The CBA Initiatives Center believes that recovery is not only about the body — it’s also about finding new meaning and being surrounded by people who understand. As part of the “Our People Are Here” project, the team has gathered several special places across Ivano-Frankivsk region where veterans and servicewomen can explore new sports, receive professional support, and feel the power of a community that understands and accepts them. Below is a list of these spaces.

Located at Promprylad, this is a space where veterans and civilians meet and collaborate. Every Tuesday, the team hosts craft workshops and gatherings that promote professional, social, and psychological adaptation. Visitors can also attend educational lectures, get consultations, and learn more about the work and experiences of the military.

Recently, the PETROS team organized an Olympic Archery Instructor School — an activity that’s not only about physical exercise, but also about learning new skills and receiving support that helps veterans gradually adapt to civilian life.

“We welcome wounded service members from several hospitals, as well as active-duty soldiers and civilians who just want to spend time together. Children, military spouses, and widows of fallen heroes also join in. It’s a warm story of connection and communication — because being surrounded by those who understand you means a lot,” — say representatives of the organization.

In late 2022, in the village of Tsenyava, Kolomyia district, Nataliya Tarabalka, the mother of fallen Hero of Ukraine and pilot Stepan Tarabalka, established a rehabilitation center. Since then, nearly 300 people — including service members, veterans, and their families — have received care there.

This center is not only about preserving her son’s memory but also about helping those returning from the front as they readjust to peaceful life. Its main areas of work include:

• consultations with a traumatologist, rehabilitation specialist, psychologist, and psychiatrist;
• psychotherapy and art therapy;
• massage and physiotherapy;
• psychological support sessions and other recovery methods.

New Wings is a long-term rehabilitation center for veterans and their families, founded by ATO veterans in 2018. Its mission is to provide comprehensive reintegration support — including physical, psychological, social, professional, and spiritual rehabilitation.

All services, including accommodation and meals, are provided free of charge.

“We welcome veterans into our community. During each program cycle, we discuss their civilian lives — what they used to do, what they’d like to pursue now. Many don’t want to return to their previous jobs; they want to change their lives completely. So we try to guide and motivate them to take on something meaningful and to help others too. This way, we lift one person at a time — and that one can help someone else,” — says Ihor Dilnyi, veteran and founder of the center.

The HART Support Space in Kolomyia is a specialized center offering comprehensive assistance to veterans, their families, and the families of fallen defenders. It operates as a dedicated division of the city’s Unified Rehabilitation and Social Services Center, focusing on:

• psychological and legal support;
• consultations on veteran status, benefits, housing, and employment;
• guidance on starting a personal business;
• organizing training sessions, workshops, and leisure activities;
• holding social gatherings and supporting veteran communities.

Located on the site of the old Khotin water tower on the banks of the Lymnytsia River, this veteran support space provides physical and psychological rehabilitation, as well as opportunities for social reintegration.

The center is fully accessible for people with disabilities — equipped with handrails, angled mirrors, and shower rooms with crutch holders. The territory includes a sports ground, greenhouses, and beehives for apitherapy — a treatment method using bees and bee products.

The idea belonged to Oleh Perehuda, who was killed in action in June 2022. His wife Vasylina, together with his comrades and the project team, continues to bring his vision to life.