Strength of spirit and love for people: the incredible story of Olena Osadcha, a volunteer with a disability (Eng)

Ukraine is a country with heroes who are not afraid of anything. And volunteers are angels who care and concern themselves not only with the military but also with civilians. They give them light and warmth, faith and hope, joy and peace. Especially in times of war, people with disabilities need support and assistance, as they face new wartime realities and have new needs. But what if you are also a volunteer despite your disability? What if you are a strong and unbreakable woman who does not give up in the face of fate? A woman from Dnipro Olena OsadchaShe has been using a wheelchair since childhood. She told us what inspires her to help others and adapt to new life circumstances. Olena shared her experience of how to find the strength to move on when dreams are shattered by obstacles.

- Since childhood, I have been using a wheelchair to get around because I have osteogenesis imperfecta, a very rare disease in Ukraine. Nowadays, you can find more information about it, but at that time, I was the only one with this diagnosis in Dnipro. Doctors told my parents that I would have brittle bones only until I was 18, and then I would outgrow it. Every three months until I was 14, I was in hospitals, I had about a hundred fractures of my arms and legs. I had more than one operation. I constantly took all the medications and hoped that one day everything would change. When I turned 18, the doctors told my parents that I would hardly be able to walk. They could try to do an operation in Israel, but it cost unrealistic money. Even if we sold the house, it would still not be enough. The probability that the surgery would be successful and I would be able to move around on my own was only 20%. Of course, no one took that risk because 20% is almost nothing.

Background. Osteogenesis imperfecta is a rare genetic disease characterized by frequent bone fractures. Usually, 1 child per 20,000 people is born with this diagnosis. The disease progresses with age, so it is important to receive the necessary treatment in time. Osteogenesis imperfecta is often called crystal disease.

- How did your parents treat you, did they try to take you anywhere?

My parents always supported me and tried to take me everywhere. We often went on vacation, traveled to different cities, and attended various events. Back then, there was no inclusive education, so I finished school remotely, with teachers coming to my home. However, I did not enter a university. Apparently, this was influenced by the talk that I would be able to walk at the age of 18. When it became clear that this was not realistic, I lost my desire to pursue higher education. I didn't want anything at all, I was in a state of weightlessness for 4 years, I withdrew into myself. But at the age of 24, I decided that I still needed a higher education, especially since I started volunteering. It so happened that my father died and my mother and I were left alone, and we had no way to pay for my education on our own. Later, a decree was issued that the "Fund for Social Protection of the Disabled" pays for education. I found out about it, gathered the necessary documents and entered the Open International University of Human Development "Ukraine" in Kyiv to study social work. It was a distance learning program, and I had to come to class only once every six months. The university provided a free dormitory equipped for people with disabilities. I studied for six months, but on the eve of the session, the dean's office called and told me that the tuition fees had not been received and advised me to contact my local social security fund. When my mother went there, the staff began to find a thousand reasons. In short, the fund never paid for my studies and I was expelled from the university. I could have transferred to any university in Dnipro to another faculty, but I didn't want to, and that was the end of my higher education.

- Would you like to continue your higher education now?

Now I don't have time for that because, first of all, I run a non-governmental organization, and secondly, I work as a website administrator for VKvadrati, a limited liability company. I can't quit my job because I get paid for it, and nowadays a person with a disability can't live on a pension alone.

- When did you learn about volunteering and why did you decide to help others?

There were few events for adults with disabilities in our city. Those public organizations that existed not on paper, whose activities could actually be seen, mostly organized various events for children with disabilities. The city authorities also did not do much to help and socialize these adults. I realized this when I started going out on my own. One day, I went to the city's accessibility committee and heard the following phrase: "We have so many people with disabilities, but you are not visible, we do not see you,

And it is not visible because we are not invited anywhere. The city is big, but inaccessible. Not every adult with a disability can afford to buy a ticket to the theater or any other event and get there without any problems. The initiative to arrange for free tickets was then launched, because people need not only to be entertained, but also to develop, to learn, so that adults with disabilities can communicate and spend time together. People who use wheelchairs and live in apartments don't even have an accessible exit. If such a person has no relatives, he or she stays at home for months. I wanted to help because I am also a person with a disability and I understand what it means to be left alone with yourself. I started volunteering when I joined the League of Wheelchair Users NGO. There, a man with a musculoskeletal disorder was also involved in helping people with disabilities. He asked me to help him arrange transportation. I thought I couldn't do it because I had never done it before and didn't know where to go, because to order an accessible bus, you need to find out who does it and find the money for it. When everything worked out, it was a great joy, and I wanted to help more.

- Tell us about the NGO "I Know You Can?" How did the war affect its activities?

The NGO I Know You Can was established in the fall of 2021. Initially, it was designed to socialize adults with disabilities, but when the full-scale invasion began, we had to change our focus a bit, as the need for humanitarian assistance arose. Just recently, we started looking for donors and applying for grants to organize trainings and provide psychological assistance to people with disabilities to help them adapt to the conditions they are in now. When I first started helping people with disabilities, I was always afraid. Thanks to my family and friends who supported me and said, "We know you can do it, you will succeed," I continued to do it. That's probably why I named the organization "I Know You Can".

Now I also say the following words to everyone: "If you want to and don't sit around and do something to achieve your goal, sooner or later you will be able to do it.

- How did you overcome your fear?

Of course, it didn't happen by itself. At first I was scared, but then I volunteered because I knew it was necessary. I attended a lot of seminars and trainings to learn something new. Everything came with time, but the constant support of family and friends helped the most.

- Why did you decide to create your own public organization?

Before that, I volunteered for more than one NGO for people with disabilities, but often my views did not coincide with the opinions of other leaders, they did not always agree with the donor conditions that I negotiated. I decided to create my own organization to be responsible for everything myself.

- What is your favorite quote or principle by which you live?

Do for others as you do for yourself, and then everything will be fine. I always tell the truth, even if someone doesn't like it. I believe that you need to be honest with yourself and with people.

- What does work mean to you?

Being an administrator of a real estate website is my job, I get paid for it, and being the head of an NGO is a purely volunteer activity. It gives me pleasure to see that this help not only gives people joy, but also meets some of their needs.

- How do you relax, since work is exhausting?

Yes, it's true. On weekends, I can hang out with friends, go to a coffee shop. Lately, I rarely have no work to do. Sometimes I go to bed at 12 and remember that I haven't finished a report. I have very little free time. In addition to work and volunteering, I also take courses, learn to write and submit grant applications. And when I do get a little time, I just want to sit in silence. Probably, we will rest after the victory, but now we have to work.

- What difficulties and barriers do you face because of your disability?

Inaccessibility of the city. A person in a wheelchair cannot move around the city on their own, always needing outside help. Although there are now more low-floor vehicles available to get into, when you arrive at the right stop, you can't get on the sidewalk because of the large curbs, because there are almost no lowers anywhere. You have to walk along the roadway or constantly ask a passerby for help.

- How often do people help?

I remember that 5-7 years ago, I had to ask for help myself, and not everyone agreed to help. Recently, young people have been more friendly and offer their help, even when I go with an escort.

- You said that local authorities are not very concerned about the lives of people with disabilities. Did you have a desire to help such people on behalf of the city or region?

In 2020, I ran in the local elections as a candidate for deputy from my district for the new Demalians party. I wanted not only to promote the topic of the life of people with disabilities, but also to make my neighborhood more accessible with smooth roads, good lighting, and playgrounds, because there are almost none in the private sector. However, our party did not get elected to the city council, and this is probably good for me. During these two months of campaigning and election campaigning, I realized that politics is definitely not my thing.

- Think back to February 24, 2022. Do you remember how it all started? How did you feel?

No one expected or thought that this was possible. There is an airfield not far from our house. I heard the first explosion at 4:30 in the morning, the windows shook, it seemed like they were going to fly out. No one realized it was war at first. My mom and I thought maybe something just exploded. It didn't fit in my head, I couldn't believe that there could be a war in the twenty-first century. There are no bomb shelters nearby, and those that are available are inaccessible to people who use wheelchairs, so it was very scary. I live in a private house with a basement. For the first 2 or 3 days, my mom and I went down there when the air raid alert started. Although, our basement is also inaccessible. My mom was very tired with me then, she had to take me down and up in her arms. Often we took two cats and went to our shelter for the night, because it was difficult to go back and forth in this way. My mother was very tired, so we decided not to go anywhere, but just sit out the alarm in the house.

- Unfortunately, there is still no accessible shelter for people with disabilities in Dnipro. Olena, despite this situation with shelters, you still live in a frontline city. Why didn't you try to evacuate?

First of all, I love my city, my home and my country very much. I am not ready to leave everything and go nowhere. It is very difficult for me, and secondly, we have animals: two cats and a dog. If you leave, you either have to take them with you or leave them behind. Taking the animals with us is unrealistic because we can't cope with them alone. They are part of our family, so we can't leave them behind either. Sometimes it's scary when the arrival is near, but my mom and I decided to stay. I will leave only if, God forbid, Dnipro is not close to the occupied territory, because I am not ready to live with orcs.

- What helps you to be brave?

I don't know. Maybe it's the fact that I'm not used to sitting around waiting for someone to help me. I always say:
Try to do everything yourself, but if you really can't, then ask others for help, because no one owes you anything.

- What would you like to say to people who are experiencing difficulties because of the war, especially those with disabilities?

Despite what is happening, we must be strong. If we give up, no one will help us. We have to believe in our soldiers, it is much harder for them on the front line. The main thing is to keep your cool, always have a cold mind, stay in safer places and believe in our victory.

- What do you dream about after the war? How do you see the future of your NGO "I Know You Can" and what would you like to do in the future?

After the war, there will be many more people with disabilities. I want inclusion and barrier-free accessibility, which everyone is talking about now, to exist not only on paper, but to become a reality. It's hard for me to imagine how those guys who were completely healthy will sit in a wheelchair and realize that they can't get anywhere. So my biggest dream is that everyone should feel equal, regardless of whether they have a disability or not. I want the members of my NGO to not need humanitarian aid, to be able to go to a coffee shop on their own and it wouldn't be a mega event. I dream of educational institutions being accessible to people with disabilities, so that they can get a job and afford not only sanatorium treatment, but also trips to the sea. I love traveling very much. I would love to continue traveling around Ukraine, because we have a very beautiful country. I want everyone to be able to travel around our cities easily and comfortably.

Olena Osadcha's story is an example of how volunteering is not just a desire to help, but a genuine love for people and the ability to find a piece of warmth in your heart for them.

By Tamila Koval

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"UNBREAKABLE" - is a series of articles about Ukrainian women and girls that motivate, fascinate and inspire!

This initiative is being implemented within the framework of the project "Promoting the rights of women and girls with disabilities by strengthening their participation and leadership in communities", implemented by the National Assembly of Persons with Disabilities of Ukraine with the support of UN Women Ukraine and the Women's Peace and Humanitarian Fund.

About the United Nations Women's Peace and Humanitarian Fund (WPHF).

The Women’s Peace and Humanitarian Fund (WPHF) is the only global financing mechanism exclusively dedicated to supporting women’s participation in peace and security processes and humanitarian action. Governed by a diverse group of civil society, government, and UN representatives, WPHF is a multi-partner trust fund that mobilizes urgently needed funding for local, women-led organizations and works alongside women on the front lines to build lasting peace. Since 2016, WPHF has provided funding and strengthened the capacities of over 1,000 local women’s civil society organizations advancing the Women, Peace and Security agenda and delivering humanitarian action in 41 crisis-affected countries.

This publication has been prepared with the financial support of the United Nations Women's Peace and Humanitarian Fund (WPHF), which does not imply that the views and contents expressed herein are officially endorsed or recognized by the United Nations."

**********

The fortitude and love for people: the incredible story of Olena Osadcha, a volunteer with a disability

Ukraine is a country of heroes who are not afraid of anything. And volunteers are angels who care for and support not only the military but also civilians. They give them light and warmth, faith and hope, joy, and peace. Especially in times of war, people with disabilities need support and assistance as they face new wartime realities and have new needs. But what if you are also a volunteer despite your disability? What if you are a strong and unbreakable woman who does not give up in the face of fate's challenges? Olena Osadcha, a resident of Dnipro city, has been using a wheelchair since childhood. She told us what inspires her to help others and adapt to new life circumstances. Olena shared her experience of how to find the strength to move on when dreams are shattered by a rock of obstacles.

• Since childhood, I have been using a wheelchair to move around because I have osteogenesis imperfecta, a very rare disease in Ukraine. Nowadays, you can find more information about it, but at that time, I was the only one with this diagnosis in Dnipro. Doctors told my parents that I would have fragile bones only until I was 18, and then I would outgrow it. I spent in hospitals every three months until the age of 14, and I had about a hundred fractures of my arms and legs. I had more than one surgery. I was constantly taking all the medications and hoped that one day everything would change. When I turned 18, the doctors told my parents that I would hardly be able to walk. They could have tried to do a surgical operation in Israel, but it cost unrealistic money. Even if we sold the house, it would still not be enough. And there was only a 20% chance that the surgery would be successful, and I would be able to walk by myself. Of course, no one took that risk because 20% is almost nothing.

Background: Osteogenesis imperfecta is a rare genetic disease characterized by frequent bone fractures. Usually, one child in 20,000 people is born with this diagnosis. The disease progresses with age, so it is important to receive the necessary treatment in time. People often call Osteogenesis imperfecta a crystal disease.

• How did your parents treat you? Did they try to go with you anywhere?

My parents always supported me and tried to take me everywhere. We often went on vacation, traveled to different cities, and attended various events. Back then, there was no inclusive education, so I finished school at a distance, with teachers coming to my home. However, I did not enter a university. Probably, it was a result of the talks that I would be able to walk at the age of 18. When it became clear that it was not realistic, I lost my wish to obtain higher education. I didn't want anything at all, I was in a state of weightlessness for 4 years, and I withdrew into myself. Still, at the age of 24, I decided that I needed higher education, especially when I started volunteering. It so happened that my father died, and my mother and I were left alone. We could not afford to pay for my studies on our own. Later, a resolution was adopted stating that the "Fund for Social Protection of the Disabled" shall pay for education. I learned about it, gathered the necessary documents, and entered the Open International University of Human Development "Ukraine" in Kyiv to major in social work. It was a distance learning program, and you had to come to the session only once every six months. The university provided a free dormitory equipped for people with disabilities. I studied for six months, but just before the session, they called from the Dean's office and told me that the tuition fee had not been received and advised me to contact my local social security fund. When my mother went there, the staff began to make up a thousand reasons for refusal. In short, the fund never paid for my studies, and I was expelled from the university. I could have transferred to another university in Dnipro and chosen a different faculty, but I already didn't want to, and that was the end of my higher education.

• And now, would you like to continue getting higher education?

Now I don't have time for that because, first of all, I run a non-governmental organization, and secondly, I work as a website administrator for "VKvadrati," a limited liability company. I can't quit my job because I get paid for it, and nowadays a person with a disability can't live on a pension alone.

• Where did you learn about volunteering and why did you decide to help others?

There were few events for adults with disabilities in our city. Those public organizations that existed not on paper, whose activities could actually be seen, mostly organized various events for children with disabilities. The city authorities also did not do much to help and socialize these adults. I realized this when I started going out on my own. One day, I went to the city's accessibility committee and heard the following phrase:

• We have so many people with disabilities, but you are not visible, and we do not see you.

• We are not visible because we are not invited anywhere. Although the city is big, it is inaccessible. Not every adult person with a disability can afford to buy a ticket to the theater or any other event and get there without any problems. Then the initiative to arrange free tickets appeared because people need not only to entertain, but also to develop, to learn, so that adult people with disabilities could communicate and spend time together. People who use wheelchairs and live in apartments don't even have an accessible exit. If such a person has no relatives, he or she stays at home for months. I wanted to help because I am also a person with a disability, and I understand what it is like to be left alone with yourself. I started volunteering when I joined the "League of Wheelchair" public organization. There, a man with a musculoskeletal disorder was also involved in helping people with disabilities. He asked me to help him arrange transportation. I thought I couldn't do it because I had never done it before and didn't know where to go, because to book an accessible, bus you need to find out who provides it and find money for it. When everything worked out, it was a great joy, and after that I've had the desire to help more.

• Tell us about the public organization "I Know You Can!" How did the war affect it?
• The public organization "I Know You Can!" was established in autumn 2021. Initially, it was designed to socialize adults with disabilities, but when the full-scale invasion began, we had to change our focus a bit because the need for humanitarian assistance emerged. Just recently, we started looking for donors and applying for grants to organize trainings and provide psychological assistance to people with disabilities to help them adapt to the conditions they are staying in now. When I was just starting to help people with disabilities, I used to feel frightened. Thanks to my family and friends who supported me and said, "We know you can do it, you will succeed," I continued doing it. That's probably why I named the organization "I Know You Can!" And now I say these words to everyone: If you want to and do something to achieve your goal, sooner or later you will be able to do it.

• How did you overcome your fear?
• Of course, it didn't happen by itself. At first, I was scared, but then I volunteered because I knew it was necessary. I attended a lot of seminars and trainings to learn something new. Everything came with time, but the constant support of family and friends helped me the most.

• Why did you decide to create your own public organization?
• Before that, I volunteered for quite a few NGOs for people with disabilities, but often my views did not coincide with those of other leaders, and they did not always agree with the terms of the donor terms that I negotiated with. So, I decided to create my own organization to be responsible for everything myself.

• What is your favorite quote or principles you live by?
• Do for others as you do for yourself, and then everything will be fine. I always tell the truth, even if someone doesn't like it. I believe that you need to be honest with yourself and with other people.

• What does work mean to you?
• Being an administrator of a real estate website is my job, and I get paid for it, and being the head of an NGO is a purely volunteer activity. It gives me pleasure to see that such help not only brings joy to people, but it also meets some of their needs.

• How do you rest since work is exhausting for a person?
• Yes, that's true. On weekends, I can communicate with friends and go to a cafe. Lately, I seldom have no work to do. Sometimes I go to bed at 12 at night and remember that I haven't finished a report. I have very little free time. In addition to work and volunteering, I also take courses learning how to write and submit grant applications. And when I do have a little time, I just want to sit in silence. Probably, we will rest after the victory, but now we have to work.

• What difficulties and barriers do you face because of disability?
• The inaccessibility of the city. A person in a wheelchair cannot move around the city on their own, and outside help is always needed. Although there are now more low-floor vehicles available to roll into, but when you arrive at the necessary stop, you can't get onto the sidewalk because of the high curbs and because there are almost no dropped curbs anywhere. You have to walk along the roadway or constantly ask a passerby for help.
• How often do people help?
• I remember that 5-7 years ago I had to ask for help myself, and not everyone agreed to help. Recently, young people have been more friendly and offer their help, even when someone is accompanying me.
• You said that local authorities are not very concerned about the lives of people with disabilities. Did you have a desire to help such people on behalf of the city or region?
• In 2020, I ran in the local elections as a candidate for deputy from my district for the new "Democratic Alliance" party. I wanted not only to promote the topic of the life of people with disabilities, but also to make my neighborhood more accessible with smooth roads, good lighting, and children's playgrounds because there are almost none in the private sector. However, our party did not get into the city council, and that was probably good for me. During those two months of election campaigning, I realized that politics is definitely not mine.
• Can you recall the 24th of February 2022? Do you remember how everything was starting? What were your feelings?
• No one had expected or thought that it was possible. There is an airfield not far from our house. I heard the first explosion at 4:30 in the morning. The windows shook over, and it seemed like they were going to fly out. At first, no one realized it was war. My mom and I thought maybe something just exploded. It was incomprehensible and you couldn't believe there could be a war in the 21st century. There are no bomb shelters nearby, and those that are available are not accessible to people who use wheelchairs, so it was very scary. I live in a private house with a basement. During the first 2 or 3 days, my mom and I went down there when an air raid alarm started although our basement is also inaccessible. My mom was very tired with me then, as she had to take me down and up in her arms. We often took our two cats and went to our shelter for a night, because it was difficult to go back and forth that way. My mother was getting very tired, so we decided not to go anywhere, but just sit out the alarm in the house.
• Unfortunately, there is still no accessible shelter for people with disabilities in Dnipro city. Olena, despite this situation with shelters, you are still living in a frontline city. Why didn't you try to evacuate?
• First of all, I love my city, my home, and my country very much. I am not ready to leave everything and go nowhere. It is very difficult for me. And secondly, we have animals: two cats and a dog. If you go, you either have to take them with you or leave them behind. Taking the animals with us is unrealistic because we can't cope with them alone. They are part of our family, so we can't leave them behind either. Sometimes a missile hits somewhere near, but my mom and I decided to stay. I will leave only if, God forbid, Dnipro gets close to an occupied territory, because I am not ready to live with orcs.
• What helps you to be brave?
• I don't know. Perhaps the fact that I am not used to sitting and waiting for someone to help me. I always say: Try to do everything yourself. If you really can't, then ask others for help, because no one owes you anything.
• What would you like to say to people who are living through difficulties because of the war, especially people with disabilities?
• Despite what is happening, we must be strong. If we give up, no one will help us. We have to believe in our soldiers, for whom it is much harder to be on the front line. The most important thing is to keep yourself together, always have a cold mind, stay in safer places, and believe in our victory.
• What are you dreaming about after the war? How do you see the future of your public organization "I Know You Can!" and what would you like to do in the future?
• After the war, there will be many more people with disabilities. I want inclusion and barrier-free environment, which everyone is talking about now, to exist not only on paper, but to become a reality. It is hard for me to imagine how those guys who were completely healthy will sit in a wheelchair and realize that they can't get anywhere. So, my biggest dream is that every person feels equal, no matter whether they have a disability or not. I want the members of my public organization to have no need for humanitarian aid, to be able to go to a coffee shop independently, and it would not be a mega event for them. I dream of educational institutions being accessible to people with disabilities, so that they can get a job and afford not only sanatorium treatment, but also trips to the sea. I love traveling very much. I would love to continue traveling around Ukraine because we have a very beautiful country. I want everyone to be able to travel around our cities easily and comfortably.

Olena Osadcha's story illustrates that volunteering is not just a desire to help, but a true love for people and the ability to find a piece of warmth in your heart for them.

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 of 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 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 of 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.