In the western rehabilitation and sports center of the National Committee of Sports for the Disabled of Ukraine (NCDPU), young athletes with disabilities were awarded scholarships from the international charitable organization Foundation as a part of Yes, I can! program. The program is implemented jointly with the NCDPU.
Despite the war in Ukraine, the Foundation continues to support children in their aspiration to play sports and develop even in this extremely difficult time. For the fourth year in a row, the Foundation and the National Committee of Sports for the Disabled of Ukraine, have been providing scholarships to children with disabilities from different parts of Ukraine. This is a monthly scholarship for children who are professionally involved in sports and aim to participate in professional competitions, in particular the Paralympics and Deaflympics. It is provided for one year as financial support for their sports achievements. Today, 35% of the scholarship holders of the “Yes, I can!” program have joined the national Paralympic teams and represent Ukraine in the international arena.
For three years in a row, the Foundation has invested more in 65 talented young athletes than UAH 4.5 million (taxes included). 23 of Foundation’s wards have joined the national teams of Ukraine in sports for people with disabilities like swimming, basketball, skiing and biathlon, wrestling and freestyle, orienteering, goalball, table tennis, chess, para-triathlon, badminton, and athletics. In addition, three scholarship holders of the “Yes, I can!” program took part in the XIII Winter Paralympic Games in Beijing, and one scholarship holder – Sofia Chernomorova – won the historic for of Ukraine bronze medal in badminton at the XXIV Summer Deaflympics in Caxias do Sul.
—We believe that it is our social responsibility to help these children. The position of the President of the Foundation Kateryna Belorusskaya is to support young athletes in their desire to play sports and develop even in this extremely difficult time for Ukraine. If a child says “Yes, I can!” and has the desire to play sports, then we, as representatives of socially responsible business, must find an opportunity to assist, — said Vadim Misyura, Director of the Foundation in Ukraine.
In 2023, 25 athletes with disabilities aged 12 to 17 from 13 regions of Ukraine will get scholarships from the Foundation. These athletes represent swimming, athletics, and football among athletes with cerebral palsy, skiing, and table tennis. The amount of annual scholarships is about UAH 1.2 million.
—Socially responsible businesses can raise our country, and lead it to victory. During wartime, we think about the next generation of Ukrainian children, about those with disability. This program support child who has suffered from bombs and missiles of russian aggressors and murderers. They shouldn’t be left out of the attention of both the state itself, which is very difficult to finance social projects, and businesses, like Foundation, is, – summed up the President of the National Committee of Sports for the Disabled of Ukraine Valery Sushkevich.
“Yes, I can!” is a program to support and develop children with disabilities and special educational needs by involving them in sports. The significance of the program is to provide barrier-free access to sports. The program aims to encourage children to play sports and create all the necessary conditions for this, so that sport is equally accessible to all. Before the full-scale invasion, the program was implemented throughout Ukraine, with groups operating in 15 regions to conduct open inclusive training sessions, making sport accessible to everyone.
Reference:
The foundation is an international charitable organization established in 2019. The Foundation’s activities are aimed at ensuring equal access to education and sports for children regardless of their physical characteristics, social status, and other barriers. The Foundation’s main areas of work are assistance and support in the field of sports and education. The foundation implements 5 comprehensive programs in Ukraine: “Yes, I can!”, “Sports mentor”, “New physical education”, “Help to Ukraine” and “Mental Health”.
The National Committee of Sports for Disabled People of Ukraine (NSCDPU) is the largest and most successful sports organization in Ukraine, which is engaged in the development of the Paralympic and Deaflympic movement in Ukraine and performs the role of the National Paralympic Committee at the international level, creating conditions for physical education and sports for people with disabilities and physical and sports rehabilitation, including children with disabilities, as well as ensuring the successful performance of Ukrainian athletes in the Paralympic, Deaflympic Games, and other international competitions.
