On November 06, 2024, the Media Center Ukraine hosted presentation of the “I did – so can you” project aimed at social adaptation of people with limb amputations.

The project was conceived and authored by Oleksandr Tereshchenko, head of the International Charity Foundation, veteran of the russo-Ukrainian war. Oleksandr has amputation of both upper limbs and acts as a lead character in the first videos withrecommendations. Using his own experience, he shows specific ways to do certain everyday household tasks and encourages other veterans with similar amputations to share their experience.

Our project is designed, primarily, to help as many veterans as possible, those who have lost their limbs and are now only at the beginning of this journey, those who have no idea how to live their lives. Many of them are asking the question: “Is this life worth living at all when I am unable to do what I was used to do before, when I am helpless, and depend on others.”  We want to give specific recommendations on how to start making small steps towards independence and success, – stressed Oleksandr Tereshchenko.   

The goal of the project is to create 12 videos with recommendations for various everyday situations. A printed manual with a detailed description of all the steps will also be included. 12 podcasts on social adaptation matters will be posted on social media and online platforms. First videos of the project are available on YouTube channel:https://youtube.com/@icouldandyoucan.

Larysa Pokalchuk, film director of the project, tells that their team’s plan is to edit video recommendations online throughout the year until August 2025. 

She stresses that the main goal of each video is to create accessible consultations for people with an amputation. “We set ourselves a goal to create more than just videos with recommendations but products that you can watch, listen to, and read. It is very important since we work with veterans with various needs, – noted Larysa. 

Valerii Kucherenko, veteran who lost his both hands, explains at the press-conference his motivation to join the project. He seeks to show that life after injury does not stop but becomes a new stage. 

I would like to share what I have managed to achieve this year for the sake to prepare the brothers-in-arms morally and physically for their further life,- says Valerii. In his video on TikTok, he shows how to drive a car, cook food, and do other daily routine. Valerii also visits his brothers-in-arms in hospitals, give them recommendations and supports them on their path to recovery. And participation in the “I did – so can you” project is one of such ways. 

Many people do not realize what challenges the veterans, both men and women, encounter after being wounded, in their everyday lives. The project helps them to see and understand these realities. It creates space where everyone is offered opportunity to  understand real daily difficulties the veterans face, and to realize their strength and determination necessary to move forward. We mean not only practical advice for routine tasks, but also emotional support which assists in overcoming barriers on the path to independence, – says Marta Pyvovarenko, consultant on inclusion and psychosocial support issues of the “I did – so can you” project and the head of the department “Ensuring quality of services in the field of mental health and psychosocial interventions” at the NGO “Community Self-Help”.      

Oleksandr Tereshchenko added that these recommendations might be useful not only for people with amputations but also for ergotherapists and rehabilitologists who work with patients with amputations. In addition, these recommendations may be useful for relatives making it clear how they can help someone with an amputation to become an independent person. 

The “I did – so can you” project is implemented by the Oleksandr Tereshchenko International Foundation with support of the Department for Press, Education, and Culture of the U.S. Embassy in Ukraine. The views and opinions expressed in this material do not necessarily reflect the official position of the U.S. Government.

Partners of the project are: 

NGO “Community Self-Help,”

NGO “Novyi Donbas,” (New Donbass)

“Platform for Ukrainian Documentary,”

Docua-platform, 

East Media Center

Consortium of Veterans organization of the East, and 

communication digital agency “MasAgency.”

On the Day of Defenders of Ukraine, cyborg veteran Oleksandr Tereshchenko announced a social project “I did, so can YOU” aimed at strengthening the ability of veterans who lost limbs defending Ukraine to adapt to social life. The project involves the creation and distribution of training videos, manuals, and podcasts. These resources will provide practical advice on how to achieve everyday independence after becoming disabled.

For 11 years now, we have been fighting a desperate and bloody war for Ukraine’s independence. During this time, tens of thousands of our defenders have lost limbs or acquired other severe health disorders and are forced to learn to live in new realities. This is a difficult and long journey, which is full of self-doubt, despair, and obsessive thoughts about whether it is worth continuing to travel this world.

To accelerate the process of social adaptation of female and male veterans with amputations, the project team will produce 12 training videos and printed manuals for them during the year.

VIDEO – https://youtu.be/YOBrsjax9Dg?si=fCe_hQPY1_8sfh_D

These are not motivational videos about success stories in the form of stunning, post-traumatic growth. These are daily tips on how to become independent in everyday life again, step by step, after becoming disabled. Advice from veterans who have managed to return to full life after severe injuries and decided to share their experience.

We invite veterans with amputations who want to share their experience and life hacks with others to help them simplify their lives, to fill out a Google form and the project team will contact you – https://docs.google.com/…/1FAIpQLSej8QdI9Q1CHh…/viewform 

In addition to the videos, the project team is also launching a podcast on the topic of returning to a full life after becoming disabled. The podcast will discuss the problems of social adaptation in more detail, based on the experience of both those who have already gone through this path and those who are taking only the first steps.

Follow the project news on social media and subscribe to them:

YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@IcouldandYOUcan  

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/CF.Tereshchenko.O 

TikTok – https://www.tiktok.com/@icouldandyoucan  

The project “I did, so can YOU” is implemented by the Oleksandr Tereshchenko International Charitable Foundation with the support the Public Affairs Section of the U.S. Embassy to Ukraine. The views and opinions expressed in this material do not necessarily reflect the official position of the U.S. Government.

The project is implemented by the Oleksandr Tereshchenko International Charitable Foundation in cooperation with the NGO Community Self-Help, docUA Platform, NGO NEWDONBAS, East Media Center Consortium of the Veteran Organization of the East and Mas Agency, a digital communication agency.

Our seventh rehabilitation and recovery camp for veterans who have lost their eyesight has come to an end. For the first time, it was held in Chernivtsi from August 5 to 26. This stage was a serious challenge for the project participants. They had to take care of their daily lives on their own, navigate an unfamiliar city, make purchases, and communicate with a large number of people. Unfortunately, ordinary people did not always want to, and sometimes simply did not know how to help a blind person. However, this only confirmed the correctness of our path to expand the geography of such camps. Helping veterans who lost their sight while defending Ukraine to become independent, we simultaneously create a favorable environment for their adaptation. This is a difficult path that will not yield immediate results, but there is no other way. We will persevere, together with you and thanks to you. To everyone who trusts us by supporting this extremely important project. We hope that our unbreakable defenders have taken another step towards an independent, full life and will not stop there. We will continue to persistently prove that #Life_after_war_must_continue.

The camp was made possible thanks to the project’s permanent partner, Contemporary View organization, Partnerschaftsaktion Ost im Bistum Magdeburg, the organization “Johnny and Friends”, and donations from many private benefactors.

On October 23, 2023, a Memorandum of Cooperation was signed in Kyiv between the Ukrainian Documentary Platform (docUA Platform) Ukraine and the Oleksandr Tereshchenko International Charitable Foundation (Oleksandro Tereshchenko labdaros ir paramos fondas) Lithuania. From now on, the parties will create media products about the Life After War project for the social rehabilitation of Ukrainian veterans and promote the dissemination of information about the project and its implementation on their own information resources.

The Life After War project is a unique social rehabilitation program for veterans of the russian-Ukrainian war who lost their sight while defending Ukraine. It is a combination of individual and group sessions and a comprehensive approach to rehabilitation based on the principle of “peer-to-peer”. 75% of the trainers have partial or complete sight loss, and simultaneously work on the rehabilitation of veterans and their families. The rehabilitation program includes physical therapy; massage and physiotherapy; psychological support; spatial orientation with a cane; occupational therapy – social life; non-visual accessibility of smartphones and apps, navigation; computer literacy; Nordic walking, tourism; legal advice; rules for accompanying the blind, home arrangement, communication and comfortable interaction; support and guidance from a mentor; practical training of the acquired skills in the city.

The first media product has already been created and can be viewed at https://youtu.be/wMkd11wxZv0?si=3b7NA8-IkaLPOB8w.

The Memorandum was signed by the Foundation’s head Oleksandr Tereshchenko, and by the Platform’s producer and filmmaker Larysa Pokalchuk.

#Life_after_the_war_must_go_on