Oleksandr Kerniakevich, Lviv Regional Center of Social Protection and Rehabilitation of Persons with Disabilities “SOZARIN”: HOW did WE MANAGE to LIVE THROUGH the HARD WARTIME YEAR?

21 Лютого 2023 by Olga Zhurbenko

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We were working and trying to help women and men with disabilities and families raising children with disabilities. We were trying to unite the members of our organization and learn how to take decisions quickly.

We work with women after mastectomy. Since our city was considered to be safer, many women from other cities who needed help evacuated to us. Therefore, we engaged in information prevention of breast cancer and support for women after mastectomy and their families who became internally displaced persons. The successful implementation of this program continues, no matter what difficulties may arise. In implementing this activity, we were supported by the National Assembly of People with Disabilities of Ukraine as part of a project from the European Disability Forum.

During the year, we closely cooperated with the all-Ukrainian NGO “The Coalition for Protection of Rights of Persons with Intellectual Disabilities” by providing support to this group of people.

During the war, we accommodated a part of our premises for displaced persons with disabilities, having provided them with shelter and needed help. Today we keep supporting people with disabilities and families raising children with disabilities: we are delivering food sets, individual hygiene products; we are holding rehabilitation classes, visiting hospitals, supporting women and their families, and carrying our prevention activities among women.

Also, the members of our organization have taken the decision that we will be helping our military by what we can: sending aid to the frontline, helping the wounded in hospitals; our women are weaving protective nets for the front. These activities have been repeatedly acknowledged by certificates of merit from various units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

What was the hardest: to find all possible options to preserve the organization, especially its members, to keep supporting the organization’s activities and delivering aid to people.