With the support of the FCDO, Acted distributed 40 mini-grants to groups of volunteers in eight communities of Kharkivska and Zaporizka oblasts, which have been severely affected by the ongoing war, to implement early recovery actions. This initiative aims to involve and empower local civil society to ensure the good recovery of their community, respecting their needs and wishes.
Rehabilitation room in Shevchenkove, Shevchenkivska hromada, December 10th 2024.
The village of Shevchenkove, located in Shevchenkivska hromada, Kharkivska Oblast, has been occupied by the Russian forces in the early months of the war and liberated. This occupation caused severe damage, and it is now time to rebuild and look ahead. Three projects have been selected to receive a mini-grant in this village, to improve the daily lives of the 3,780 residents.
Oleksii*, one of the volunteers who applied for a mini-grant, developed a brand new rehabilitation room funded thanks to it. Dedicated to the physical rehabilitation of veterans and people with brain injuries, this room is equipped with two massage tables, one of which is portable, an electric treadmill, cycle trainers, rehabilitation equipment, massage kits and first aid kits for real-life use and training. These training kits, consisting of defibrillators and anti-bleeding strips, will be used to organise first aid training with doctors and residents of the Hromada, for free.
This rehabilitation room is located in a first aid center, and free medical services will be provided by the medical team there. For Oleksii,it was essential to open such a place because there are a lot of ex-combatants and people suffering from chronic diseases aggravated by the war who live in the Hromada and need care. The first aid centre also has a mobile brigade that provides care in the neighbouring hromadas, in 60 villages. People from these places can’t afford to come to Shevshenkove, so it’s essential to go there with a medical team. The mobile brigade is now able to provide rehabilitation services.
Free care will be provided here, it is great! People are very happy!
Resident of Shevchenkove village, Shevchenkivska hromada, testing new equipment of the rehabilitation room, December 10th 2024
In front of the first aid center, Olha* also proposed a recovery project to be funded by Acted Mini-Grant: abicycle shelter recently constructed. This employee of the city council explains that 80% of the inhabitants of the village use bicycles as cars are too expensive. The location of this bicycle parking is strategic as the administrative and medical buildings are located in the same block, attracting lots of people every day. Before, bikes and prams were parked against the wall or directly on the floor. The pediatrician is in one of these medical buildings and the moms didn’t know where to leave their prams. Now they are very happy to have this bike shelter to protect the prams and bicycles from the rain and the snow.
So far it is not the most beautiful bicycle shelter, but when Spring will come, we will paint it and add plants and flowers
* Names have been changed to protect the identity of the individuals.