TOUCHPOINT. State program for training, rehabilitation and support of people who have lost their sight as a result of war

Donor: The UK Government

Coordinating partners: The World Health Organization Office in Ukraine together with the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine

Project implementation dates: January 01 – March 31, 2024 – the 1st phase of the project

July 01, 2024 – February 28, 2025 – the 2^nd phase of the project

Project implementers and partners:

Advisor – Presidential Commissioner for Barrier-Free Environment;
Deputies of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine;
Blind Veterans UK;
Educational and Rehabilitation Center “Levenia” (the Lion cub), Lviv;
Public Union “All-Ukrainian League of Organizations of People with Visual Impairments “Modern View”
NGO “Trinity hub”

Total budget: Phase 1: $197,810

Phase 2: $549,043

Project goal: Development and piloting of state program for training, rehabilitation and supporting people who have lost their sight as a result of war as well as preparation of the basis for state funding and implementation of rehabilitation and support services for such people.

Project target groups:

persons who have lost their sight as a result of war;
their family members/accompanying persons;
professionals of various specialties.

Main project activities

Piloting educational and rehabilitation program for people who have lost their sight as a result of war and their families/accompanying persons.

Development of mechanisms/algorithms for continuous support (including remote support) at the place of residence for people who have lost their sight as a result of war and their families/accompanying persons to adapt to new living conditions which will include emotional, instructional and mentoring support with support on a peer-to-peer basis.
Piloting mechanisms/algorithms of continuous support (including remote support) at the place of residence for people who have lost their sight and their families/accompanying persons to adapt to new living conditions which will include emotional, instructional and mentoring support with support on a peer-to-peer basis.
Preparation of a “package of services for rehabilitation and support for people with visual impairments as a result of war” for state funding which will include a description and cost estimate of services.

Results:

The training and adaptation program has been developed and piloted;
27 veterans, 1 civilian woman with vision loss and 28 accompanying persons have received training under this program;
Veterans were provided with modern gadgets which will help them be more independent in social and everyday orientation, communication etc.;
The support program at the place of residence has been developed and piloted;
2 methodological guides have been developed for specialists who provide services to people with sight loss;
4 main basic services for teaching people with vision loss were described;
The tool has been developed to calculate the cost of basic services at different stages of the path of a person with sight loss (from the hospital to the community);
There was a study trip of six Ukrainian experts to the UK;
The UK experience has been adapted to the Ukrainian realities.

Contact: Maryna Varban, Project manager, Varban@aph.react-aph.org