Barrier-free rehabilitation module for Ukrainians affected by war opened in Kropyvnytskyi

This is the third social franchise project supported by Visa and Oschadbank, which aims to make rehabilitation and psychosocial services accessible to veterans and civilians without the need to travel to other cities.

Oschadbank, Bezbariernist NGO, Mindy Foundation, Visa, and Kirovohrad Military Regional Administration opened a new mobile rehabilitation module to help men and women veterans, their families, and civilians affected by the full-scale war.

The fully barrier-free (inclusive) module with an area of 72 square meters is equipped with high-quality modern equipment. The module's specialists will provide patients with comprehensive rehabilitation services, including physical therapy, social integration and psychological support. In particular, this includes training of walking on prostheses, support for prosthetics, ergotherapy, and speech restoration. It will also offer legal support, employment, training, retraining and other social services. Thus, the opening of the module in Kropyvnytskyi brings these services closer to the places of residence of those who need them.

“We are proud that our idea of creating mobile rehabilitation modules is successfully scaled up and is already being implemented in more cities of Ukraine. Unfortunately, the war continues and the experience of previous modules shows that both veterans and civilians are in great need of such services. Therefore, this is not just a medical facility, but a place where people get a chance to recover and return to active life,” said Taras Iermakov, founder of the Mindy Foundation.

“The modern rehabilitation module in one of the leading hospitals in Kropyvnytskyi is another significant step in the overall system of comprehensive rehabilitation services already operating in Kirovohrad region within the framework of the All-Ukrainian program “Are You OK?” under the patronage of First Lady Olena Zelenska. The synergy of efforts of business, charitable foundations, banks, and local authorities helps to effectively overcome the challenges of the terrible war. This work is for years to come. We are grateful for the choice of our region and are ready to further assist in the implementation of such necessary projects,” said Andrii Raykovych, Head of the Regional Military Administration.

The space in Kropyvnytskyi is the third in the social franchise implemented by the Mindy Charitable Foundation with the support of Visa and Oschadbank, and the first in partnership with Kernel. The franchise aims to create conditions for rehabilitation and provide high-quality psychological assistance to Ukrainians where these services are physically absent, logistically difficult, or of insufficient quality.

In general, the project is being implemented in cooperation with the Coordination Center for Mental Health of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine, the NGO Bezbariernist within the framework of the All-Ukrainian Mental Health Program “Are You OK?”, an initiative of First Lady Olena Zelenska, as well as with the members of the Business Without Barriers community - Visa and Oschadbank.

“Every such new space is not just an infrastructure project, but a symbol of our ability to take care of each other, and our gratitude, if we are talking about the rehabilitation of defenders. The fact that the project to install mobile rehabilitation modules is scaling up demonstrates both the demand for such a service in communities and the power of synergy - the state, business, and civil society, which hear these needs and offer solutions: barrier-free, human-centered,” commented Oksana Zbitnieva, head of the NGO Bezbariernist, head of the Coordination Center for Mental Health of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine.

The social franchise format also involves the work of a multidisciplinary team of specialists, which makes the rehabilitation process as effective as possible. The rehabilitation module will be operated by the following specialists: a case manager, a psychologist, a doctor of physical and rehabilitation medicine, a physical therapist, a speech therapist and specialists from other fields.

“We are very pleased that the social franchise initiative is developing and that new socially responsible companies and local communities are joining it. Today, we are pleased to welcome Kernel and the community of Kropyvnytskyi to the project. I am convinced that the third rehabilitation center, created with the assistance of Visa and Oschadbank, is just the beginning of a large-scale all-Ukrainian project, as most Ukrainian settlements need such modules. An extensive network of rehabilitation facilities is designed to return tens of thousands of Ukrainians to full life, families and work, many of whom are heroes and can become new leaders of Ukraine - in business, public life, politics, etc.”, commented Sergii Naumov, Chairman of the Board of Oschadbank.

“For Visa, this social franchise project is another opportunity to demonstrate the company's corporate social responsibility. We strive to make real, systematic contributions to the restoration of Ukraine and to improve the lives of those affected by the war. Ukraine's defenders and their families have every right to convenient and comfortable access to quality rehabilitation and psychosocial services in every corner of the country. The rehabilitation module in Kropyvnytskyi is a space where every person who has passed difficult trials can find the support they need and regain their strength. We are proud that together with our partners we are building a society in Ukraine that values, supports and helps everyone who needs new opportunities to return to a full life. Especially veterans,” noted Tetiana Chorna, Vice President, Regional Manager of Visa in Ukraine.

“In the almost three years since the beginning of the full-scale war, Kernel has allocated more than UAH 3 billion to help the military and civilians. As a socially responsible business, we realize that we need to implement new forms and formats of assistance to support the physical and mental health of Ukrainians and create a barrier-free society. Our business is represented in 12 regions of Ukraine, and we, like no one else, know how acute these needs are for residents of rural areas and small towns. That's why we joined this social franchise to make rehabilitation services as accessible as possible to communities.  Today, it is crucial to implement social projects to support Ukrainians such as this one, combining the efforts of business, government, and public organizations. Thank you for your partnership!” said Kateryna Spivakova, Director of Communications and Government Relations at Kernel.

The social franchise contains a full package of necessary documents and algorithms for interaction between the main participants: the community, the state and donors. This makes it easier to integrate the module into the local health care system, NHSU packaging, and other state and local services. This approach significantly strengthens the system of secondary long-term rehabilitation after the main period of treatment in an outpatient format.

The first rehabilitation module of the social franchise with the support of Visa and Oschadbank was opened in Ovruch, Zhytomyr region, in January 2024. The second one was opened in Vasylkiv, Kyiv region, in October of the same year. Based on feedback from Ovruch specialists and patients, medical and social spaces in Vasylkiv and Kropyvnytskyi were improved.