Mykola, now 47, was born in the small mining town of Stebnyk in Lviv region. He later moved to nearby Boryslav, where he and his wife raised two children and became grandparents to two grandchildren. Active civic engagement has always been an essential part of his life. In 2014, he volunteered to support participants of the Revolution of Dignity and later the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

Before the full-scale invasion, Mykola ran his own small business installing windows, doors and garage gates. But in March 2022, he once again became an active volunteer, delivering humanitarian aid from Poland, including food, medicines and some protective equipment. In April of the same year, he was mobilised and joined the Armed Forces. He first served in Sumy region, building fortifications and guarding the state border, and later served in Donetsk region. It was there, during an attack by an FPV drone, that he sustained severe injuries, which resulted in the amputation of his right arm.

The rehabilitation and prosthetics process was long. Mykola’s greatest support throughout was his wife, who remained by his side at every stage. It was she who later encouraged him to enrol in training at the Boryslav Vocational Education Centre, choosing the occupation “Electrical Fitter for Repair and Maintenance of Electrical Equipment” within the “Skills for inclusion” project.

“My father and grandfather were both electricians. I also had some practical experience, but I wanted to strengthen my knowledge of occupational safety and health and learn more about modern technologies. This training became a great opportunity to start over again. I applied without hesitation,” he recalls.

Mykola emphasises that limitations exist only in the mind. He does not allow his disability to define him. He continues to do everything he used to: helping neighbours adjust their windows, managing day-to-day household tasks, and practising in the training workshop. Even before completing the course, he received a job offer as an electrician in the city park. He accepted it, seeing it as an opportunity to continue developing in his new profession.

Mykola is convinced that moving forward is essential for recovery, and he wants to work with something that brings both fulfilment and interest.

Background

The training was conducted within the project “Skills for inclusion: workplace-based training for activating vulnerable groups”, implemented by the NGO “Ukrainian professional development” within Skills4Recovery.

The Multi Donor Initiative Skills4Recovery is financed by the European Union, Germany, Poland, Estonia, and Denmark. It is implemented by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) and the Solidarity Fund PL (SFPL).