Communities can receive up to UAH 400,000 to establish adaptive sports clubs
According to the Ministry of Youth and Sports of Ukraine, only 15% of the Ukrainian population is regularly engaged in physical or sports activity. However, this indicator is even lower when it comes to people with disabilities. The primary reason is the lack of sports facilities adapted to their needs. Therefore, donors joined efforts with the state to provide grants to communities for establishing adaptive sports clubs.
MHP-Gromadi Charitable Foundation, in collaboration with the State Institution “All-Ukrainian Center for Physical Health of the Population ‘Sports for All’” and the Ministry of Youth and Sports of Ukraine is launching the grant competition “Time to Act, Unstoppable”, as part of the presidential “Active Parks” project. This grant initiative allows communities to get up to UAH 400,000 to establish an adaptive club “Unstoppable” in their village or town.
“Since the beginning of 2024, we have already opened 20 adaptive clubs throughout Ukraine. People with disabilities, in particular, veterans, can do sports, get professional advice from coaches there, and thus reintegrate into civilian life actively. For people with disabilities, sports provide a path to a quality, conscious, and motivated life. We should promote this, so we are continuing and scaling up this initiative along with our partners,” said Matviy Bidnyi, head of the Ministry of Youth and Sports of Ukraine.
The project participants include civil society groups (NGOs, CFs), local self-government authorities, municipal companies, institutions, organizations, and healthcare facilities.
“For our charitable foundation, which has been involved in small towns and villages development for 9 years, this project is a reflection of our faith in the capabilities of communities and their support in implementing inclusive practices, ensuring that everyone who wishes can access sports. We observe the changes in communities’ mentality and growth in the proactive position of their residents. Therefore, we are happy to join the project by allocating UAH 200,000 for the professional and thoroughly developed idea for each of the winners,” added Tetiana Volochai, Director of the “MHP-Gromadi” Charitable Foundation.
The program launch was bolstered by an open training session for veterans at one of the “Unstoppable” adaptive clubs in the Kyiv region. The event was also attended by veterans who have successfully aided their recovery through physical activities and sports, namely, Volodymyr Tovkys, the National Guard (participant of the Invictus Games; survived a headshot; shoots a bow with his teeth), and Oleh Andrienko, a fighter from the area defense battalion (coordinator of the “Active Parks” project in Kyiv region, and an amputee).
They became the project coordinators in their towns in the Kyiv region and demonstrated through their own example that rehabilitation is not only necessary but also possible by doing sports. Every time we exercise or achieve new results, our bodies produce “happiness hormones” (endorphins, dopamine), which, in turn, block stress hormones (adrenaline, cortisol). Thus, sports reduce anxiety and aggression, and also aid in overcoming trauma. The involvement of children or residents in the process also stimulates social activity.
“It is crucial to develop physical culture during the war. Firstly, sports activities help Ukrainians mentally recover and take their minds off current events. Secondly, they help develop strength, dexterity, and endurance, thereby making us more resilient. We need to be resilient not just for ourselves but also for our loved ones and our country,” noted Andriy Rebryna, director of the State Institution “All-Ukrainian Center for Physical Health of the Population ‘Sports for All’”.
The project spans across 13 regions of Ukraine. Adaptive clubs can be established in the following oblasts: Vinnytsia, Volyn, Dnipropetrovsk, Zhytomyr, Ivano-Frankivsk, Kyiv, Lviv, Poltava, Sumy, Ternopil, Khmelnytskyi, Cherkasy, Chernihiv, and the city of Kyiv. A mandatory pre-requisite is co-financing of not less than UAH 200,000.
Apart from the financial part of the competition, the organizers also ensured an educational element. Online consultations with tips and cases to design and submit a grant application will be available throughout June. In August, the organizers will conduct training for the competition winners (specifically, for sports centers coaches) to improve their professional competencies and ensure accounting support.
Applications are accepted on the competition website until July 4. The winners will be announced on July 30.
The “Time to Act, Unstoppable” project is being implemented by the MHP-Gromadi Charitable Foundation in collaboration with the State Institution “All-Ukrainian Center for Physical Health of the Population ‘Sports for All’” as part of the presidential “Active Parks” project, in partnership with the Ministry of Youth and Sports of Ukraine.
MHP-Gromadi is a Ukrainian charitable foundation launched in 2015. Its main mission is to foster comprehensive community development to make them desirable places to live in. Its operational scope covers 13 regions of Ukraine, encompassing over 700 towns and villages. Since the beginning of russia’s full-scale invasion, the Foundation has directed its efforts towards supporting Ukrainian defenders and rescuers, communities, hospitals and maternity homes, and charitable institutions, as well as providing care for orphans, the elderly, and people who have lost their homes and livelihoods.