News

Ukraine has been seeing a growing need for prosthetics for the military and civilians since the onset of the all-out war. The Saving Lives humanitarian project implemented by Metinvest Group in concert with the Rinat Akhmetov Foundation helps people return to a fulfilling life. Currently, 28 victims are undergoing prosthetic treatment and rehabilitation at various stages.

In the wartime, hundreds of soldiers and civilians are injured, which often leads to limb amputations. Saving Lives has embarked on a new area of assistance: help as many Ukrainians as possible to receive high-quality prosthetics services. In late 2022, the initiative signed a memorandum of cooperation with Protez Hub, a prosthetic treatment support project in Ukraine.

FACTS
Launched in 2015 in Ukraine, Protez Hub has engaged specialists from the United States, UK, Canada, Australia and European countries, partnering with international and Ukrainian foundations and companies.

The partners undertake to provide organisational and documentation support for the prosthetic treatment of the victims. The programme covers preparations for the prosthetic treatment, installation of prostheses and follow-up care in Ukrainian clinics, as well as physical and psychological rehabilitation. Now 28 Ukrainians are benefiting from the assistance, and over 500 applications are being processed. The initiative reaches out to Metinvest employees and their family members, the military and civilians in the company's regions of operations.

Mykola Burlaka, 23, is a participant of the joint programme of Saving Lives and Protez Hub. He lost his arm in enemy shelling near Azovstal steel mill, where he worked as a repairman. After amputation of the limb in a Donetsk hospital and a long captivity, Mykola managed to return to the Ukrainian government controlled area. With the support from Metinvest, the Mariupol resident is already preparing for prosthetic treatment and will undergo a prior 18-day rehabilitation programme in Morshyn, Lviv Oblast.
Dmytro Kulinich from Kryvyi Rih, who defended Ukraine in Donetsk region, will also have an opportunity to get back on his feet. The soldier was wounded in the leg and thus lost his right shin. Dmytro had been waiting for prosthetic treatment under a state programme for four months, but received assistance much faster from the Saving Lives specialists who found him themselves.

To become a participant of the prosthetic treatment initiative, call the Saving Lives hotline at 0800600014.

AID IN NUMBERS
Currently, 28 Ukrainian victims are undergoing prosthetic treatment and rehabilitation. A total of 168 people are participating in the rehabilitation programme (prosthetic treatment and psychological support).

An online training platform is another area of cooperation between Saving Lives and Protez Hub. The platform is available in Ukrainian language and is developed to help specialists in limb prosthetics and related rehabilitation. Currently, the project team is preparing video lectures, and the platform is set to be launched in February 2023.

Saving Lives is one of the largest humanitarian initiatives in Ukraine. In addition to prosthetic treatment, the project cares for war-affected women and children, helping them with recovery, improvement of emotional wellbeing, training, counselling, and reintegration. In particular, the Unbreakable Mom programme implemented jointly with the Masha Foundation has already helped 140 women and children.

Amid the full-scale invasion, Saving Lives provides Ukrainians with food packages, hygiene products, and other essentials, as well as supports social and cultural events. Nearly 400,000 people have already benefited from aid and assistance provided by Metinvest and the Rinat Akhmetov Foundation as part of the project.