A Life Turned Upside Down by the Explosion
In September 2023, 20-year-old Yuliia was on working way to the field when tragedy struck. In the village of Mospanove, in the Kharkiv region, the car in which she was travelling ran over an anti-tank mine. The driver died instantly. Seriously injured, Yuliia suffered double amputation of her legs, burns to her face and hands, the loss of many teeth, and total and irreversible blindness.
"We tried to avoid a puddle of water on the road. The explosion happened on my side of the car", she says. Her husband, who worked nearby, came running when he heard the explosion: "He thought I was dead. "
After several operations, the doctors had to amputate both her legs to save her. Later, they told her that she would never be able to see again: the explosion had destroyed her optic nerve.
A long Road to Rehabilitation
Back home, Yuliia had to face a new reality: learning to live without her legs or her sight. She now uses two prostheses and a walker, but her mobility remains very limited. Her home and surroundings are not very accessible, and the village roads are impassable for a person with disabilities.
Her mother says, "I offered to give her one of my eyes, so that she could see a little. But they said that was impossible. "
Despite the ordeal, Yuliia remains determined: "I still have to rehabilitate my legs and repair my teeth. There are still many operations to come, but I want to keep moving forward."
Essential Help from Associations
HI has been working with Yuliia for several months to help her regain some independence. Thanks to the HI and its local partner, the Kharkiv Association of Blind Lawyers (KABL), she has been able to obtain legal assistance and adjust her disability pension.
She is now taking part in a social rehabilitation programme for people with visual impairments. She is learning how to cook, manage everyday tasks, and get around safely. HI social worker, Olesia, helped her choose a voice-controlled food processor so that she can prepare her own meals. A physiotherapist visits her regularly to adapt her walker and strengthen her muscles.
A Strength and a Dream: Peace
Despite the pain and obstacles, Yuliia remains optimistic and hopeful.
"First of all, I want peace. Everywhere, not just in Ukraine. I want to live like everyone else, start a family, have a daughter, and a son. "
Strengthening the capacities and resilience of mine action actors and conflict-affected populations towards explosive ordnance contamination in the East, Northeast and South of Ukraine – Phase 2.
HI, together with community focal points, will increase awareness among conflict-affected populations about the risks of EO/EW through Explosive Ordnance Risk Education (EORE) and Conflict Preparedness and Protection (CPP). HI will also deliver tailored and comprehensive services to conflict-affected, vulnerable people through broad and specific Victim Assistance (VA). The project will be primarily implemented in the Northeast, East, and Southern oblasts of Ukraine, including Kharkivska, Sumska, Dnipropetrovska, Khersonska, Zaporizka, and Mykolaivska.
At the end of September, the number of service recipients 132. |
