A project that unites and gives hope: how the NAIU and EDF support people with disabilities during the war (ENG)

People at the center of humanitarian aid - a cross-cutting idea project "Crisis in Ukraine: Disability-inclusive response and recovery led and coordinated by organizations of persons with disabilities", implemented by the NAPD with the support of the European Disability Forum (EDF) and the Christian Blind Mission (CBM) since the first months of the full-scale invasion of Russia in 2022.  

This is practically the only project that has been systematically supporting organizations of people with disabilities at the national level for three years and providing targeted humanitarian assistance to women and men with disabilities, the elderly, families raising children and youth with disabilities, children deported to Russia and returned to their families, people who lost their homes, women who were in captivity, and advocating for the rights of the target group at the international and national levels.

Rapid response and humanitarian support for vulnerable people in different parts of Ukraine

In the second phase of the project (2023-2024), more than 7,000 people received humanitarian assistance under the project: 

• Financial assistance: more than 1100 people.
• Auxiliary means of rehabilitation: more than 200 people.
• Support for social workers: 27 social workers in 10 communities received  bicycles for emergency assistance in villages.
•  Improving access to medical services for community residents, including those with disabilities: In six communities, the following were carried out audits accessibility of healthcare facilities, agreed measures to eliminate identified barriers; more than 100 units purchased equipment for 8 healthcare facilities, repairs of paramedic and obstetric stations in Opishnyanska and Karlivska communities in Poltava Oblast, taking into account accessibility for people with disabilities.
•  Rapid response: supporting families with children who were treated at the Okhmatdyt hospital during the rocket attack on the hospital.  NAIA provided financial assistance to 5 families of children with disabilities.

Feedback from participants:

 "When we received help, it was like a ray of light in the darkness. It gave us a sense of support, that we were not alone." Natalia, Kharkiv region

"You have become our salvation. We were able to buy the most necessary things and also received rehabilitation equipment, which made our lives much easier." Olga, Khmelnytsky region.

"Thank you for your help. We live in a village and you are the first to help us since the beginning of the war, it seemed that we were forgotten", - Daria, mother of a child with a disability.

 "It has opened up new horizons for me, I have become more mobile, and my family is relieved.", – Oleksandr, Chernihiv regionand received a lift.

"Thank you for your generosity and indifference, because good deeds do not go unnoticed, as help in this difficult time for all of us is not just material values, but confidence that together we will overcome any adversity.", - social workers of the Center for Social Services of Teteriv Village Council.

"Most of the clients live at great distances from each other, which are most conveniently reached by bicycle. Therefore, such a mobile mode of transportation as a bicycle makes it possible to use working time more efficiently and greatly facilitates the work, as social workers deliver the necessary things and products to their clients", - social workers of the Korosten community in Zhytomyr Oblast.

The project continues to respond quickly to the needs of the most vulnerable, improving their lives even in the most difficult conditions.

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Strengthening the capacity of organizations of people with disabilities (OPD)

The project systematically supported the institutional and organizational capacity of organizations of people with disabilities. As a result, many organizations were able to continue their activities during the war and help people.

In 2024 alone, the NAIU provided 14 microgrants to implement local initiatives aimed at supporting people with disabilities.

The NGO "Modern View" has implemented project "Support for civilians and veterans who lost their sight during the war", including information sessions and psychological support. NGO "Ocean of Good" created Social adaptation center for people with disabilities and the elderly evacuated from the war zone. "The Center is home to more than 90 people who need constant care and rehabilitation. We have the opportunity to help them," says the head of the NGO Olga Volkova.

Among other initiatives:

• NGO "Mother's Heart" opened InclusionHab for day care for children and youth with disabilities.
• NGO "Equilibrium-plus" organized mutual support measures for families raising children with developmental disabilities.
• NGO "The Way of Good" created an inclusive coworking space in Uman.
• Association "Open Hearts" provided psychological support and social and labor adaptation of people with disabilities over the age of 30.
• NGO "MoloDizhka" created accessible inclusive space for people with disabilities and the elderly.

As a result of the projects, more than 1000 people with disabilities and their families received support.

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A significant contribution of the project is the organization of training and educational events for representatives of CSOs

As part of the project, more than 1000 participants attended information and training online/offline events on humanitarian response, accessibility and disability issues with the participation of national and international experts.

Feedback from participants:

 "This seminar helped us understand the rights of people with disabilities and taught us how to advocate for accessibility issues in our community. We not only gained knowledge, but also found like-minded people from other organizations." Olena, Volyn region.

 "The camp became a new starting point for me. Here I met people like me. We share experiences and make plans for the future together," tells us. Ruslan, a veteran who lost his eyesight during the fighting. "I liked it very much. I was together with my child. I was resting and studying. I communicated with moms like me. My child was properly cared for. Thank you all," participant Taborfor parents raising children with disabilities.

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Advocacy at the international level and important steps towards inclusion

The project included active work with clusters, UN agencies, and international organizations to advocate for the inclusion of disability issues in humanitarian response and recovery.

 The project made it possible to respond promptly to the situation by conducting more than 10 surveys and studies on the situation of people with disabilities during the war. Some materials formed the basis for the preparation of an Alternative Report to the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. In August 2024, the NAPD, as part of the Ukrainian civil society delegation, presented to the UN Committee report about the situation with the rights of people with disabilities during the war.

 "Our main goal is to inform the international community about the real situation of people with disabilities during the war. We strive to ensure that their voices are heard at the global and national levels and to contribute to recommendations that will help improve the living conditions and protect the rights of this vulnerable category of Ukrainian citizens," said the Secretary General of the NDPA. Secretary General of NAIU.

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The project demonstrates that support can take many forms: from material assistance to confidence building, from advocacy to development. Thanks to the NAPD and the European Disability Forum (EDF), people with disabilities in Ukraine feel that they are not left alone to face the challenges of war. They have support that opens up new opportunities and gives them hope for a better future.

We are grateful to the project, the European Disability Forum (EDF) and the Christian Blind Mission (CBM), thanks to which the National Assembly of Persons with Disabilities of Ukraine managed to support and strengthen the movement of people with disabilities in Ukraine in the difficult current conditions of war and provide targeted assistance to those who needed it.

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Pproject Uniting and GivingHope: How NAPD and EDF Ssupport People with Disabilities During the War

People at the heart of humanitarian assistance is the core idea of the project "Crisis in Ukraine: OPD-Led Disability Iinclusive Response and Recovery." This initiative has been implemented by the National Assembly of People with Disabilities of Ukraine (NAPD) with support from the European Disability Forum (EDF) and the Christian Blind Mission (CBM) since the early months of the full-scale Russian invasion in 2022.

This project stands out as one of the very few that has systematically supported organizations of people with disabilities at the national level for three consecutive years and provided targeted humanitarian assistance to women and men with disabilities, the elderly, families raising children and young people with disabilities, children who were deported to Russia and then returned, people who lost their homes, and women who endured captivity. Additionally, the project actively advocated for the rights of these vulnerable groups at both national and international levels.

Rapid Response and Hhumanitarian Ssupport to Vulnerable PopulationsAcross Ukraine

In the second phase of the project (2023-2024), over 7,000 individuals received humanitarian assistance through the project: 

• Financial Assistance: provided to more than 1,100 people.
• Rehabilitation Assistive Devices: distributed to over 200 individuals.
• Support for Social Workers: 27 social workers across 10 communities received bicycles to enable prompt delivery of assistance in rural areas.
• Improving Access to Hhealthcare Services for Community Members,Iincluding Persons with Disabilities:
• accessibility audits of healthcare facilities were conducted in six communities, and measures to remove identified barriers were approved;
• more than 100 units of equipment were purchased for 8 healthcare facilities; 
• repairs were carried out at paramedic and obstetric stations in Opishnia and Karlivka communities of Poltava region, ensuring accessibility for persons with disabilities.
• Rapid Response: supporting families with children who were undergoing treatment at Okhmatdyt Nnational Hospital during the missile attack on the facility.NAPD provided financial assistance to 5 families of children with disabilities.

Feedback from participants:

"When we received help, it was like a ray of light in the darkness. It gave us a sense of support and feeling that we were not alone." Natalia, Kharkiv region

"You have become our salvation. We were able to buy the most necessary things, and we also received rehabilitation equipment that made our lives much easier." Olga, Khmelnytskyi region.

"Thank you for your help. We live in a village, and you were the first to help us since the beginning of the war; it seemed that we had been forgotten by all others." Daria, the mother of a child with a disability.

"It opened up new horizons for me, I became more mobile, and my family is relieved." Oleksandr, Chernihiv region, who was granted a lifting device.

"We thank you for your generosity and indifference, because good deeds do not go unnoticed, as help in this difficult time for all of us is not just about material things, but it is about confidence that together we will overcome any adversity." Social workers of the Social Service Center of Teteriv vvillage council.

"Most of our clients live at great distances from each other, which is why it's most convenient to reach them by bicycle. So, such a mobile kind of transport as a bicycle makes it possible to use working time more efficiently and greatly facilitates our work, as social workers deliver the essentials and products to their customers."Social workers of Korosten community in Zhytomyr region.

The project continues to respond promptly to the needs of the most vulnerable people, improving their lives even under the most challenging conditions.

Strengthening the Capacity of Organizations of People with Disabilities (OPDs)

The project has systematically supported the institutional and organizational capacity of organizations of people with disabilities. As a result, many of these organizations were able to sustain their activities during the war and provide assistance to people in need.

In 2024 alone, the NAPD awarded 14 microgrants to support local initiatives aimed at assisting people with disabilities.

The "Modern Look" NGO implemented the project "Supporting Civilians and Veterans Who Lost Their Eyesight during the War," which included informational sessions and psychological support. The "Ocean of Kindness" NGO has created the Center of Social Adaptation for people with disabilities and elderly individuals evacuated from the war zone. "The Center has become home to over 90 people requiring constant care and rehabilitation. We now have the opportunity to help them," says Olga VolkovaHead of the NGO.

Other initiatives include:

• NGO "Mother's Heart" has opened the Inclusion Hub for day care services for children and young people with disabilities.
• NGO "Equilibrium-plus" has organized mutual support activities for families raising children with developmental disabilities.
• NGO "The Path of Kindness" has created an inclusive coworking space in Uman.
• The Open Hearts Association provided psychological support as well as social and labor adaptation for people with disabilities aged 30 and older.
• NGO "MoloDizhka" has created an accessible inclusive space for people with disabilities and elderly individuals.

The implementation of the projects has provided support to over 1,000 people with disabilities and their families.

OrganizingTraining and Awareness-Raising Events for Organizations of Persons with Disabilities (OPDs) is a Significant Contribution of the Pproject

As part of the project, more than 1,000 participants attended online and offline informational and training events on humanitarian response, accessibility, and disability-related issues. These events featured the participation of national and international experts.

Feedback from participants:

"This workshop helped us to understand the rights of people with disabilities and taught us how to advocate for accessibility issues in our community. We not only gained knowledge, but also connected with like-minded people from other organizations." Olena, Volyn region.

"The camp became a new starting point for me. Here, I met people like myself. We share experiences and make plans for the future together," says Ruslan, a veteran who lost his eyesight during the fighting.

"I really liked it. I was together with my child. I was resting and studying. I communicated with other mothers like me. My child was properly looked after. Thank you all." A female participant of the Camp for parents raising children with disabilities.

Advocacy at the Iinternational Level and Important Steps TforwardsIinclusion

The project involved active engagement with clusters, UN agencies, and international organizations to advocate for the inclusion of disability issues in humanitarian response and recovery efforts.

The project enabled a prompt response to the evolving situation through the completion of over 10 surveys and studies examining the circumstances of people with disabilities during the war. Some of these materials served as the basis for preparing an Alternative Report to the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. In August 2024, the NAPD, as part of the Ukrainian civil society delegation, presented the UN Committee with a report detailing the state of the rights of people with disabilities during the war.

"Our primaryobjective is to inform the international community about the actual conditions faced by people with disabilities during the war. We aim to ensure that their voices are heardboth globally and nationallyand to contribute to recommendations that will help to improve the living conditions and safeguard the rights of this vulnerable group of Ukrainian citizens," said Victoria Nazarenko, Secretary General of the NAPD.

The project demonstrates that support can take many forms: from material assistance to confidence building, and from advocacy to development. Thanks to the efforts of the NAPD and the European Disability Forum (EDF), people with disabilities in Ukraine know that they are not left alone to face the challenges of war. They have access to support that creates new opportunities and brings hope for a better future.

We express our gratitude to the project, the European Disability Forum (EDF), and the Christian Blind Mission (CBM).Owing to their efforts, the National Assembly of People with Disabilities of Ukraine has been able to to support and strengthen the movement of people with disabilities in Ukraine under the difficult circcircumstances of war and provide targeted assistance to those in need.