According to the United Nations, more than 2.8 million people have so far fled Ukraine because of the Russian invasion and amongst them are visually impaired people. Many have fled to Poland, where some could be offered the help they need by Olga Mahler and Andriy Butenko. Olga travelled nearly 10,000 miles across the world from Australia to help visually impaired people with food and accommodation once they have crossed the border into Poland. Olga attended a boarding school for the blind in the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv. Andriy Butenko is also from Kharkiv and is in Poland helping refugees cross the border into safety. We ask them about the work they are doing and how the visually impaired people they are meeting are coping with the ongoing war.
We also hear from Dr Vera Remazhevska in Lviv, who founded the first training and rehabilitation centre in Ukraine for children with visual impairments. There, she is currently helping visually impaired children, their families and other refugees that have travelled to the West of Ukraine to find safety.

Presenter: Peter White
Producer: Beth Hemmings
Production Coordinator: Liz Poole

Website image description: A group of three people are helping a visually impaired man to cross train tracks in Lviv, Ukraine. The visually impaired man has a cane in his left hand and is being helped up onto the train platform from the tracks. Another man wearing a blue outfit is helping him with his large duffle bag. The picture was taken in Lviv on March 5th. Show less