Creating Opportunities for the Disabled in Ukraine
The local community in Kharkiv donated 34 computers for the creation of a computer training center for the disabled.
During Ukraine’s transition from a centrally planned economy to a market economy, many government social programs were suspended. This left disadvantaged groups, such as people with disabilities, particularly vulnerable. To address this, EF's Kyiv Regional Office partnered with Phillip Morris to create the Sustainable Solutions for the Needs of the Disabled initiative.
Through this initiative, EF and Phillip Morris provided support for five Kharkiv-based non-governmental organizations (NGOs), which each developed different programs to address the community’s specific needs. Through the efforts of one NGO, 491 people with disabilities found jobs, while another 163 attended training centers to develop business and vocational skills. Another EF grantee established, and continues to operate, a center for visually impaired entrepreneurs and has developed plans to provide legal services to people with visual impairments. This service will generate sufficient income to ensure the center’s sustainability.
Seeking to increase disabled youth’s access to information technology, one grantee launched a computer training center with help from the local community, which donated 34 secondhand computers. The center plans to launch a new program training disabled students in the use of specially adapted software.
While each grantee continues to operate and enhance its programs, NGOs from other regions in Ukraine are seeking to adopt this initiative’s model for their own efforts. Drawing on their experience, EF’s grantees in Kharkiv are sharing their strategies with these NGOs, which will increase opportunities for people with disabilities on a national level.
