The Dignified Life project has been carried out in the Zakarpattia region in Ukraine since 2005 (the beginnings of the project were in 2004). The project’s target group are the elderly without sufficient funding, lonely senior citizens, permanently ill senior citizens, the elderly with nowhere to live and disabled people. The project is organised by the chief coordinator in the district town of Tiachiv from the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Caritas Tiachiv and a network of local coordinators from the individual municipalities who are familiar with the situation in the area.

How to help the elderly and disabled?

Anyone with an open heart who wants to contribute to improving the plight of the elderly and the disabled in Transcarpathia can help. The required amount is CZK 3,600 a year (CZK 300 a month). The periodicity of the repayments (annual, half-yearly, quarterly, monthly) is chosen by the donor themselves.

Donation contract

A donation contract is made with the “adoptive supporter” for a specific person for an indefinite period (or, on request, for one year). After entering the data and choosing an elderly citizen, the donation contract and other items are sent by the charity worker.

Criteria for including the elderly and disabled in the project

The basic criterion is the poverty and neediness of the elderly citizen, regardless of their gender, race or religion. The elderly and the disabled are chosen for the project based on information from the local coordinators, who keep track of the needy in their village. Those who are interested can choose a specific elderly or disabled citizen they wish to help.

How is the money used?

The use of the contribution is structured in the following way: 70% goes to the elderly or disabled citizen, where the aid is provided in kind (food, fuel, medication, etc.) which is delivered to the home of the needy every month, and 20% is a contribution to a joint fund supporting the local community (the Ust Chorna Home of Peaceful Old Age, the local coordinators of the project, sports, cultural and other leisure activities for the elderly, medical care, potential surgery of the seriously ill or aid to those not yet involved in the project, as well as the overhead costs of partner Ukrainian non-profit organisations). Finally, 10% makes up the overhead costs of SHPaRS DCHOO to run the project.

Registration

If you would like to become our donor and support an elderly citizen, you can register HERE (the database is only in Czech; if you are interested, do not hesitate to contact us at the following e-mail address: veronika.mechova@dchoo.charita.cz).

Information and contact with the beneficiary

The donor receives a questionnaire and a photograph with specific information about the environment in which the chosen elderly or disabled citizen lives. Through us it is also possible to write to the donees. We encourage mutual communication by forwarding the correspondence and, on request, even its translation. Due to the proximity of Ukraine, it is possible to visit the donees. Once a year in the summer months we organise the Journey of Adoptive Parents, during which the donors involved in the Distant Adoption and Dignified Life projects have the opportunity for a personal meeting with those they support and also for getting to know, at least a little, the conditions and environment in which they live.

Termination of the contract

The donation contract, i.e. aid to a specific elderly or disabled citizen, is terminated if the following occurs:

• a significant improvement of the financial or health situation of the elderly or disabled citizen
• the death of the elderly or disabled citizen
• the elderly or disabled citizen moving out of our reach
• a significant violation of the project rules
• a request made by the donor, if they, for any reason, cannot or do not wish to continue with the project