ADRA Ukraine’s wheelchair programs have become a lifeline for many Ukrainians — giving people with disabilities the chance to regain mobility and dignity in their daily lives. Implemented in cooperation with international partners — The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and Wheelchairs Foundation — these projects support both individuals and hospitals across Ukraine. At the heart of this effort is project manager Philip Schubert, who combines project coordination with safety management amid wartime challenges.

— Philip, tell us about your work at ADRA Ukraine. What are your responsibilities?

— Within ADRA Ukraine, I am responsible for the security component — ensuring the safety of our staff and guests. This includes planning field trips to high-risk areas, conducting risk assessments, coordinating movement, and responding to incidents.

At the same time, I work on three projects. Within the partnership with the World Food Programme (WFP), I serve as a protection officer and security advisor.

In addition, I manage two programs providing wheelchairs to people with disabilities:

LDS Wheelchairs 2025, supported by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints;

Wheelchairs Foundation 2025, implemented in partnership with the U.S.-based donor Wheelchairs Foundation.

— When and how did this area of assistance appear at ADRA Ukraine?

— The initiative came from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, who offered to help people living with disabilities or those who had acquired disabilities due to the war by providing wheelchairs.

We saw the real need but had no capacity to respond at that time, so we agreed to cooperate, and I was appointed as the project coordinator. The partnership with LDS has continued since 2022. In May–June of this year, we agreed on a new shipment of wheelchairs, and the project is still ongoing.

Later, Wheelchairs Foundation reached out, offering additional support for Ukraine, which led to the second project — Wheelchairs Foundation 2025. The management decided to merge the coordination of both initiatives, so I oversee them together.

— How much has the need for wheelchairs increased since the start of the war?

— Unfortunately, significantly. Many people have suffered injuries during hostilities and now rely on wheelchairs to regain mobility. But hospitals also need them — the number of patients has grown, and existing wheelchairs are often insufficient.

Wheelchairs under the LDS Wheelchairs 2025 project are mainly distributed to hospitals and care homes. They are designed for assisted movement — a person cannot move independently in them.

In contrast, Wheelchairs Foundation 2025 provides semi-active, individual models with large wheels and push rims for independent movement. We distribute these directly to individuals for personal use.

— How do people or institutions apply for assistance?

— Requests come from hospitals, churches, associations of people with disabilities, and directly from individuals.

We inform communities, religious groups, and regional associations about the opportunity. Then we collect applications from hospitals and individuals and explain what documents are required. After the preparation and planning stages, we arrange deliveries to hospitals and announce the time and place where people can receive their wheelchair upon presenting the necessary documents.

— How do you determine who receives the aid first?

— It depends on the urgency of the need.

Hospitals serving both ex-combatants* and civilians in rehabilitation get the largest allocations. Local clinics requesting two or three chairs also receive assistance — because the need exists everywhere.

The same applies to associations.

For instance, the Mykolaiv Association of People with Disabilities helps evacuate people from dangerous areas. They need wheelchairs even just to move people from their homes to transport or hospitals.

— Which institutions have already received large shipments?

— The largest deliveries include:

• Svalyava Hospital (Zakarpattia region) — 30 wheelchairs;
• Kaniv, Cherkasy region — 47 wheelchairs;
• Odesa City Hospital No.10 — 72 wheelchairs;
• Mykolaiv hospitals — 22 wheelchairs.

Distribution of LDS Wheelchairs 2025 began in July, while the Wheelchairs Foundation 2025 deliveries of individual models started in September.

— How many have been delivered so far?

— Under LDS Wheelchairs, we’ve already distributed all 333 wheelchairs.

Under Wheelchairs Foundation, from 280 available, about 200 have already been delivered.

— Are there any stories that touched you the most?

— Many.

For example, in Kremenets, we delivered 45 wheelchairs to a rehabilitation center and elderly care homes. One woman shared that her acquaintance, Olena, a resident of Kryvyi Rih, had lost a limb due to illness complications. She was using a borrowed wheelchair, but when the owner needed it back, she had to return it and was left unable to move around her home. She prayed to God for help — and just a few days later, our team brought her a wheelchair.

She was deeply grateful — for her, it was literally a chance to regain life.

— What kind of feedback do you receive most often?

— People are sincerely thankful.

Many grateful responses from ex-combatants: express appreciation: while waiting for prosthetics or fundraising for expensive active wheelchairs, our semi-active models allow them to move, go outside, and reconnect with life.

— Do you have logistical support from partners?

— Yes, Nova Poshta has been a huge help.

The first large shipment — over a hundred wheelchairs to Mykolaiv and Odesa — was transported by them free of charge.

When a similar request came later, they supported us again.

Thanks to their help, we managed to deliver 107, and later another 103 wheelchairs, to frontline regions quickly and safely.

— What are the main challenges now?

— The biggest issue is transporting large shipments over long distances.

We don’t have our own heavy trucks; smaller vehicles can only carry 30–40 wheelchairs at once. So, partnerships like the one with Nova Poshta are critical for continuing this work.

— What are your plans moving forward?

— We are currently collecting requests from southern and central regions.

We expect a new shipment under the LDS Wheelchairs project and will then focus on supporting medical facilities and individuals in eastern Ukraine — particularly in Kharkiv and Dnipropetrovsk regions, where the needs are greatest.

Our goal is simple: to make wheelchairs accessible across the country and improve the quality of life for people with limited mobility.

* The term “ex-combatants” is used exclusively for persons discharged from military service.