Ukraine's Forgotten Disabled

Above: members of Faith and Light work on arts and  crafts for the morning until snack time in the afternoon. We visited two of the four centers for the mentally disabled run by the group.

I recently began photographing for the Faith and Light Program that works with the developmentally disabled. For the sake of brevity, we can say that Ukraine has a 'minimalist' approach to mental health care, i.e., it barely exists. My previous post on mental health described a seclusion room where the unmanageable cases are kept. Basically, 30-50 people stuffed inside a three rooms about the size of a medium ranch house. 

Not the case with Faith and Light. The program was founded by Henry Nouwen, a dutch priest, and has several campuses scattered around Lviv. We visited two groups this past week, one that was older ranging from roughly 30-50 years of age, and another of teenagers and young adults.

As my previous projects with the mentally disabled have taught me, this is some of the most rewarding work you can do. No one cares where you're from, who you are, what your background is or what baggage you might be carrying with you. Forget all that. 

Do you want to pour some wax into this tin and make a candle? Because that is the greatest thing in the world, next to turning on the kettle and watching the wax melt. 

Do you like to make scarves? Stretch? Drink tea? Eat chocolate? 

Life has never been better for these people. I might go so far as to say that they enjoy life better than most people I know, regardless of their disabilities.

A canadian was with us for the trip, and as we sat down to afternoon tea, each of us with our own cups, I realized I had a cup different from everyone else's. Mine was flowery and white, while everyone else got a bland blue, green or red mug. 

"I have a special cup," I said, nudging my canadian friend.

"Now now," he said. "We all have special cups here."