Surging Ukraine’s disabilities help to aid the war wounded
Editor’s Note:
We strive to bring you the most unique stories to immerse you fully into Ukrainian life. In this story, we’ll tell you how Ukrainians with disabilities are learning to drive. Our team even tried it ourselves!
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“Get in: I'll show you everything,” said Timofii, the driving instructor, as I got into the special car – the first time I’d been behind the wheel in more than a year.
“Everything is much easier here than in a regular car.”
Usually, after long breaks from driving, I get nervous, but this time I was just excited. I had come to the driving school for people with disabilities to try out driving a car using a device for people with special physical needs.
There still aren’t very many places like this driving school in Ukraine. But the need is great: the number of people with disabilities in Ukraine has increased by 300,000 since the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion.
Across the country, Ukrainians face the dangers of war on a daily basis, with many people injured each week by landmines, rocket attacks, and drones, fighting on the front lines, and many other violent risks.
Every day, Ukrainians with limited mobility have to face numerous challenges, from descending stairs to leaving their homes to moving safely on the streets.
Some of them say the authorities make them feel like accommodations are a lucky privilege rather than the norm. From their experiences, we learn how far the state is prepared to help the Ukrainians who have sacrificed their health for their country.
The war is also a struggle for Ukraine's place in the EU. In European countries, the level of inclusiveness has long been a standard, while in Ukraine, people with disabilities still have to prove their right to a full life.
Those who gave up their health are now forced to fight for personal freedom every day. A consistent inclusive policy is something deeper than reforms. It is about the level of consciousness of Ukrainian society; a state that equally values and recognizes the needs of all citizens.
When I got to driving school, I thought the car's controls looked and sounded very simple – though they took some getting used to.
After the paywall, you will explore how people with disabilities adapt to non-inclusive public spaces by adapting their cars.
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