y776hvwtgsZGfpCBA