Life-saving knowledge, or how not to get lost in emergency situations

24 November 2025

Being ready to act and having the necessary knowledge means having a chance to save someone's life. That is why training in providing first aid should be accessible to everyone.

In Poltava, at the end of October, a first aid training was held for participants of the Ukrainian Society of the Deaf (UTOG). It was organized by the public organization “Poltava City Public Association of Persons with Disabilities “VIRA”. The training was accompanied by sign language interpretation, so all participants could fully participate in the process.

During the training, the women learned how to act in case of cardiac arrest, how to recognize a person’s critical condition and what to do before the arrival of doctors. Theory was immediately combined with practice — they trained on mannequins, practicing the sequence of actions, confidence and “muscle memory”. The participants were trained by an instructor from the NGO “Guardians of Life” Viktoriya Loza.

“This is the first time I have attended such a training and was able to gain the necessary knowledge, because there was sign language interpretation. I am very grateful to the organizers for this opportunity,” says Tetyana.

The woman adds that a recent incident with a loved one made her rethink the importance of such skills: “I came to my grandmother, and she was lying on the floor. I was confused, did not know what to do, and was even afraid to touch her. Then I checked to see if she was moving, and my grandmother opened her eyes. Later it turned out that she had lost consciousness. Then I realized: I have to know how to act in such situations, because trouble can happen even to our relatives.”

Another participant in the training, Natalia — a member of the Ukrainian national team and a chess instructor for the deaf — notes that such knowledge needs to be updated regularly: “I came here to refresh my knowledge of first aid. It will never be superfluous, regardless of age. We are all human, and everyone can be near someone who is in trouble. The main thing is not to get lost, but to act according to the algorithm.

Instructor Viktoriya Loza emphasizes: everyone can save a life if they recognize a dangerous situation in time and act decisively. That is why a large part of the lesson was devoted to practice - because only repetition forms the right actions in stressful situations.

Such trainings are not only about knowledge, but also about humanity, support and responsibility. After all, no one knows when someone you can help will be near you.

This training was conducted by the public organization "Poltava City Public Association of Persons with Disabilities "VIRA"" within the framework of the project "Humanitarian Response and Recovery: Strengthening the Leadership of Women's Organizations with Disabilities", which is implemented by the Public Organization "National Assembly of Persons with Disabilities of Ukraine" (NAIDU) with the technical support of UN Women in Ukraine and with funding from the UN Women's Peace and Humanitarian Fund (WPHF).

However, this does not mean that the views and content expressed during the training are officially endorsed or recognized by the United Nations.

The UN Women's Peace and Humanitarian Fund (WPHF) is a flexible and operational funding instrument that supports quality activities to enhance the capacity of local women to prevent conflicts, respond to crises and emergencies, and use key peacebuilding opportunities.