DTEK Grids and the Shakhtar Social charity fund have opened in Brovary, a town in the Kyiv Region, a football class for children with disabilities. The “Come On, Play!” project promotes amateur sports to help socialize and integrate all children. Currently, more than 300 children with disabilities are being trained in nine towns and cities across Ukraine.
The Inclusive Football Group for Children began operating in Brovary at the Shakhtar Football School. The football classes are open to boys and girls ages 7 to 12 years free of charge.
“Come On, Play!” is a unique local initiative kicked off in 2018. To date, nearly six thousand children from 42 cities, towns, and villages have attended classes on 73 football fields. The project is supported by DTEK businesses such as DTEK Kyiv Regional Grids sponsoring the Kyiv Region project.
“DTEK Kyiv Regional Grids took over the initiative established four years ago by DTEK Company with FC Shakhtar and the Shakhtar Social charity fund. Today, we open for the first time an inclusive football group dedicated to involving disabled kids who want to play sports,” stated Vitaly Shayda, Director General of DTEK Kyiv Regional Grids.
Shayda underscored that DTEK is a reliable and responsible company transforming its business in compliance with DTEK’s New Strategy 2030 based on the principles of ESG and the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations Global Compact. The company employs almost three thousand people with disabilities. In the same spirit, DTEK Kyiv Regional Grids is actively implementing digital and inclusive services for customers to ease accessible and ameliorate other barriers too. These include the communication button for people with impaired hearing on the distribution system operator’s website, wheelchair ramps at the customer service centers, and other initiatives.
“One important activity is DTEK’s support and development of talented youth. In partnership with Shakhtar Social, our ‘Come On, Play!’ social venture models a barrier-free environment enfranchising every child with equal opportunities outlined in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. Over 300 children already attend and we are excited to expand the option to other youth athletes in Brovary. DTEK supports fully the values of the project – team spirit, respect of rules and other participants, and sense of mutual aid as well as discipline,” stated Olena Semich, DTEK’s Director for Personnel, Social Development, and Ecology.
DTEK and Shakhtar Social have provided young athletes with everything necessary for training. Qualified coaches will be working with children. These trainers receive special classes on inclusion principles. Seventeen children have already joined the group. During the group’s Opening Day, the children received their first training with Marlos, a popular FC Shakhtar player. When class ended, the youth participants received gifts and autographs from the football club star.
“’Come On, Play!’ develops amateur mass sports and models a healthy lifestyle for young Ukrainians. I am happy to participate and want to thank the stakeholders –Shakhtar Social, FC Shakhtar, and DTEK. First of all, for helping disabled children overcome barriers and involving them in sports,” commented Marlos, player of FC Shakhtar.
Along with other businesses, DTEK signed Ukraine’s “Business without Barriers” pledge initiated by First Lady Olena Zelenska. DTEK is integrating these principles both internally and for our customers and communities. Establishing an innovative football program for disabled children is one of DTEK’s newest initiatives.
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In Kyiv Region, DTEK provides power distribution and related activities thru DTEK Kyiv Regional Grids (a subsidiary of DTEK Grids). As a socially responsible business, the company invests in developing and improving its communities’ quality of life. In 2020, the company invested UAH 342 million deploying power infrastructure and a modern customer service ecosystem including barrierless access to services for all customers regardless of disability.
