Last weekend, the team of the Lugansk Association of Organizations of Persons with Disabilities participated in an extremely important training on safety basics. Working with humanitarian projects in frontline regions, we are well aware that the risks are real and can happen at any moment. Therefore, the training, which covered first aid, emergency evacuation, explosive safety, and secure communication, became more than just a training for us — it was an investment in our lives and health.
What made this training especially valuable was that we worked with experienced specialists from the NGO "Training Center 'MedHelp and Children's Future'," MedHelp4you, who shared their vast knowledge and experience with us. Their professionalism helped us better understand how to act in emergency situations and ensure safety for ourselves and those around us.
A significant part of the training took place in conditions as close to real life as possible. In the forest, among natural obstacles, we practiced first aid, applied tourniquets, conducted casualty assessments, dressed wounds, and evacuated each other. These weren’t just theoretical lessons — each of us had the chance to experience firsthand how crucial it is to act timely and correctly in crisis situations.
We learned attentively, trying to absorb every detail, because we know these skills could one day save lives. However, this is the one case where we genuinely hope that our new skills will remain just theoretical. The safety training gave us confidence that we are ready for any challenges, but at the same time, each of us hopes these skills will never be needed in real-life situations.
It’s important for us not only to help others but also to ensure our own safety during this mission. While the threats are real, we are firmly determined to continue our work, because helping people in such conditions is not just a challenge but our duty.
The LAAOI team training was conducted as part of the project "Path to Integration: Humanitarian Aid in Ukraine," which we are implementing together with our partners Solidar Suisse and SOLIDAR SUISSE UKRAINE.