Lviv Opens Ukraine's First Habilitation Center for Veterans and Civilians (Video)

Today, March 7, the first habilitation center in Ukraine, HAB | Lviv Habilitation Center, was inaugurated at 86V Stryiska Street, Lviv. This center is designed to help veterans and civilians affected by the war adapt to new living conditions after undergoing treatment and rehabilitation. Approximately 300 individuals are expected to benefit from its services annually.

This initiative is led by the Alliance for Public Health in cooperation with the UNBROKEN National Rehabilitation Center. The center is a transitional barrier-free space that provides a safe environment to process wartime experiences and move forward. Veterans and civilians who have completed physical rehabilitation at the UNBROKEN center and need to adapt to new living conditions will acquire new skills here.

"More than 17,000 injured individuals have been treated at our First Medical Association alone. This includes women, children, and our veterans. The UNBROKEN ecosystem consists of various stages, and when public organizations and private businesses join in, it adds even more strength.

After undergoing treatment and receiving high-quality prosthetics at UNBROKEN, people move here to experience independent living—going grocery shopping, cooking, and using public transport. We are currently building a large residential complex for 700 people, and the experience gained here is crucial to ensuring that everything is done correctly," said Andriy Sadovyi, the Mayor of Lviv.

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With the help of coaches, psychologists, and physical therapists, injured veterans and civilians spend three weeks learning independence in an inclusive environment and beyond. This process mirrors the challenges they will face at home. Residents (as the center's inhabitants are called) cook their meals, go shopping, and use public transportation independently. The center also organizes lectures, workshops, and cultural outings.

The Lviv Habilitation Center becomes a highly responsible area of work as it aims to help veterans and civilians affected by war. Additionally, it seeks to draw public attention to the issue of inclusive spaces. Accessible infrastructure is key to enabling veterans and civilians to continue living fully," noted Andriy Klepikov, Executive Director of the Alliance for Public Health.

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The first residents of the center are: Yana Kovalova, a librarian from Avdiivka who lost her right leg due to military actions. After treatment and rehabilitation at the UNBROKEN center, she is now adapting to everyday life at the Lviv Habilitation Center. Also, Ilya Dmytryshyn, a paratrooper injured during the defense of Ukraine, underwent treatment and rehabilitation at the UNBROKEN center and is now focusing on adapting to life as a veteran and person with a disability, working on his psychological state, and planning his future at the Lviv Habilitation Center.

"The most important thing here is the encouragement to step outside and do something independently—to visit a store, the post office, or use transport without fear. The goal is to help develop independence and acquire skills that will help in daily life and routine problem-solving. Additionally, there are sessions with psychologists, art therapy, yoga, a gym, and rehabilitation specialists," shared resident Yana Kovalova.

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The head of the psychosocial direction of the UNBROKEN center, Oleh Bereziuk, believes such habilitation centers should exist at every rehabilitation institution.

"At the UNBROKEN center, we treat acute trauma and conduct primary rehabilitation, but the next step after rehabilitation is gaining new skills. At a habilitation center, people take more independent actions, gain more resources for learning, and take their first independent steps," said Oleh Bereziuk.

The habilitation center covers an area of 660 square meters. It has 9 rooms (6 of which are inclusive) and 27 beds. It is planned that 300 residents will undergo habilitation here annually.

"Thank you to everyone who contributed their energy to make it possible for us to be here today and for this to be accessible to those who need it most—our nation’s finest sons and daughters, who are now doing the hardest work in the toughest directions," added Volodymyr Rudkovskyi, a soldier who lost a limb during the war and has already received a prosthetic at the UNBROKEN center.

According to forecasts, after the war ends, Ukraine will have over 5 million people from the veteran community: veterans, their families, and families of the fallen. Currently, over 850,000 war veterans are registered in Ukraine, according to the Ministry of Veterans Affairs. Amid active warfare, the immense number of people needing assistance continues to grow. The opening of Ukraine’s first habilitation center aims to become a critical support point for those continuing their life journeys in a new context.

About the Initiators

The Alliance for Public Health has 23 years of experience implementing programs for access and resilience in treatment programs for HIV/TB. Since the beginning of the war, they have launched several initiatives and programs, including a Humanitarian Convoy, which transported over 1.2 million tons of cargo, the international emergency support program HelpNow HUB for Ukrainians worldwide, and expanded services with 50 mobile clinics, including bicycles in regions where social workers otherwise couldn’t reach patients. The Alliance also operates 10 shelters for refugees and internally displaced persons across Ukraine.

The UNBROKEN National Rehabilitation Center is a unique facility where adults and children affected by the war receive comprehensive, qualified medical care. This includes reconstructive surgery, orthopedics, and robotic prosthetics. The center not only provides prosthetics but also manufactures them. Additionally, it focuses on physical, psychological, and psychosocial rehabilitation for injured military personnel and civilians. Since the beginning of the full-scale war, over 16,000 Ukrainians affected by the war have received help at the center.

video by Andrii Andrukh for the Lviv City Council