The defenders of Ukraine, the ATO participants together with their families visited Feldman Ecopark. Last Saturday, the Regional Landscape Park welcomed the members of Kharkiv regional NGO “Union of ATO Veterans.” Horse and pony riding, performance of the Theatre of Children and Animals, fun competitions, games with entertainers, meeting with the animals of the petting zoo and the members of the Kennel Club: the special programme was prepared for nearly fifty young and adult visitors.
“For those people who went through the war and saw another side of the life, it is important to learn to take it positively again. To cope with this, they need attention and understanding ofclose people,” the deputy chairman of the council of Kharkiv regional NGO “Union of ATO Veterans,” Olha Lekhan told. “And of course, they need pleasant impressions, like the ones they had in Feldman Ecopark today.” According to the guests, active leisure and communication with animals is the best psychosocial rehabilitation and the wonderful opportunity to spend time with close people.
It should be noted that Kharkiv regional NGO “Union of ATO Veterans” consists of the defenders of Ukraine, who were demobilized from the Armed Forces, the State Border Guard Service and the National Guard of Ukraine, as well as the soldiers who are currently defending the integrity and independence of our country. More than 4,000 participants of the Anti-Terrorist Operation are the members of the organization.
It should be reminded that the Centre of Psychosocial Rehabilitation established in Feldman Ecopark renders the assistance to the ATO participants, their families, and the children of IDPs from Donbas since autumn 2014. This year, the functions of the Centre will be extended countrywide thanks to the cooperation with the state institutions and NGOs within the project “Ukraine in One Rhythm.”
