A New Wheelchair for an Active Everyday Life

Spending time in the yard, going into town, getting to the hospital or pharmacy, meeting friends, or simply taking a walk. All these everyday activities are part of Iryna’s daily life in the Horokhiv community, so it’s important for her to have a comfortable and reliable means of mobility.

Iryna lives with her mother and grandfather. The family’s main source of income is three pensions. They can’t afford to maintain a large household garden, but they have a small vegetable patch near their house where they grow greens. And Iryna is always surrounded by her pets: a few rabbits, a dog, and two cats. In the future, Iryna dreams of meeting someone special, starting a family, and becoming a mother.

Many years ago, she received a wheelchair from donors, but it eventually broke down. Because of this, it became difficult for her to use it for her daily activities.

Iryna received her new wheelchair as part of the “Women’s Health” project, implemented by the National Assembly of People with Disabilities of Ukraine with the support of and in partnership with the Norwegian Federation for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and Atlas Alliance.

For Iryna, the new wheelchair has made it possible to get around more comfortably outside the home, visit the city more often, meet people, and do the things that matter most to her.

“Now she can spend time in the yard, go into town, to the hospital, or to the pharmacy. Just to see people!” says Iryna’s mother.

It is in these ordinary, everyday things that the importance of mobility becomes apparent. A wheelchair helps a person get where they need to go, access services, maintain social connections, take care of their personal affairs, and plan their day.

Oleksandra Perkova, Communications Manager of the Project