On August 5, 2025, the first meeting within the framework of the new social project “Peer-to-Peer: Supporting Veterans with Amputations” took place at the All-Ukrainian Medical and Rehabilitation Center “Tsybli.” This initiative is aimed at helping servicemen who lost limbs as a result of combat operations adapt to a new life and prepare for prosthetics.

The event was designed as live communication between veterans who have already completed their rehabilitation journey and those just beginning this challenging process. The project’s mentors — Oleksandr Tereshchenko, a veteran living with arm amputations, and Oleksandr Shvetsov, who lives with a leg amputation — shared practical advice and personal experiences.

The program included a series of workshops held directly in the Center’s wards. Oleksandr Tereshchenko demonstrated ways to perform everyday tasks without the use of arms or prosthetics, while Oleksandr Shvetsov shared life hacks for achieving independence in daily life for veterans with lower-limb amputations.

After the practical part, participants gathered in the Center’s hall to watch the motivational video “I Did It – and So Can You,” created by the project team. The video offered recommendations on performing basic tasks without prosthetics, such as brushing teeth, making a bed, or maintaining personal hygiene. Although the assembly hall was inaccessible to persons with disabilities due to architectural barriers, the organizers ensured a comfortable and inclusive atmosphere for communication.

During the event, veterans had the opportunity to exchange experiences, ask questions, and receive answers from mentors who had already overcome similar challenges. To support the development of methodological recommendations, participants were surveyed, and the entire communication process was recorded on video for analysis by a psychologist-methodologist.

Project manager Natalka Kratyuk presented a handbook with detailed information on obtaining rehabilitation aids through the state program of the Fund for Social Protection of Persons with Disabilities.

 

The implementation of the project was made possible thanks to the support of the International Renaissance Foundation and its partners: the Fund for Social Protection of Persons with Disabilities, the Public Union “Modern View,” the National Assembly of People with Disabilities of Ukraine, the Coalition of Veteran Spaces, and the Ukrainian Documentary Platform.

The International Charitable Foundation of Oleksandr Tereshchenko, with the support of the International Renaissance Foundation, has announced the launch of a new social initiative titled “Peer-to-Peer: Supporting Veterans with Amputations.” This six‑month project is designed to help veterans who have lost limbs adapt to active, fulfilling lives.

The core objective of the initiative is to provide both practical and emotional support through a peer‑to‑peer approach. Veterans who have successfully undergone rehabilitation will share their experiences and guidance with those just beginning their journey toward recovery and reintegration.

The project is inspired by the personal story of Oleksandr Tereshchenko, a veteran who has lived with a disability since 2014 due to injuries sustained during combat operations at Donetsk Airport. His experience has become the foundation for motivational meetings, practical training sessions, and video tutorials aimed at empowering and encouraging participants.

A key component of the initiative is the release of a video series titled “I Did It – and So Can You,” created by Tereshchenko’s team. These videos provide practical advice on daily living, rehabilitation, and prosthetics, offering veterans valuable tools to meet their basic needs and regain independence.

Participants will have the opportunity to interact directly with speakers, ask questions, receive practical recommendations, and develop skills to overcome everyday challenges. Workshops and training sessions will be held in specialized rehabilitation and training centers, including institutions that prepare professionals in occupational therapy.

The target audience includes veterans with amputations, their families, as well as occupational and physical therapists. By engaging a broad network of stakeholders, the project seeks to create a supportive community that fosters resilience and recovery.

The initiative is supported by several key partners, including:

• The Fund for Social Protection of Persons with Disabilities
• The National Assembly of People with Disabilities of Ukraine
• The Public Union of Veteran Space Coalitions
• The All‑Ukrainian League of Organizations of Persons with Visual Disabilities “Modern View”
• The Ukrainian Documentary Platform

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From May 13 to 17, the second round of the “You Are Not Alone. Supporting Those Who Support” training took place, organized and coordinated by Self-Help Communities NGO.

The goal was to create a space for peer support, learning, and emotional recovery for professionals who work daily with military personnel, war-affected individuals, and their families.

The Oleksandr Tereshchenko Charity Foundation joined as a co-organizer, providing coordination and support.

Special thanks go to the Ukrainian diaspora organization Friends of Chervonohrad (USA), whose initiative and funding made this program possible.

Such partnerships are key to building sustainable support systems for mental health professionals.

The well-coordinated efforts of the teams turned this training into a hub of professional growth, deep dialogue, and genuine emotional renewal.

The People Who Made This Event Possible

▪ Maria Martynenko, LPC — a licensed psychotherapist from the USA with over 20 years of experience, specializing in trauma, anxiety disorders, and depression.

Since 2014, Maria has been supporting Ukrainian professionals, and in 2024, she launched a group therapy program for military psychologists that became the foundation for expanding Ukraine’s veteran mental health support system.

▪ Oleksandr Tereshchenko — veteran, head of the eponymous charitable foundation, and author of the “I Could — And You Can” project.

Over five days, participants engaged in a safe, integrative space combining psychoeducational sessions, trauma-focused practices, art therapy, facilitated discussions, reflective exercises, and public conversations.

They explored their own experiences of loss, adaptation, and service, learned to overcome inner resistance, recognize suppressed emotions, build empathetic interactions, and design new support formats for their communities.

Professional development here went hand in hand with personal healing.

Special Thanks

We extend our deepest gratitude to Self-Help Communities NGO for the initiative, coordination, and implementation of the event.

We also thank the team at Friends of Chervonohrad, which unites the Ukrainian diaspora in the USA around supporting Ukraine.

Thanks to their initiative — and the personal involvement of Maria Martynenko and Robert Hedou — we once again raised the funds needed to implement this critically important program.

This is an example of genuine collaboration built on trust and shared values.

Finally, we thank Trembita Veliatyno SPA Complex for their warm hospitality.

It was here that participants not only learned but also recharged in an atmosphere of calm and care.

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