MainНовиниAdaptive Sports for Veterans: A New Space for Rehabilitation and Reintegration Opens in Myronivka
Adaptive Sports for Veterans: A New Space for Rehabilitation and Reintegration Opens in Myronivka
A new adaptive sports club for veterans and people with disabilities has opened in Myronivka, Kyiv region, providing a dedicated space for rehabilitation. The first training session on the new sports equipment has already taken place, with veteran Yaroslav Gulenko among the participants. He shared his own experience of rehabilitation through sport:
“Sport is the best method of adaptation and rehabilitation for veterans. When you train, your focus shifts entirely to your body — memories and difficult thoughts about the war fade away. Physical activity replaces negativity, easing aggression and bringing a sense of relief. This rehabilitation club is truly needed, especially with such excellent equipment.”
Before the war, Yaroslav Gulenko had worked at the Myronivsky Plant of Manufacturing Feeds and Groats since 2016, serving as the master of the waste briquetting line until the full-scale invasion. On 4 April 2022, he stood up to defend his country. In August 2023, after returning home due to injury, Yaroslav underwent treatment and rehabilitation. With the support of the MHP Standing Together program, the veteran was offered a new position, as his previous duties had become difficult to perform due to the injuries he sustained in the war. He was invited to become a sports specialist, as Yaroslav is an avid athlete and a member of the MPMFG football team.
Dmytro Zhukotansky, First Deputy Mayor of Myronivka, expressed deep gratitude to Ukraine’s defenders and emphasized the importance of supporting active-duty military personnel and veterans.
“I am infinitely grateful to our defenders who risk their lives for our victory and security. We continue to support the military and have allocated 114 million hryvnias from the city council budget for 2024. Recognizing the needs of veterans, we aim to create comfortable conditions for their rehabilitation and reintegration.”
The ‘Myronivka Health Space’, launched by the Myronivka City Council, is one of the 15 winners of the Time to Act, Unstoppable! competition, which received a grant from MHP-Gromadi Charitable Foundation under the co-financing conditions within MHP Standing Together reintegration program for active-duty military personnel and veterans, and the State Institution “All-Ukrainian Center for Physical Health of the Population ‘Sport for All’” supported by the Ministry of Youth and Sports of Ukraine as part of the presidential Active Parks project. The total budget for this project is UAH 600,000.
“The caring community residents who applied for Time to Act, Unstoppable! competition made the club opening in Myronivka possible. Our Charitable Foundation and MHP Standing Together program, intended for the reintegration and adaptation of active-duty military personnel, veterans, and their families, will always support and help develop such projects. Adaptive sports for veterans and people with disabilities are key to physical, psychological, and social recovery.”
Тренери-реабілітологи, які в межах проєкту пройшли спеціальне навчання, розповіли про плани розвитку клубу, зокрема відкриття секцій для людей з інвалідністю, розробку програм, а також проведення регулярних тренувань для ветеранів.
As part of the rehabilitation program, trainers who completed specialized training are now leading structured classes. Their plans include: opening sections for people with disabilities, developing rehabilitation programs, hosting regular training sessions for veterans.
“On behalf of our plant, I want to thank our defenders for their enormous contribution, allowing businesses to operate despite the ongoing war. The taxes paid by MHP enterprises directly contribute to the community budget, enabling the implementation of social and rehabilitation projects for veterans, which are truly invaluable and crucial for the lives of our defenders.”
The development of adaptive sports is an important investment in the health, well-being and future of communities. By supporting such initiatives, Ukraine takes an important step toward an inclusive society, where everyone can find a new path forward —regardless of their circumstances.