Ukraine: UNDP Helps Change Approaches to Rehabilitation of Victims

3 May 2026 World and Security

The start of the full-scale war on February 24, 2022, for Artem began like an ordinary workday at the factory. However, everything changed at once. “The boss called and said: ‘Turn off the keys, there is a war in the country,'” Artem recalls. “I got in the car and on the way home heard an explosion. Then I realized that life would never be the same.”

Learning to live anew

A few days later, Artem joined the Ukrainian defense forces. During active combat operations at the end of 2022, he received a severe injury and lost his sight completely. From that moment, his life changed forever – a long and difficult path of recovery began. Artem relearned how to live through physical and psychological rehabilitation.

“I had to relearn everything: how to use the phone, cook food, walk on the street with a cane. All this takes me three times longer than a healthy person,” he says.

Over time, Artem adapted to the reality new to him. According to him, orienting himself on the street is helped by the aroma of coffee from the coffee machines, the sound of his cane, and the noise of cars.

“At first, I played everything over in my head – every step, every turn, every sound. This helped me to orient myself. Now everything happens automatically. Sometimes I think about something completely different, but my legs walk on their own,” he says.

When it became clear that he would not be able to return to military service, Artem contacted his former employers at the confectionery factory. Soon he was offered a new position in the HR department. To manage the work, Artem mastered software designed for screen reading for people with visual impairments. “My hands remember which keys to press, so I learned quickly,” he said.

The main thing is to give a person the opportunity to be active

Over time, Artem not only adapted to the new circumstances but also began sharing his experience with others. He joined a project implemented with the support of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Ukraine and funded by the Government of Japan.

The project is aimed at expanding access to quality rehabilitation for people with visual impairments, as well as raising awareness among medical workers on how to properly support those who have lost their sight. Within the framework of the project, based on practical experience, the manual “First contact with a person who has lost their sight” was developed.In addition, ten training sessions were organized for the multidisciplinary rehabilitation unit teams, in which Artem participated as an expert: he talked about the difficulties of the first days after vision loss, demonstrated how to properly assist a visually impaired person without imposing help.

The idea of creating such trainings belongs to Artem himself. When he was lying in the hospital after the injury, he was faced with the unknown – no one told him anything about the cane, about the support program, or about where and how rehabilitation could be done. “I learned everything myself, by trial and error. And now I want to ease this path for others,” he shared.

Artem conducted his sessions at a rehabilitation center in Vinnytsia. Thanks to the support of the UN and funding from the Japanese government, the center is equipped with modern infrastructure for the rehabilitation of people with visual impairments. For example, here are routes for training spatial orientation, a zone for practicing skills in using a white cane, a space for sports activities, as well as a special area for training in the use of a wheelchair.

In addition, the center’s territory was made more convenient and safer: accessible entrances were equipped and tactile tiles were laid to facilitate the movement of people with visual impairments. The center is also equipped with digital devices with adaptive software, and a specially created room that simulates a living space allows participants to learn to cook, use household appliances, and perform everyday hygiene procedures.

“At the training, we talked about everything: about the psychological state, about adaptation. Everyone has their own path. But the most important thing is that people are not written off, but are supported and given the opportunity to be active,” Artem believes.

To be a support for friends

Within the framework of the project, trainers were prepared for the further dissemination of this rehabilitation model. Medical specialists from ten institutions also received training, and the institutions themselves were provided with basic equipment for the rehabilitation of people with vision loss. Special attention is given to the psychological support of people with visual impairments and their families, who learn to support their loved ones in new circumstances.

Artem believes that the best learning happens when a person sees meaning in it for themselves. “If I want to teach a person to cook, suggest they cook their favorite dish. Some learn to be able to eat independently in a café. Others—to be able to hang out with friends again. But the best of all is when both, and something else, succeed,” he added.

Today Artem leads an active life – he independently travels to work, communicates with colleagues, and goes on dates. He does not impose limitations on himself and believes that losing his eyesight is just a detour on the road, not the end of it.

The story of Artem is not only about loss, but also about how to find new meaning and new opportunities. Thanks to the support of the UNHCR and the Japanese government, he not only overcame difficulties but also became a person who shares his knowledge and experience with those who are just beginning their path in a new reality. His example reminds us that even in the most difficult moments, one can find the strength to move forward and become a support for others.