As part of the project, people with disabilities get the opportunity to spend a weekend in one of the cities of Ukraine.
“We have been supporting projects related to inclusivity for several years now. For example, we help people with special needs from the On 3 wheels project climb mountains. Therefore, when we learned about secret accessible travels around Ukraine, we gladly joined such a non-standard initiative,” comments Anna Tikhovska, sustainable development manager of the OKKO network. “And we started with ourselves: since 2008, we have been implementing a barrier-free program at our gas stations, as we strive to ensure comfort and accessibility of our services for all categories of customers, including people with special needs.”
With the support of OKKO, the first to go on a secret trip was a married couple of displaced persons from Donetsk region, Vitaly and Valentina Svyatoshenko. Their destination turned out to be Lviv. The second trip awaited Vasily Sereda, who went for a weekend to Vinnytsia.
“When you are in Lviv, it is already happiness,” says Vitaly Svyatoshenko. “The biggest impression on me was made by the local colorful themed establishments, such as ‘Kryivka’. But my wife was delighted with the Italian Courtyard. She is a great connoisseur of beauty, loves flowers and small cozy balconies.”
Travelers learn about the destination a day before departure or directly at the station. They receive a list of attractions, dining establishments, places for walks and other entertainment, previously checked for accessibility and marked on the city map. If necessary, travelers are accompanied by a volunteer.
The joint project of OKKO, Dostupno.UA and Secret Ticket will last until the end of the tourist season.
