Lviv creates accessibility together with those who need it
01.06.2025
Articles
‘Nothing for us without us’ no longer sounds like a slogan. It is becoming a real principle that is gradually being implemented in Ukrainian communities. Lviv is one of those cities where accessibility is being created together with those who face physical and informational barriers on a daily basis.
The team of the Luhansk Association of Organisations of Persons with Disabilities (LAOPD), as an ambassador of the Movement Without Barriers project, is actively involved in this process. Its representatives participate in field surveys, provide professional recommendations and represent the interests of people with reduced mobility.
The team pays particular attention to professional analysis of space. Architect and physical accessibility specialist Daria Kroshchuk evaluates facilities taking into account current building codes, safety requirements and real user experience.
People whose experience is particularly valuable are also involved in the work. Among them are veterans undergoing rehabilitation after injuries. Their comments are not about theory, but about everyday practice — moving around the streets, using public buildings, and accessing services.
Another invaluable contribution comes from the blind guides of the Museum of Darkness ‘Third After Midnight’ Ostap Nesterovsky and Georgy Galas. Their participation allows us to identify barriers that often go unnoticed by most people.
The project is being implemented as part of an initiative by First Lady Olena Zelenska, coordinated by the Ministry of Development of Communities, Territories and Infrastructure of Ukraine, and with the participation of the Lviv Regional Military Administration.
Barrier-free access is not an exception or a bonus. It is a norm that we are creating together. And Lviv proves that effective change begins where people listen to those who know what barriers are — not from a textbook, but from life.
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Lviv: even in the heat, we are working on accessibility
Despite the heat, the team of the Luhansk Association of Organisations of Persons with Disabilities continues to work on creating an accessible environment. This time, experts joined in surveying the premises of a military hospital in Lviv. The team included architect Daria Roshchuk, as well as specialists Serhiy and Artem, who are engaged in the analysis of physical accessibility. The participation of Ostap Nesterovsky and Georgy Galas, blind guides at the Museum of Darkness ‘ Third After Midnight ,’ was particularly valuable, as they checked the convenience of the space from the point of view of orientation for blind people. The survey was organised by the Lviv City Council, district administrations, and the Lviv Regional Military Administration. Such checks are an important part of the systematic work on creating a barrier-free space, especially in medical facilities, where accessibility is critical.
05.06.2025
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News
Trust, joint action and support where it matters most: a new phase of partnership for LAOPD
The team of the Luhansk Association of Organisations of Persons with Disabilities (LAOPD) has embarked on a new phase of cooperation within the framework of a humanitarian project implemented jointly with VIS (Volontariato Internazionale per lo Sviluppo), STEP-IN and with the support of the Ukraine Humanitarian Fund (UHF). Its goal is clear and vital — to help where it is most needed: in the Dnipropetrovsk, Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia regions. For LAOPD, this is not a new challenge, but a continuation of its daily work — to be close to people in difficult situations, to seek practical solutions, to provide support not declaratively, but systematically and specifically. The signing of the Memorandum of Cooperation formalised the values that already unite the teams: trust, focus on human needs and shared responsibility. Importantly, the project's kick-off meeting did not turn into a formality. It was a meaningful dialogue about challenges, experiences, real situations on the ground and common approaches to response. ‘We come from different countries, speak different languages, and have different experiences. But we feel what is most important: we are truly on the same team,’ say the LAOPD team members. They add: ‘There is difficult work ahead. But it is precisely this kind of work that truly changes the situation.’ LAOPD expresses its sincere gratitude to its partners from VIS, STEP-IN and all participants of the meeting for their openness, professionalism and readiness to take action rather than just talk. The cooperation, which began with trust, should become an effective tool for supporting people in the most vulnerable communities of Ukraine.
02.06.2025
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Articles
Lviv creates accessibility together with those who need it
‘Nothing for us without us’ no longer sounds like a slogan. It is becoming a real principle that is gradually being implemented in Ukrainian communities. Lviv is one of those cities where accessibility is being created together with those who face physical and informational barriers on a daily basis. The team of the Luhansk Association of Organisations of Persons with Disabilities (LAOPD), as an ambassador of the Movement Without Barriers project, is actively involved in this process. Its representatives participate in field surveys, provide professional recommendations and represent the interests of people with reduced mobility. The team pays particular attention to professional analysis of space. Architect and physical accessibility specialist Daria Kroshchuk evaluates facilities taking into account current building codes, safety requirements and real user experience. People whose experience is particularly valuable are also involved in the work. Among them are veterans undergoing rehabilitation after injuries. Their comments are not about theory, but about everyday practice — moving around the streets, using public buildings, and accessing services. Another invaluable contribution comes from the blind guides of the Museum of Darkness ‘Third After Midnight’ Ostap Nesterovsky and Georgy Galas. Their participation allows us to identify barriers that often go unnoticed by most people. The project is being implemented as part of an initiative by First Lady Olena Zelenska, coordinated by the Ministry of Development of Communities, Territories and Infrastructure of Ukraine, and with the participation of the Lviv Regional Military Administration. Barrier-free access is not an exception or a bonus. It is a norm that we are creating together. And Lviv proves that effective change begins where people listen to those who know what barriers are — not from a textbook, but from life.
01.06.2025
Read more