The NGO "Community Self-Help" and the Ministry of Veterans Affairs of Ukraine have signed a memorandum of partnership, marking a new level of cooperation built upon years of dedicated effort. In 2020, when Ukraine was revising its Veterans Affairs Strategy, Marta Pyvovarenko was one of the key advocates for this process on the Ukrainian side. There is now a mutual understanding that joint efforts can lead to swift positive changes, and the process of resuming the transfer of experience from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and the U.S. Department of Defense, which was halted in 2021, has been initiated.
A meeting took place between Marta Pyvovarenko, the head of the "Quality Assurance of Mental Health and Psychosocial Services (MHPSS)" department at the Community Self-Help NGO, and Oleksandr Porkhun, the Acting Minister of Veterans Affairs of Ukraine. The meeting focused particularly on the strategic direction of transitioning from military careers to civilian life and strengthening these functions within the Ministry of Veterans Affairs with the support of the public sector.
During the bilateral meeting with Oleksandr Porkhun, key aspects were discussed regarding the communication mechanism with the U.S. Embassy and organizations funded by the U.S. Department of State to enhance the capabilities of the Ministry of Veterans Affairs of Ukraine. An agreement was reached to hold a series of meetings soon to prioritize the needs of the Ministry of Veterans Affairs in terms of functions and directions of veteran policy in Ukraine. The Acting Minister of Veterans Affairs of Ukraine emphasized the importance of maintaining connections with the U.S. government sector, specifically with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and the U.S. Department of Defense, which are two of the largest and most experienced ministries in addressing veterans' needs.
Letters sent by Oleksandr Porkhun to the U.S. Department of Veterans Experience to John Boerstler, as well as to other officials coordinating the cooperation between the U.S. Department of Defense and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, clearly indicate the intent for collaboration and interaction in the field of veteran experience. This includes a request to resume the cooperation that was interrupted in 2021. Currently, the Acting Minister of Veterans Affairs of Ukraine is preparing the current policy priorities of the Ministry for an upcoming meeting at the U.S. Embassy.
In the next article, we will continue to discuss the joint plans of the Ministry of Veterans Affairs and the Community Self-Help NGO.
This project was provided by NGO Community Self-Help with ISAR Ednannia support within the USAID Ukraine Civil Society Sectoral Support Activity.
