Rooms and bathrooms for people with disabilities have been refurbished at two shelters for internally displaced persons in the Mykolaiv region
-
- Julia LukyanenkoReporter
-
Alona Kokhanchuk
Reporter
A refurbished room in Vesnyane, where displaced persons are living. Photo: NikVestiIn two shelters for displaced persons in the Mykolaiv region — in Mishkovo-Pohorilove and Vesniane — rooms and bathrooms have been refurbished, adapting them for people with disabilities. The work was carried out as part of a project providing comprehensive support to evacuees, IDPs and communities affected by the war in the Mykolaiv, Zaporizhzhia and Dnipropetrovsk regions. In the Mykolaiv region, the project was implemented by the «Caritas Mykolaiv UGCC» charitable foundation with the support of the Humanitarian Fund for Ukraine.
NikVesti visited Vesniane, where displaced persons are living at the Mykolaiv Social Rehabilitation Centre «Vidnovlennia».
As Father Taras Pavlius, director of the «Caritas Mykolaiv UGCC» Charitable Foundation, explained, the project was one of the first. The partners are the Humanitarian Fund for Ukraine and the International Charitable Foundation «Caritas Ukraine».
«Through the shelter cluster, we chose this rehabilitation centre along with the inclusion project (in Vesnyane, — note) to help people with disabilities. We had a plan to create three rooms for people with disabilities, as well as a bathroom. What we saw here at the start was in a very poor state. And the people staying here are displaced persons from the occupied territories or areas where fighting is taking place. These people always need help. That is why it was important for us to help them have a decent place to stay,» said Father Taras.
The project lasted about a year. It was implemented by «Caritas. Mykolaiv UGCC» and «Caritas. Ukraine». 1.7 million hryvnias were spent on the renovation in Vesniane.
The room in Vesnyane before renovation. Photo: ‘Caritas. Mykolaiv UGCC’
The room after renovation. Photo: NikVestiIn the two bedrooms and the communal room, the doorways were widened to allow wheelchair access; the walls, floor and ceiling were repaired; a ventilation system with heat recovery was installed; and handrails were fitted for the ramp at the entrance. Furniture has been brought into the rooms. In addition, the shelter’s bathroom, adapted for people with disabilities, has been refurbished.
«We managed to install a new ventilation system with heat recovery, which means a supply of fresh air—the most essential thing—and not just to renovate the rooms or the bathroom, but also to furnish the rooms — with tables, wardrobes, bedside tables, armchairs — and bedding,» explained Father Taras.
Director of the «Caritas. Mykolaiv UGCC» Charitable Foundation, Father Taras Pavlius. Photo: NikVesti
Furniture for the shelter in Vesniane. Photo: NikVesti
The refurbished common room at the centre in Vesniane. Photo: NikVestiVolodymyr Tymoshenko, head of the Mykolaiv Social Rehabilitation Centre «Vidnovlennia», said that around 120 people are currently living there. Thirty-five of them are internally displaced persons from Kherson, the Kherson region and other regions.
Volodymyr Tymoshenko, director of the Mykolaiv Social Rehabilitation Centre «Vidnovlennia». Photo: NikVesti
Extractor fans with heat recovery in the rooms. Photo: NikVesti
Beds for the residents. Photo: NikVestiVolodymyr Tymoshenko noted that, through cooperation with «Caritas», inclusive conditions have been improved, so they will now be able to provide shelter for a greater number of people. In addition to renovating the rooms and bathrooms, a ramp has also been installed.
The centre’s director identified the creation of facilities for people with disabilities as the most pressing need, as there are too few places for them in Mykolaiv.
«Accessibility remains the number one problem, because half of the people living here have some form of disability: 60 out of 120. And the need is particularly acute for these people right now. Because people who can walk can find work, find something for themselves. But these people (with disabilities, — note), unfortunately, can no longer work. The city and the state cannot provide places for them: there are not enough in Mykolaiv for half a million people. The geriatric care home has 50 places. That is very few for a city of this size. And the number of people with disabilities is increasing due to internally displaced persons arriving from the Kherson region and other regions. And it is precisely these people with disabilities who are left behind,» noted Volodymyr Tymoshenko.
He explained that residents of the centre sign a six-month accommodation contract, after which the terms are reviewed. People with disabilities have nowhere else to go, so they remain at the centre.
«If there is a need, we extend the stay. If not, we refer them to other centres. Although, as experience shows, there is usually nowhere to refer them to, as there are no places available. And so they stay with us until either relatives turn up or something else works out,» added the centre’s director.
As he noted, the centre hopes for further cooperation with «Caritas», as there are still many inclusive needs: the rooms in the second part of the ground floor and on the first floor require renovation.
«And the second floor, unfortunately, is not currently adapted for inclusion, but people live there too, because they have nowhere else to go. And they live on the second floor as well. And the rooms there need renovating too. We’ve done the toilet,» noted Volodymyr Tymoshenko.
A family from Kherson lives in one of the refurbished rooms in Vesniane: Olena, her daughter Anastasia and her granddaughter Masha.
«There were four of us: my grandmother was with us too. She died in Kyselivka. She didn’t want to leave, but we were forced to,» said Olena.
The shelter managers, representatives of ‘Caritas. Mykolaiv UGCC’ and the family from Kherson. Photo: NikVesti
The renovated ramp in Vesnyane. Photo: NikVesti
A bathroom for people with disabilities. Photo: NikVestiAs the family explained, they were evacuated from Kherson following an enemy attack.
«We had an attack: either a drone or a rocket. When we were being taken away, the eighth and ninth floors were on fire,» said Anastasia.
At first, the family stayed with a friend in Kyselivka, and then they made their way to a shelter in Vesniane. They have been there for three months now. «Vidnovlennia» helped them apply for social benefits. According to Anastasia, they are currently looking for accommodation and work. She plans to work as a nursery nurse.
Another shelter for displaced people that Caritas helped to renovate is a former boarding school in Mishkovo-Pohorilove. Father Taras explained that there are more residents there, and the premises themselves are also larger. The work cost 3.6 million hryvnias.
In Mishkovo-Pohorilove, 18 rooms, a bathroom and a shower room were renovated, and ventilation systems with heat recovery units were installed. Everything has been adapted for people with disabilities. Although these premises are located on the second floor, other donors plan to install a lift.
A room in Mishkovo-Pohorilove before renovation. Photo: Caritas. Mykolaiv UGCC
After renovation. Photo: NikVesti
An accessible toilet in Mishkovo-Pohorilove. Photo: ‘Caritas. Mykolaiv UGCC’According to Father Taras, cooperation with the authorities is a key aspect of Caritas projects. Information on needs is gathered, but shelters for displaced persons, which are legally designated as temporary accommodation centres (TACs), must be officially recognised.
«We have many such places where people are staying, but not all premises are certified and recognised by a Cabinet of Ministers resolution as TPS. Because whether we like it or not, we still have to rely on official documents. Otherwise, we could renovate any premises, but then the owners could evict the people,» noted Father Taras.
The building must officially have the status of a temporary residence. Moreover, the displaced persons must live there for at least a year. Under these conditions, the premises can be renovated.
The project has now been completed. However, Father Taras hopes it may be extended into next year:
«We hope that we might be granted that project again next year, and we’ll be able to renovate something again. Of course, there are other projects; we’re already working in other areas.»
NikVesti also reported on how «Caritas Mykolaiv UGCC» organised training sessions where teenagers are taught non-violent communication: how to recognise emotions and manage them safely in conflict situations. The programme is aimed at pupils aged 10–15.
This material was produced within the REACH – Media Partnerships for Accountability and Trust project, implemented by International Media Support (IMS) and supported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark. The content reflects the views of the authors and not necessarily those of the Danish government. Denmark’s support strengthens civil society and independent media in Ukraine, including in Mykolaiv.