Daria Buyanska: how a girl from Dnipro makes her dreams come true notwithstanding the war and disability

28 Листопада 2023 by Olga Zhurbenko

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In Dnipro, a frontline city famous for its beauty and hospitality, there lives a girl who amazes everyone with her resilience. Her name is Daria Buianska, and she is only 20 years old.

Since childhood, Daria has been using a wheelchair because she has spinal muscular atrophy [SMA is a group of inherited diseases that gradually destroy motor neurons, the nerve cells in the brain stem and spinal cord which control skeletal muscle activity such as speech, walking, breathing, and swallowing], so she cannot walk on her own.

But this did not stop her from becoming a successful student and overall a wonderful person.

How does Daria Buianska find the strength to live and create in the face of disability and war?

Today we are going to meet this incredible girl to learn more about her story.

I was born in Dnipro. I live here with my family. After the outbreak of the full-scale war, we didn’t move anywhere either. When I was one year old, I couldn’t walk on my own anymore, but my childhood was no different in anything else. My parents tried to fight my disease. We often traveled to different hospitals… When it became clear that I would always have to use a wheelchair, I went through a rehabilitation course every six months.

In general, I was treated like an ordinary child. I spent a lot of time with my friends and my elder sister. She and I have always had a warm relationship. I’ve never felt inferior in the company of other children. There could be situations when some strangers pointed fingers at me, but I’ve never noticed it among my friends or classmates. Since my early childhood, I’ve enjoyed learning English.

Daria was very active at school. Her teachers made every effort to create an accessible learning environment for her. Inclusive education was just beginning in Ukraine at that time.

I had finished two grades at a specialized school for children with special educational needs within one academic year because the principal of that school said that my level of knowledge allowed me to go straight to the second grade. So, I had spent only two days in the first grade. Then my parents and I decided to continue my education in a regular secondary school that was closer to us. I studied there until the last grade.

In elementary school, my class teacher was Nina Volodymyrivna, a very good English teacher. I guess it was her who instilled the passion for learning the language in me. 

I loved this teacher very much because she never treated me in a patronizing way and did not distinguish me from other children.

When I was studying at the school, ramps were installed, but when they were not available yet and you had to go to the second floor to other classrooms for chemistry or physics, teachers would come to our classroom and taught these lessons there.

After graduating from high school, Daria tried to enter an English philology program, but due to her disability, it was not easy to choose an accessible university.

After high school, I passed the External Independent Evaluation and entered Oles Honchar Dnipro National University, part-time department of the Faculty of Foreign Languages, majoring in English Philology. I wanted to fulfill my childhood dream, but it was uncomfortable to study at that university. On the very first day of classes, my parents had to take me up the stairs to the second floor, because no one had let me know about the elevator that opens from the university right to the outdoors. It was good that one of the employees told us about it when I was already on my way home.

Now I am in my fifth year of studies at the Law Faculty of Dnipro Humanitarian University. I entered the university with my friend because we had been enjoying law classes together since high school.

In the future, I want to complete my master’s degree and possibly work as a notary. But although I have been studying for so many years at a law school, I prefer work connected with English or Digital Marketing. In the summer, the Oleksandr Yanovskyi Charitable Foundation, in partnership with the first innovative international educational IT center “Dan. IT,” organized Digital Marketing (Internet marketing) courses for people with disabilities, which I attended together with other members of the public organization “I Know You Can!”

For now, I plan to realize myself in the field of Digital Marketing, although I know that just wanting to do it is not enough, as you need to work hard for it.

Daria’s real support is her family and friends, who motivate her to move forward and not give up on her dreams. How does Daria overcome obstacles and what does she strive for in her life?

I have always used a wheelchair with manual drive, but my arm muscles are very weak, and that’s why I often had to ask my sister or parents for help. I wanted to buy a wheelchair with an electric drive to become more independent. I am very glad that I’ve realized my dream! Buying a wheelchair has made my mobility much easier, but accessibility in our country still needs to be improved. Although we do have low-floor transport with a ramp, drivers refuse to activate it, trying to say they left their keys… Often, complete strangers offer help to me, and I am sincerely grateful to them for that. When I was on holiday in Turkey, it was mostly easy for me to move around. The hotel where we stayed also had all the facilities for people with disabilities, but it depends on the travel agents and their willingness to help in finding accessible transportation and accommodation. If we compare the levels of accessibility in Turkey and in Ukraine, then you can say that both Ukraine and Turkey have both accessible places and places that are not adjusted for people with disabilities at all.

Daria, how do you manage to find time for everything?

In fact, it’s hard to find time for everything, but I am motivated and inspired by my parents, sister, friend, and my little godson. I’m grateful to them for always supporting me and never considering me special because of my disability. My strongest desire is to become self-independent enough to help my family turn their dreams into reality.

What Daria values most in people is kindness, mutual understanding and mutual support. She believes that everyone should have these qualities.

Despite the war, continual air raids and rocket attacks, Daria is studying, working, and keeps her faith in Ukraine’s victory. What helps the girl in overcoming difficulties, how she balances her psychological state, and other wishes that Daria shares with all readers:

I dream of our Victory, and I really want at least small dreams of each of us to become a part of reality. I wish people who use wheelchairs for getting around to never lose heart. I believe that it is important to believe in your strength and not to lock on problems. No matter what happens, you should think positively, because only in that way we are able to notice the happy moments of our lives.

Prepared by Tamila Koval

“THE INVINCIBLE LADY” is a series of articles about Ukrainian women and girls that motivate, fascinate, and inspire.

This initiative is part of the project “Empowerment of Women and Girls with Disabilities by Strengthening their Involvement and Leadership in Communities,” which is being implemented by the National Assembly of People with Disabilities of Ukraine with the support from the UN Women Ukraine and the Women’s Peace and Humanitarian Fund.

About the UN Women’s Peace and Humanitarian Fund (WPHF)

The UN Women’s Peace and Humanitarian Fund is a unified global financial mechanism designed exclusively to support the participation of women in peace and security building and humanitarian responses. Governed by a range of civil society, governments, and the UN actors, WPHF is a multi-partner trust fund that mobilizes urgently needed funding for local women-led organizations and works together with women on the frontlines to build lasting peace. WPHF has provided funding and supported capacity building for more than 500 local civil society organizations working with the “Women, Peace, and Security” agenda and implementing humanitarian activities in 28 crisis-affected countries.

This publication has been prepared with the financial support from the United Nations Women’s Peace and Humanitarian Fund (WPHF), but the views and contents expressed herein do not necessarily represent the official endorsement or recognition of the United Nations.