Amputee football is developing rapidly in Ukraine, bringing hope, rehabilitation and inclusion to hundreds of people affected by war. Through our UAmpFoot programme, we are funding the creation of new clubs across Ukraine.

Thanks to the support of the American NGO Hope For Ukraine (HFU.org), we recently launched two new teams in Kryvyi Rih and Dnipro. They join the clubs already created in Lutsk, Odesa and Zhytomyr. Together, these five clubs are now taking part in the brand new Ukrainian amputee football championship.

In Ukraine, more than 100,000 amputations have been recorded since February 2022, affecting both civilians and soldiers. For many, amputee football is much more than a physical activity: it's a return to life.

For Maksym, 27, who plays for Kryvyï Rih, joining a team has fulfilled a childhood dream: "Ever since I was a child, I wanted to play football. But there was no section in my town. That dream came trueity thanks to amputee football. "

For Mykhailo of the Lutsk team, it's a return to emotion and team spirit: "Amputee football means getting back to what I love: the emotions, the team-mates, the game.

And for Tymofiy, a soldier from the Azov battalion who has joined Kryvyï Rih's new team, "Sport is a way of developing, meeting and communicating with people who support and understand you..

Each new club in the UAmpFoot programme receives a "Kickoff Kit" worth USD 5,000, which includes pairs of top-of-the-range crutches, a complete set of training equipment (poles, cones, mini-goals, balls, etc.), uniforms for 20 players (shorts, shirts, socks, personalised with the club's logo), the remuneration of a coach and a member of the medical staff for 4 months, as well as promotional material to recruit and publicise the club. This kit enables a team to get off the ground straight away, with everything it needs to train, recruit and play.

With USD 5,000, you finance the creation of a complete club. USD 500 will provide all the pitch equipment a team needs. With EUR 50, you provide all the equipment a player needs, including crutches. Every donation counts. Big or small, it's transformed into training sessions, matches, victories... and new lives rebuilt.

To find out more and discover this sport:

• Official page of the UAmpFoot programme: https://thesmallprojects.org/uampfoot/
• Explanatory page on amputee football (UAF) : https://ampfootball.uaf.ua/en/sport
• UAF YouTube channel - matches, events, reports : https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2lzyKjfyh3FN_f_iYmXlCA

Amputee football in Ukraine is much more than a sport: it is a vehicle for rehabilitation, inclusion and reconstruction. Thanks to a clear, transparent and effective programme, every donation has a tangible and measurable impact.