Emergency Support for Ukrainian Refugees

In Dnipro, a city in the Dnipropetrovsk region of eastern Ukraine, many elderly and people with disabilities who have fled from near the front lines are living in evacuation shelters. As more than four years have passed since the start of the war, the prolonged displacement is causing a decline in people's physical function and chronic health problems. Since October 2025, Peace Winds has been working in three evacuation shelters in Dnipro to maintain the health and restore the physical function of the elderly and people with disabilities.

At the evacuation shelters, we conducted group sessions that involve physical activity. Experienced professionals instruct participants on how to move their bodies to music. The professionals demonstrate movements that are moderately strenuous but can be done without difficulty by the elderly and participants try them together.

One participant said, "Since joining the sessions, the pain in my legs has almost completely disappeared, and I'm sleeping much better." Another participant highly praised the sessions, saying, "It's a great opportunity for seniors to socialize and get some exercise!"

In some shelters, we provide individualized rehabilitation and massage therapy. Here, a personalized approach is applied to each person. Some are in the recovery phase after amputation surgery and preparing for prosthetics, while others have suffered from chronic pain for many years. Still others simply wish to walk with confidence again, without fear of falling. Experts with the knowledge to address these diverse needs carefully assess each participant's conditions and provide rehabilitation and massage therapy while respecting their individual wishes and desires.

Those who have been receiving individual sessions since October have shared joyful feedback such as, "I can now walk without a walker. It's fantastic!", "Thanks to rehabilitation and massage, I can go two days without painkillers!", and "Walking and lying down have become much easier." Another participant, who said, "I received a prosthetic limb after my amputation surgery, but I needed to learn how to use it properly," commented, "Thanks to rehabilitation, I'm finally able to live a normal life." Positive changes have been observed not only in physical function but also in motivation.

Rehabilitation not only restores the physical function of displaced persons with disabilities, but also supports them in taking a step towards regaining their dignity, confidence, and a positive, active life. We will continue to support the people of Ukraine, who have experienced great loss, so that they can recover physically and mentally and move forward.