«Ужгородська міська громадська організація інвалідів зору «Дивосвіт»

About organization

Uzhgorod municipal non-government organization of visually impaired persons «Dyvosvit» is a nonprofit municipal organization of visually impaired persons, created by a free will of citizens who united on the basis of common needs and interests.

      In its activity Organization follows the Constitution of Ukraine and Ukrainian laws.

      The organization is a legal entity, has bank accounts, seal, stamp, emblem and other symbols.

The objectives of the organization are as follows: to satisfy and protect legal social, economic, creative, spiritual and other common interests of the visually impaired persons, to provide adequate conditions for their self-realization, to implement measures on social protection, rehabilitation and to involve them in socially useful activities and sports activities.

      The main tasks of the Organization are the following:

      1. Participating in creation of favourable conditions for active involvement of visually impaired persons in socio-economic, political and cultural life of society, their social adaptation and professional rehabilitation;

      2. Attracting of public attention to the problems of disabled people, involving government, businesses and associations into work of this sphere;

      3. Satisfaction and protection of professional, social, economic and other interests of Members which do not contradict the laws of Ukraine;

      4. Facilitating the creation of a modern legal base on protecting the interests of persons with visual impairments;

      5. Assistance in solution of  social, domestic and other problems with which  face  visually impaired persons during the process of their integration in modern social life;

      6. Providing of financial, technical, information, advisory and other assistance to persons with visual impairments;

      7. Assistance in providing appropriate conditions for disabled persons in realization their rights to education;

      8. Promotion of professional self-realization and implementation of educational and training programs and projects for persons with visual impairments;

            9. The holding of events related to education of visually impaired     persons, promoting wider access to information;

      10. Promotion the spiritual and physical development of persons with visual impairments;

      11. Facilitating the employment of persons with visual impairments;

      12. Assistance in providing conditions for leisure and recreation of persons with visual impairments;

      13. Organizing and holding of various cultural and sports events (festivals, competitions, sports, etc.), scientific seminars and conferences;
      14. Carrying out of social research related to the protection of the rights and interests of persons with visual impairments;

      15. Promotion of international cooperation toward the realization of the rights and interests of persons with visual impairments;

      16. Realization of the joint international humanitarian activities of persons with disabilities;

17. Search of financial support for travel of members within the country and abroad for training, experience, participation in joint projects, programs, activities, etc.

Our organization has gained considerable experience in implementing projects aimed at improving the living conditions of persons with disabilities during its activity. Thus, the organization Dyvosvit worked out its own programme of accessibility to Transcarpathia for visually impaired persons, by the help of which the organization received a grant from the Found "Eastern Europe". In the framework of implementation of the project “Accessible Transcarpathia”, which was successfully finished March 31, 2010 we have installed in Uzhgorod sound alert devices at  7 traffic lights, and so - called sound “beacons” at the most important  infrastructure devices of Uzhgorod and at the railway stations and bus stations of Transcarpathian region. The aim of our organization was not to solve the problem of accessibility of Transcarpathian region for visually-impaired persons completely, our aim was to demonstrate to local authorities, local businesses, especially tourism, how this accessibility can be provided.

Our organization began the project “the Establishment of the support centre of studying youth with serious visual impairments “Stimulus” with the support of the Carpathian Foundation February 1, 2010. We have almost finished it by the present time. During the project implementation the following events were held:

We opened Transcarpathian Information and Rehabilitation Centre for persons with visual impairments "Dyvosvit”   May 6, 2010. The Centre has a computer class, equipped with modern computers, in which the specialized programs are installed. Clients can use the library (the specialized programs library in electronic and audio format). There is room in the Centre of psychological support and relax. The local authority gave the housing for this Centre. The Repair of the rooms was made by us. The furniture, computer equipment were purchased by the funds received from the Carpathian Foundation within the above mentioned project implementation.

Organization “Dyvosvit” provides services to visually impaired persons in the educational field through the centre “Stimulus”. Pupils and students with serious visual impairments have the possibility to use modern technology, specialized software, Internet resources, rehabilitation equipment that adapted to their peculiarities in their educational purposes in comfortable conditions and in the most convenient way.

The Centre staff also deal with professional orientation of youth with visual impairments, the promotion and the employment of young professionals with disabilities.

We signed a cooperation agreement with the international charitable organization “Consortium” for improving management education in Ukraine in the framework of the project implementation “The open world of information technologies”, carried out by Microsoft May 1, 2010. Owing to this cooperation visually impaired persons of Transcarpathian region have the opportunity to attend free computer courses at the Centre “Dyvosvit” and after passing the exam to receive the international certificate of Microsoft, which greatly increases the chances of employment.

Uzhgorod municipal non-government organization of visually impaired persons “Dyvosvit” signed a tripartite agreement on cooperation and social partnership with the Transcarpathian regional employment centres and Transcarpathian regional found of the social protection of disabled persons June 25, 2010. Thus, in the framework of this cooperation the seminar “The peculiarities of employment of disabled persons at enterprises” was organized and held in Uzhgorod and Mukachevo employment centres July 27, 2010. The problem of the situation and the possible risks arising from the employment of persons with disabilities was discussed at the seminar. This event attracted the interest of employers; it will help them in the future to understand fully the complicated situations, to choose its own strategy of behaviour in this area, to avoid the problems.

For the first time in Ukraine a tourist information map was established for visually impaired persons in the language of Braille In the heart of Uzhgorod September 24, 2010. After reading it, everyone  can learn about the history of the city and its sights. This event was held due to the cooperation of the Tourism Department of Uzhgorod National University and our organization. Members of our organization helped to translate content of the map into the language of Braille for local blacksmiths and artists in order they move it to the copper board.

Our organization is a non-profit organization. It is financed by sponsorship and the grants gained from the projects implementation.