During the final press conference, “Life After Amputations: From Motivational Slogans to Practical Solutions,” project lead Natalia Kratiuk presented the results of an initiative implemented by the Oleksandr Tereshchenko Charity Foundation with support from the International Renaissance Foundation. Ms. Kratiuk’s presentation outlined a transition from abstract psychological support to a concrete, pragmatic strategy for the social adaptation of veterans.

Pragmatism vs. “Motivational Motivation”

A key message from Natalia Kratiuk was a conscious departure from what she termed “motivational motivation.” Instead of general slogans, the project focused on purely applied tasks that help veterans with amputations overcome daily household challenges. According to the project leader, the ability to manage one’s own daily life independently is the fundamental cornerstone of genuine social adaptation.

The project is built on the “peer-to-peer” principle, where experience is shared by veterans who have already successfully navigated the path of rehabilitation and prosthetics, most notably lead trainer Oleksandr Tereshchenko.

Scale and Geography of the Initiative

Natalia Kratiuk highlighted the high demand for this format of interaction: instead of the planned 10 practical workshops, 13 were actually conducted. The work was carried out in a highly flexible mode—a “mobile cinema” for demonstrating video tips was deployed directly in hospital corridors, canteens, gyms, and prosthetic enterprises.

The project’s geography covered key rehabilitation and medical centers across the country:

• Kyiv and Region: “Tsybli” All-Ukrainian Center, “Titanium” Cultural Center.
• Lviv and Region: “Halychyna” Center for Complex Rehabilitation (Lviv and Velykyi Liubin).
• Dnipro: City Clinical Hospital №4 (Recovery Center) and the Dnipro Experimental Prosthetic and Orthopedic Enterprise.
• Ivano-Frankivsk: “Mriya-Diya” Veteran Space at the Regional Hospital and the relocated “Donbas” Center.
• Odesa: Veterans Hub Odesa.

 

Reach and the Scientific-Educational Component

The project demonstrated a systemic approach by working simultaneously with three target audiences:

1. Veterans and their families: Approximately 150 individuals received direct support and practical life hacks.
2. Practicing professionals: Around 90 occupational and physical therapists were involved in the exchange of experience.
3. Future specialists: Over 350 students and faculty members from specialized universities (specifically in Ivano-Frankivsk, Lviv, Dnipro, and Odesa) attended lectures and workshops.

Kratiuk noted that working with students is an investment in the future of Ukraine’s rehabilitation system.

 

Analytical Foundation and Intellectual Products

A vital part of the presentation was the description of the surveying conducted by the project team. Based on 139 collected questionnaires (87 from veterans/professionals and 52 from students), a deep understanding of the target audience’s needs was formed.

This analysis resulted in two specific tools:

• Self-Reliance Guide: A methodical manual containing answers to 83 practical questions regarding self-care.
• Independence Quest: An interactive game (based on Google Forms) that allows users to test their domestic adaptation skills in a “hero’s journey” format.

Future Strategy: The School of Trainers

Concluding her speech, Natalia Kratiuk emphasized that the project is only formally coming to an end. The primary plan for the future is the creation of a “School of Trainers.” This will allow for the scaling of experience and the training of new peer mentors with various types of amputations, who can professionally provide support based on the “peer-to-peer” principle nationwide.

The project leader also voiced recommendations for state authorities regarding the integration of such approaches into the official rehabilitation system and the inclusion of peer mentors in multidisciplinary teams.

Introducing the “Self-Reliance Guide” — a unique practical manual for veterans who have lost limbs (specifically arms), created within the framework of the “Peer-to-Peer: Support for Veterans with Amputations” project. It is based on the real-life experience of Oleksandr Tereshchenko and offers proven methods for returning to an independent daily life.
Why is this guide vital?
Real solutions for daily challenges: How to independently make the bed, shave without hands, prepare breakfast (even fried eggs or coffee), and manage hygiene issues.
Space tuning: Specific advice on how to adapt the bathroom, kitchen, and tools to your needs using ordinary items (plastic zip ties, silicone mats, wristbands).
Mobility and travel: Experience driving a car using residual limbs and life hacks for independent trips.
Direct access to experience: The document contains links to video instructions with specific timestamps, where every movement is shown in practice.

Download, the Self-Reliance Guide, use it, and share it with those whom it will help find confidence!

The guide was created with the support of the International Renaissance Foundation. The guide represents the position of the authors and does not necessarily reflect the position of the International Renaissance Foundation.

To your attention, the Quest of Independence — an interactive game in the Google Form format, allowing one to go through the hero’s path of adaptation and find options for solving everyday tasks.

The quest is based on the game “three answers — one truth.” In the process of passing, you can watch videos with correct answers.

Key features:

Interactivity — for every correct answer, the user receives points, allowing them to determine their “adaptation rank.”

Visualization — links to video materials demonstrating specific ways of performing actions are added to each task.

Practicality — all advice is based on the real experience of veteran Oleksandr Tereshchenko and offers non-standard, but effective solutions for daily challenges.

This unique text quest offers you to live through the experience of a veteran who lost both hands and feel all the challenges and victories on the path to self-sufficiency. Each of your decisions will help to better understand the daily life and unbreakable strength of spirit of a person who is mastering the world anew.

Follow the link to go through this path personally and discover for yourself a new depth of resilience — https://forms.gle/3HcmqUt2sS1xJn6j8

The Quest of Independence was created by Susanna Anhelova, psychologist-methodologist of our project “Peer-to-Peer: Support for Veterans with Amputations.”

The Quest of Independence was created with the support of the International Renaissance Foundation. The Quest of Independence represents the position of the authors and does not necessarily reflect the position of the International Renaissance Foundation.

We are thrilled to announce a new partnership and introduce our partners, the Nesemos Fund Charity Foundation.

 

On January 23, Kyiv hosted an open meeting organized by the Nesemos Fund, where a practical manual for male and female veterans who have undergone amputations or prosthetics was presented. At the beginning of the meeting, our colleagues shared their journey—from the very first car to the establishment of a large-scale Veteran Auto-Hub. They spoke about the first vehicle adapted for veteran Maksym and the new opportunities they are creating for veterans with amputations.

The main goal of the manual is to ensure that defenders do not have to face technical and bureaucratic hurdles alone after an injury. As the developers noted, for veterans, a car is often more than just a matter of comfort; it is a critical tool for regaining independence, the ability to work, and full participation in community life.

The guide serves as a “working notebook” covering all stages of returning to the driver’s seat:

• Technical Solutions: A description of adaptation options for various types of amputations—ranging from pedal extensions and manual controls (“gas-brake”) to complex electronic “drive-by-wire” systems for individuals with upper limb loss.

• The Legal Path: A step-by-step guide on how to notify the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) Service Center regarding changes in health status, undergo a medical examination, and exchange a driver’s license.

• Legalization and Insurance: An algorithm for obtaining a conversion permit, passing certification, and the specifics of insuring an adapted vehicle.

• Training: Information on “Barrier-Free Driving Schools,” where veterans with disabilities can receive training free of charge.

 

Special attention in the manual is given to compensation programs. Specifically, it details state aid of up to UAH 70,000, as well as municipal initiatives. For instance, in Kyiv, veterans with Group I or II disabilities can receive up to UAH 100,000 in compensation for vehicle adaptation, while in Vinnytsia, a payment program of up to UAH 35,000 is available. The guide also outlines opportunities for obtaining grants to start transport-related businesses through the Ukrainian Veteran Foundation and the “eRobota” program.

How to get the manual?

As participants in the presentation, Nataliia Kratiuk (Project Manager of “Peer-to-Peer: Support for Veterans with Amputations”) and Larysa Pokalchuk (Communications Manager for the same project) received printed copies and discussed the real-world experience of vehicle adaptation “without filters.”

For those unable to attend the event, the digital version of the manual is already available via this link: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1WnVbYpfmSUynPfMi9eSwPXLnFWDiOECg/view?usp=sharing 

The foundation’s team also emphasized that their specialists are ready to provide free consultations to veterans to help them navigate the entire journey—from the initial idea to hitting the road.

The “Mobility Without Limits” project was implemented with the support of the International Renaissance Foundation, through which we first connected—thank you!