ADRA Assists in Upgrade for Rehabilitation/Education Center in Ukraine
12 September 2023 |
On August 27, 2023, the town of Kremenets in Ternopil, Ukraine held an event to bring light to children with disabilities, orphans, internally displaced persons (IDPs), and others living under challenging conditions, according to a recent article by ANN News. This event was the brainchild of the NGO, Dawn of Hope. Among the attendees were Stanislav Nosov, the president of the Ukrainian Union Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, and Leonid Rutkovsky, the director of ADRA Ukraine.
Speaking at the event, Rutkovsky shed light on ADRA Ukraine’s commitment to the community. He highlighted that the charity had been instrumental in funding the construction of a new building dedicated to training and rehabilitating children and youth affected by disabilities or the aftermath of war. The center, a flagship project of Dawn of Hope, has been under construction since 2021 and remains a primary focus for ADRA Ukraine.
Founded in 2015, Dawn of Hope is an embodiment of the resilience and compassion of parents and friends of children with disabilities. In collaboration with the Adventist Church in Ukraine, the NGO has been a beacon of hope for victims of the ongoing conflict, extending material and psychological support to those affected. Their profound impact is evident, with over 15,000 IDPs having received food and clothing and approximately 100 Ukrainian families with disabled children being safely evacuated to Poland under the protective wing of the NGO Step by Step.
But at the heart of these efforts lies the rehabilitation/education center in Kremenets, led by its founder Zorya Nadii. Operating for half a decade in a modest private building, the center’s team of dedicated educators, psychologists, and rehab specialists tirelessly support affected children, families, and IDPs. As the conflict intensified and material costs soared, the center’s ambitious expansion, started in 2021, faced delays. The dream is a more extensive facility backed by contributors like the European Union, the Poland-Ukraine program, and Step by Step. This vision encompasses aiding 70-100 individuals simultaneously and integrating a kindergarten and school focused on rehabilitating and socializing disabled children. With plans to also support soldiers and other conflict victims, the center urgently calls for specialists, staff, and benefactors to bring this dream to fruition.
