Recovery through sports: training for veterans and people with disabilities in Bucha with the support of the MHP Next door program

40 veterans who were injured during the fighting conducted adaptive sports training in Bucha, Kyiv region. They shot archery, played wheelchair basketball, rode a handbike and threw the shot put, UNN reports.

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Adaptive sports training for defenders and people with disabilities promotes physical and psychological recovery and helps them return to civilian life as soon as possible.

The event was supported by MHP's reintegration program for military and veterans. Anatoliy Fedoruk, Mayor of Bucha, took part in the event. He explained how such sports training helps to unite civilian and military communities.

"This initiative, which is actually being implemented by MHP, will give a certain signal and impetus to the development of sports traditions and industry in each of the settlements.

There will be times when communities will compete with each other to see what infrastructure they have built and offered to our heroes," he says.

In addition to infrastructure, we need people to be responsible for its operation. According to Pavlo Moroz, Director of MHP's Corporate Social Responsibility Department, the organization will also help develop local businesses and train specialists. First of all, it is about rehabilitation therapists who will help the defenders.

"Today, the issue of re-adaptation is becoming more and more relevant. Very often we hear that society must first of all prepare for the fact that veterans will return and work in communities, form their families here, develop these communities, directly initiating certain changes.

And this will be really valuable for our country. Because the meanings that they acquired while defending our country will be fundamental for the Ukrainian state today and in the future, for its further development," he said.

In his turn, Volodymyr Zabela, Head of MHP's Regional Development Group, explained why the company chose Bucha to implement the Vetsport to Communities initiative.

"Bucha has become a symbol of defiance, of indomitability since the beginning of the full-scale invasion of the Russian Federation. Most of the guys here are from Kyiv region. A few years ago, they were defending our country in the ranks of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and territorial defense. Those were very tense times. Therefore, it is symbolic and obvious that first of all we have to support them and do everything to reintegrate and adapt them to social life," he said.

Andriy Kucher, head of the Union of Wounded Soldiers of Ukraine "Strong 300," spoke about the prospects for the development of sports among former military personnel.

"We need more competitions that will encourage veterans to participate in them. Accordingly, there should be events that will unite veterans.

We have now created a Kyiv veterans' team. And we are already working on achieving results. Because if a veteran has been injured for six months, it's one story. It is important for him to be motivated, to join, to feel the spirit of brotherhood. And when it's been a year or more, the result is more important to him," he said.

The joint training of civilians, veterans and people with disabilities was also appreciated by the participants of the event.

"Such events unite. They help civilians understand the military, especially those with injuries.

Perhaps, it is no longer about sports, but about the communication of like-minded people, military men and veterans. And this has a very good effect on our mental and psychological health," comments soldier Serhiy Mytsyk.