Ukraine’s ordinary people with extraordinary challenges keep on despite the odds

Dnipro, Ukraine - Alla and Vadym Kovalchuk are an ordinary married couple from Dnipro who have faced extraordinary challenges. In 2014, when the war in eastern Ukraine began, their son Spartak was born.

Growing into his first month, Alla noticed something unusual in comparison to her older son who was 12 years older. When Spartak underwent a comprehensive assessment, he was diagnosed with special learning disability.

“It took me a long time to acknowledge there is a problem, hoping that it was not true”, shares Alla. Spartak regularly undergoes examinations from a neurologist and psychiatrist. Even after the doctors tried some medications and treatment, they were unsuccessful.

He attended a center for training and rehabilitation in Dnipro for three years. But the current war in Ukraine has made it difficult for institutions to operate. Professional teachers are scarce, and the regular schools are often unsuitable.

For children like Spartak, at least a sensory room should be available, equipped with special tools for them to relax. He finds it challenging to connect with others.

“We considered five candidates for a school assistant. Not everyone can handle a difficult child or agrees to try. You need to find an approach, negotiate, and somehow get them interested,” explains Vadym.

The couple decided to focus more on socialization, so the son could learn to care for himself and acquire skills from other children. Now Spartak attends a general school with an adapted educational program.

He takes drawing, swimming, and music classes, while his parents continue to look for teachers who can work with children having special needs.

“The music teacher uses numbers instead of notes. It was such a happy moment when we gave Spartak a synthesizer for his birthday, and he played ‘We Lived at Grandma's.’ It's a simple melody, but hearing it brought us immense joy,” Alla recalls.

Both Alla and Vadym work, taking turns to care for Spartak. Hiring a nanny is not an option due to the high cost and the difficulty in finding. The state support they receive is insufficient; just one session of individual therapy costs a third of their monthly government assistance.

Alla says, “The cash assistance we receive from World Vision was a big help for us, almost a miracle. We are now undergoing a series of medical examinations, and the financial support was crucial.”

This story of Spartak and his parents symbolizes courage, hope, and exemplifies the importance of never giving up even in the most challenging times.

World Vision’s cash assistance program that has reached out to 680 people is funded by Aktion Deutschland Hilft (ADH) implemented along with local partners in Ukraine’s Khersonska, Dnipropetrovska and Kharkivska Oblasts.

Story by Communications Officer Anna Lukianenko I Photos by GC Emergency Communications Specialist Abi Conway