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22 June 2006 15:26
The Joy of Childhood – Free Movements Program
At present, many problems remain unsolved in Ukraine’s medicine. Regrettably, the problems of rehabilitation and treatment for disabled children with after-effects of organic lesions of the nervous system and community’s attitude toward disabled children are especially acute. At present, there are over 18,000 children with cerebral palsy living in Ukraine, by the Healthcare Ministry data. The developed countries have long ceased using the term, invalid, referring to these people. They call them children with special needs, while the state and community do everything possible to integrate them into normal social life as much as possible and satisfy their requirements in terms of high-quality medical care and access to education as well as recreation.
The Ukraine 3000 Fund and TNK-BP Commerce Company, understanding the urgency and importance of these issues and recognizing the need to improve medical, social, and educational services, as well as changing the public attitude toward children with special needs, launched the Joy of the Childhood: Free Movements program for Ukrainian children with after-effects of organic lesions of the central nervous system. We believe that our professionalism, concerted action, along with the principles of transparency and openness we share, will be of benefit for Ukraine’s children with special needs, as well as the Ukrainian community.
The Joy of the Childhood: Free Movements is a joint program by the Ukraine 3000 Fund and TNK-BP Commerce Company, launched in late 2005 and designed for four years.
The Program’s major goals:
- Assist in rendering high-quality rehabilitation for children from low-income families with cerebral palsy;
- Help Ukrainian rehabilitation centers of all categories to purchase high level technical equipment, introduce modern standards in diagnosing, medical, rehabilitation, social and educational services, etc.;
- Provide information on rehabilitation and treatment methods, rehabilitation institutions, as well as legal and social advise, etc. to parents of children with special needs;
- Promote changes in the public opinion regarding the children with special needs’ problems and their integration into the society.
To successfully meet these goals, the Joy of the Childhood: Free Movements program cooperates with budget-funded and non-budget funded institutions offering rehabilitation services to children with organic lesions of the central nervous system, boarding schools for children with locomotor system disorders, as well as charitable and public organizations.
The Program’s projects:
Sending children for treatment at the International Rehabilitation Clinics
Holding grant competitions
Joy of the Childhood: Free Movements magazine
Social advertising campaign
Children’s talent shows
We believe that solving urgent social problems, especially related to the mothers-and-children sphere, should not remain the state’s responsibility only. By introducing this program, the Ukraine 3000 Fund and TNK-BP Commerce Company set a practical example of how the joint effort by business and charitable organizations can change to the better the life of Ukraine’s children and consequently, its future.