Not (only) with the eyes

Two separate camps were organized for blind children from different regions of Ukraine: from July 26 to August 1—for children ages 5–9 (Lviv, Rivne, Dnipro, Ivano-Frankivsk, and Khmelnytskyi regions) and from August 2 to August 8—for children aged 13–18 (Kirovohrad, Dnipro, Donetsk, Kharkiv, Zhytomyr, Khmelnytskyi, and Rivne regions). Each camp accommodated 20 people: 8 children, 8 parents (mother, grandmother, or guardian), and 4 staff members (coordinator and motivational coach, typhlopedagogue, psychologist, and driver). A total of 16 visually impaired children participated in the two camps; some children had additional disabilities in addition to blindness (limb paresis, speech impairments, etc.). 
Both camps took place in the village of Bene, Berehove District, Zakarpattia Oblast, at the “Sita Tarilka” estate. This area is relatively safe, far from the combat zone, and free from air raid sirens (the village is located 1.5 km from the border with Hungary); given the status and place of residence of the vast majority of camp participants, a safe zone free from shelling and sirens was an exceptional advantage for them.

The camps had an educational and rehabilitative focus. The project team developed separate programs for each group. During their stay at the camps, these programs were adjusted based on the skills or knowledge that the blind children lacked, as identified during classes and surveys, how independent they were in daily life, and what common concepts they were unfamiliar with. Each group participated in spatial orientation classes (walking with a cane), cognitive and developmental activities, and cooking workshops (making toast with various toppings, salads, canapés, and croutons, as well as kneading dough and baking shortbread cookies).

Sessions were also held for parents—either individually or together with their children. This group of participants received information and skills on teaching children to read and write in Braille, helping them become independent in daily life, and the importance of reading aloud the list of ingredients needed to prepare a particular dish; a future educational and career path was mapped out for each child; Regulatory documents regarding inclusive education and social protection for children with visual impairments, as well as their rights and ways to secure them, were discussed. A series of practical sessions was held specifically for parents with their visual input turned off (while wearing “blackout glasses”). 

Every day, the children and their parents visited the “Zhayvoronok” thermal pool in Berehove, met the buffaloes at the “Carpathian Buffalo” farm near Vynogradiv, and visited a monastery in the Dzhublyk tract of the Irshava District, where they sampled dairy products made from buffalo milk and traditional Transcarpathian dishes.
Every evening, the children watched movies or cartoons with audio description, specially adapted by the Operator for the visually impaired. The children watched some of these films with their parents. If they wished, during the movie screenings, some children learned to walk with a cane, use a computer, and interact with their peers; meanwhile, their parents participated in practical or educational sessions. 
All sessions were led by members of the project team: typhlopedagogue Kateryna Ivashutina, psychologist Oksana Borushnova, and camp coordinator and motivational coach Oksana Potymko (who is blind). The aforementioned team members also handled all photos and videos, organizational activities, and promotion of the project on social media and in the media.
A total of 40 people attended the camps.

Report

Descriptive Report Financial Report Payment Documents

Documents

Letter to reduce the amount 06.2026 Project placement letter