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For the first time in Ukraine — a standard for rehabilitation care for spinal cord injuries
On 8 September 2025, on World Physical Therapy Day, the Ministry of Health of Ukraine published a draft Standard for Rehabilitation Care for Spinal Cord Injuries. This is the first document of its kind in Ukrainian medicine, defining a unified approach to providing care for people with severe injuries. It was created not only by medical experts, but also by the patients themselves — those who overcome the consequences of their injuries every day and know the value of every step, every movement, every return to life. The new standard provides for: prioritising patient safety and dignity; the use of evidence-based practices and techniques; multidisciplinary interaction between specialists. This is not just a set of instructions. It is a language of compassion and responsibility that says, ‘We are with you. We will not leave you alone with your pain.’ The introduction of the standard integrates Ukrainian rehabilitation into global practice and, most importantly, gives thousands of people hope and real opportunities for recovery and a full life.
10.09.2025
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News
Lawyer nearby: mobile legal aid in communities
When the state remains silent and documents remain unprocessed. When a mother is tired of knocking on doors, and her child still has no certificate. When a family does not know where to start, but knows for sure that things cannot go on like this. That is when a lawyer should not wait, but come. As part of the ‘Protection, Health Care and Inclusion’ project, the LAOPD team, together with VIS , provides mobile legal assistance directly in communities in the Dnipropetrovsk, Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia regions. The focus is on families with children who are often left alone with legal confusion and the indifference of the system. Our lawyer: comes to the location; listens and explains; helps to draft statements, complaints and appeals; seeks solutions where it seems there are none. It is about dignity , trust and a genuine presence . Wherever injustice exists, we are always there for those who need protection.
07.09.2025
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News
Inclusive transport: dozens of trips in August
In August, dozens of trips were made to hospitals, pharmacies, social services, and schools . The demand for the service confirmed that it is truly necessary . Reminder: LAOPD , in partnership with VIS - Volontariato Internazionale per lo Sviluppo and with the support of the Ukraine Humanitarian Fund , provides free inclusive transportation for community residents. Geography of service provision: Zaporizhzhia region: Zaporizhzhia district. Dnipropetrovsk region: Synelnykivskyi, Nikopolskyi, Pavlohradskyi districts Who can use the service: families with children people who use wheelchairs elderly people, people aged 60+ / 75+ internally displaced persons (IDPs) residents who have difficulty moving around What the trip includes: transportation to hospitals, pharmacies, social services, educational or rehabilitation centres assistance with boarding and disembarking bus equipped with a lifting platform child car seats To make a booking, call: +380 96 621 37 31 You can also submit a request using the QR code in the image We would appreciate your feedback or via the QR code in the image Your feedback helps us improve our service and better respond to the needs of communities. We go where we are needed. Free of charge. Reliable. On time.
06.09.2025
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News
The power of words: how language shapes a culture of accessibility
A meeting entitled ‘ When You Can Spread Your Wing s’ was held in Dnipro as part of First Lady of Ukraine Olena Zelenska's ‘Without Barriers’ initiative. Participants discussed how proper communication can not only describe reality, but also change it, creating a culture of respect, acceptance and inclusion. Among those present were representatives of public organisations, government agencies, experts, opinion leaders and the LAOPD team , who are working together to make accessibility a part of everyday life in Ukraine. We are grateful for this initiative to the First Lady of Ukraine Olena Zelenska and Tetiana Lomakina, Advisor to the President of Ukraine on Accessibility Issues. We are convinced that Language is the seed of change. Every word spoken with respect is a step towards a barrier-free society. The event was organised with the assistance of the Centre for Social Change and Behavioural Economics, the NGO Barrier-Free, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and with the support of PrivatBank . Visa was a partner of the meeting. The event brought together representatives of the media, business, government and the public.
20.08.2025
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New cooperation for accessibility in Dnipropetrovsk region
The Luhansk Association of Organisations of Persons with Disabilities signed a memorandum of cooperation with the Social Assistance and Support Centre, a municipal institution of the Dnipropetrovsk Regional Council. The partnership is being implemented as part of the Action Plan for the Introduction of Barrier-Free Space in the Region for 2025–2026, approved by Order No. 374-r of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine. The memorandum provides for: joining forces to realise the rights and freedoms of persons with disabilities; improving the accessibility of services; developing inclusion in communities in the Dnipropetrovsk region. The goal of the cooperation is to make every community, institution and service accessible and dignified for everyone, regardless of their health, age or life circumstances.
07.08.2025
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News
Psychological support: outreach sessions in communities continue
As part of the project ‘Restoring Lives and Expanding Service Opportunities in War-Affected Ukraine,’ the team of the Luhansk Association of Organisations of Persons with Disabilities continues its working visits to communities in the Donetsk and Kharkiv regions. The project is being implemented in partnership with Solidar Suisse Ukraine with the support of Swiss Solidarity . This time, the focus is on psychological support for residents. Qualified psychologists travelled to the communities and conducted individual and group sessions. The main topics were first psychological aid, self-help skills and self-regulation in stressful situations. During the sessions, participants: learned breathing techniques to stabilise their emotional state; mastered exercises to reduce anxiety and tension; gained access to tools for self-regulation in crisis situations. Community members actively participated in the work and shared their own stories. Such support is an important part of the recovery process — not only physical, but also internal. The LAOPD team thanks the communities for their trust and openness to change. The work continues — together with the people for whom this knowledge becomes a support in difficult times.
29.07.2025
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News
Socially inclusive transport service launched in the east
The Luhansk Association of Organisations of Persons with Disabilities has launched a new important service — socially inclusive transport — in the Dnipropetrovsk and Zaporizhzhia regions. The initiative is being implemented as part of the project ‘Protection, Health Care and Inclusion for Vulnerable Populations’ with the support of OCHA Ukraine , in partnership with Step-In and VIS (Volontariato Internazionale per lo Sviluppo). The first trips have already taken place in the Pavlohrad district, where LAOPD drivers and coordinators are helping people who cannot independently reach hospitals, government institutions or other important locations. What the service includes: Lifting platform for easy boarding/alighting; Adaptation for wheelchairs — safe and comfortable transportation of people with disabilities; Child car seats — for transporting children in accordance with safety standards. The service is free and available to all residents of communities where the LAOPD team operates within the project. It's not just about mobility. It's about equal access to services, support and dignity for everyone. In the next post, the team will tell you who exactly they transport, how to apply and in which communities the service is already available.
25.07.2025
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Events
Legal assistance nearby: outreach consultations for vulnerable people
As part of the project ‘Protection, Health Care and Inclusion for Vulnerable Populations,’ implemented by LAOPD in partnership with VIS, STEP-IN and with the support of the Ukraine Humanitarian Fund (UHF), the organisation's team of lawyers visits those who need help the most. LAOPD lawyers work with people who, for various reasons, are unable to seek legal support on their own. Their focus is on: consultations on the rights of internally displaced persons and social protection; assistance in drafting statements, appeals and complaints; explanations of algorithms for action in difficult life situations. This is about real accessibility. It is about ensuring that no one is left alone with their problems due to a lack of resources or information. Thanks to the support of its partners and the trust of communities, LAOPD continues to make legal protection more accessible and effective — where it is really needed.
25.07.2025
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Events
Mykola Nadulichny joined the Lviv Region Barrier-Free Council
Mykola Nadulichny, head of the Luhansk Association of Organisations of Persons with Disabilities, has become a member of the Barrier-Free Council at the Lviv Regional State Administration. At the first constituent meeting, a regional action plan was approved for the implementation of the National Strategy for the Creation of a Barrier-Free Environment by 2030. The involvement of a representative of the Luhansk Association of Organisations of Persons with Disabilities in the work of the Council is a significant step towards strengthening the role of civil society in shaping regional accessibility policy. It also highlights the importance of systematic dialogue between the authorities, experts and organisations that work directly with vulnerable groups of the population.
24.07.2025
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Articles
Recovery project: launch of the field phase in communities in the east
The team at the Luhansk Association of Organisations of Persons with Disabilities has begun a new phase of practical implementation of the project ‘Restoring Lives and Expanding Service Opportunities in War-Affected Ukraine .’ Following the successful experience of previous initiatives, the first phase of targeted interventions is now underway in the Kharkiv and Donetsk regions. What is already happening: Housing repairs: minor and medium repairs are being carried out on houses and apartments — strengthening walls, replacing windows, repairing roofs. Physical accessibility: solutions are being implemented to create accessible spaces — ramps, adaptation of entrances, internal re-planning. Emergency assistance: financial support is provided for the purchase of solid fuel (firewood) and basic protective equipment. Psychosocial support: Along with material restoration, i ndividual and group consultations with psychologists have begun. This makes it possible to work not only with the destruction of homes, but also with the consequences of internal losses. Cooperation with communities: During the initial meetings in the communities, the LAOPD team discussed priority needs, agreed on response algorithms, and identified points of shared responsibility. Transparent processes, clear agreements, and a focus on human dignity are the basis of this cooperation. With proven tools and a professional team, LAOPD is ready to scale up its previous results. The work is not being done for the sake of reports, but for the sake of real change, which is already being felt in communities.
13.07.2025
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Articles
Kharkiv: partnership for a decent life
As part of the project ‘ Restoring Lives and Expanding Service Opportunities in War-Affected Ukraine ,’ the team at the Luhansk Association of Organisations of Persons with Disabilities continues to visit communities that are implementing changes despite all the challenges of war. The LAOPD's approach is based not only on providing assistance, but also on comprehensive work with people, institutions and spaces — where services focused on human needs are being developed. Kharkiv has become one of the key points on the route. A working meeting was held in the city with Deputy Mayor Yuriy Shparaga and Director of the Department of Inclusive Accessibility and Barrier-Free Environment of the Kharkiv City Council Oleg Pulem — the head of Ukraine's first municipal body that systematically implements the principles of inclusion in the urban environment. Yuriy Shparaga is an official who is open to partnerships and life-changing solutions. It was his willingness to take action that made it possible to agree on specific steps to support people with disabilities and upgrade the city's infrastructure. Oleg Pul is not just the head of the department, but a driver of change who consistently implements barrier-free policies at the city level. His participation in the meeting was proof that Kharkiv is committed to real action, not formal promises. The following was agreed upon as a result of the meeting: 50 private households of people with disabilities will receive financial assistance to make their homes accessible (ramps, handrails, entrance adaptations, etc.); The Kharkiv Social Services Centre will receive support to renovate its premises to make them comfortable and accessible for all categories of visitors; Polyclinic No. 14 has been included in a renovation programme focusing on physical accessibility, infrastructure improvements and the creation of comfortable conditions for patients with reduced mobility. All these actions are being implemented with the support of Solidar Suisse , an international partner that invests not only in infrastructure, but above all in human dignity and rights. Recovery is not a return to the old. It is the construction of something new, where equality, accessibility and respect for human beings are the foundation for the future.
08.07.2025
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News
President of the Swiss Parliament Maya Rhiniker visited Kharkiv
After official meetings in Kyiv, President of the National Council of the Swiss Federal Assembly Maya Riniquer visited Kharkiv, a city that remains at the epicentre of humanitarian challenges and military threats. Her visit was not only a demonstration of international support, but also an opportunity to hear first-hand from communities working on the front lines of change. “Being here today is truly important for me. With this visit to Ukraine and to the frontline city of Kharkiv, we want to better understand the needs, listen to our Ukrainian partners and show them our solidarity. And also see the impact of our contributions and bring all these insights back home” said Ms Riniker. In Kharkiv, she visited a number of humanitarian initiatives implemented with Swiss support, including a transit centre for IDPs, equipped underground auditoriums and vocational training projects. An important part of the programme was a meeting with the team of the Luhansk Association of Organisations of Persons with Disabilities, which was invited to present its own experience. Together with partners with whom joint initiatives are being implemented with the support of Solidar Suisse, representatives of the LAGOI spoke about the concrete results of their work in frontline communities. In particular, they discussed improving living conditions for people with disabilities in their own homes — a solution that has not only practical but also deeply human significance. ‘This cooperation is more than just projects. It is about humanity, solidarity and shared responsibility,’ the LAOI said. They also thanked the people and the Swiss Embassy in Ukraine for their trust, support and attention to the real needs of people in high-risk areas. During her visit, the President of Switzerland also discussed the region's current needs with the regional leadership — preparations for winter, humanitarian response and demining issues. Meetings with Kharkiv Governor Oleg Synyegubov and First Deputy Mayor Oleksandr Novak demonstrated a commitment to further cooperation. The visit to Kharkiv demonstrated not only Switzerland's support, but also the strength of partnerships built on trust, mutual respect and a focus on people. I am ready to adapt this article for publication in the media, on the organisation's website or as part of a report.
08.07.2025
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