“If at least one person gets rid of stereotypes — we are doing everything right”: inclusive model school works during the war in Ukraine

What is the problem?

Women with disabilities are often invisible in society and experience isolation. Unfortunately, this is still a global trend. They are stigmatized, and it is more difficult for them to realize themselves in the profession; they can rarely be seen on the streets, in public spaces, or non-specialized advertisements. In Ukrainian society, there are even more barriers that women with disabilities face — physical, psychological, and social.

Yuliia Boyko from Lviv has been in a wheelchair for 13 years. All this time, she has been fighting with prejudices: "When I ended up in a wheelchair, I thought that this was the end of my life, and feared society's opinion. After all, in the mentality of our people, unfortunately, such stereotypes still prevail that a person with a disability is inferior and not independent, and that is a problem for the environment. There are also prejudices, for example, that a person with a disability cannot be outstanding, earn well, and is an economic burden for the country. I was ashamed of the wheelchair and almost did not leave the house."

Boyko adds that life's principles helped break down the barriers within herself despite everything — to value life, learn about the world, look for opportunities to help others and pursue self-realization.

What is the solution?

Although slowly, the world is changing. So, recently, the world-famous brands Victoria's Secret and Pink released a collection of underwear for women with disabilities for the first time "to stimulate significant changes in the global fashion industry." In May of 2023, Vogue magazine dedicated an issue to 19 figures with disabilities working in fashion, sports, and art. People with disabilities can be seen more and more often on the covers of fashion magazines and catwalks.

Ukraine is also trying to bring society closer to a new, tolerant, inclusive, barrier-free space with equal opportunities for everyone with the help of the art of modeling. In particular, in Kyiv and Lviv, the Inclusive Model School NoviMY project has been successfully implemented for a year, providing women with opportunities for self-expression and contributing to creating an inclusive environment in the fashion industry in Ukraine and beyond. The school brings together people of all ages and physical abilities, emphasizing that everyone deserves to be seen and heard.

How does it work?

The charity project Inclusive Model School NoviMY is a space where everyone is different but equal. The project's main idea is that models with various forms of disabilities and models without disabilities study together and participate in fashion shows. With the help of the art of modeling, its mission is to bring Ukrainian society closer to a new, tolerant, inclusive European barrier-free space with equal opportunities for everyone.

Regardless of the state of health of each of the project participants, schooling is aimed at increasing self-esteem, creative self-expression, development of social skills, and ultimately — the formation of a healthy lifestyle and an active life position. Along with practical modeling skills, the project gives participants the most important thing — the opportunity to live an interesting and fulfilling life.

It all started with the fact that in 2021, the project's founder, Olha Akymova, decided to open an online modeling school for women over 30 years old and invite mothers of children with disabilities to free training. Akymova explains that the mother of a child with a disability completely dissolves in the child, giving all her resources to treatment and rehabilitation. Such women need a place to nurture themselves, inspire, and be inspired. Then, the project was transformed, and the idea to involve women with disabilities also appeared.

"I always try to surround myself with strong people. For me, models of strong people have always been people with disabilities and their entourage — those close to them," says Akymova. She herself is an example of breaking stereotypes. The mother of five children, the youngest of them was adopted by the family in January 2023, an athlete and activist, Akymova became interested in modeling already after in her 40s, studied at several modeling schools, starred in commercials, took part in many fashion shows in Ukraine and abroad.

In February 2022, even before the start of the full-scale invasion, the Inclusive Model School managed to hold several classes in Kyiv and Lviv. The war, evacuation, and migration abroad of a large part of people with disabilities suspended the project, but not for long.

"Approximately a year later, at the beginning of 2023, I realized that the project must continue despite the war. We kept in touch with the girls, and I knew they were waiting for classes to resume because it was like a breath of fresh air for them," Akymova recalls. "I decided to try, but with the understanding that the project must again undergo a transformation, and receive a new idea, mission, and philosophy because it won't be the way it was before. Now, in our every step and action, we must emphasize the strength, power, indomitability and freedom of Ukraine and Ukrainians." 

Classes at the NoviMY last four months. Online and offline formats are available. An individual approach is used for each model with a disability because everyone's diagnosis is different.

"We do not focus on problems, barriers, complexes," says Akymova. "We move forward — and then everything that hinders us is destroyed. This is my conscious approach and the main rule of interaction with models."

During training, all women must have a professional photo shoot, where they present designer collections and realize their image — the one in which they imagine themselves. Professional photographers, make-up artists, stylists, studios, equipment, designers, and collections are involved in photo shoots. At the end of the course, there will be a graduation party with guests, Ukrainian performers, designers, photographers, videographers, mass media representatives, authorities, and others invited.

As of November 2023, the school had two full graduations. Twenty models with disabilities from Kyiv and Lviv have graduated from the school.

"At each graduation, I emphasize that this is not the end, but on the contrary, only the beginning of a new path. Yes, with hard work, but also with results. This is the path of change. Along with these incredible girls, I change; I get an energetic, motivational charge and an example of real Ukrainian women: strong, invincible, brave, independent," Akymova shares with Rubryka.

These are not just words. This fall, as part of the NoviMY project, Ukrainian models took another critical step towards inclusiveness in fashion. They attended Dubai World Fashion Week, showcasing the patriotic #PIXELTIME collection. The collection reflects the strength and indomitability of Ukrainian people, including people with disabilities.

According to Akymova, this trip to WorldFashionWeek Dubai was priceless.

"It is known that the majority in Dubai takes a pro-Russian position," says Akymova. "With our show, we intended to remind about the war in Ukraine. Despite the force majeure — at the last moment, the location was changed to a more inconvenient one, and we were forbidden to use the musical composition to which we were training, and provocative exclamations were sometimes heard in the hall — we managed to do it. The words 'Glory to Ukraine!' sounded despite everything, and our yellow-blue flag waved on the podium. That's when I realized that everything is possible with this team!"

The founder of the project adds that no one can tell about the feelings and experiences of the models of the Inclusive Model School better than they themselves. We spoke to some of the school's graduates and asked the models about their stories.

Yuliia Boyko, whom we mentioned at the beginning of the article, is 38 years old. Due to multiple sclerosis, she has been using a wheelchair for 13 years. Boyko studied Psychology and has worked as a content manager. In addition, Boyko is a social activist, participates in many inclusive projects, has many hobbies, loves to travel, and gets adrenaline from diving, snorkeling, kayaking, and tent camps. Boyko does not plan to stop there and dreams of paragliding.

Having a rather busy life, Boyko says that the main barriers she had to face were primarily societal stereotypes and sometimes even discrimination. Perhaps that is why she added one more to the list of her hobbies, namely modeling.

"The NoviMy declares equal opportunities for everyone. We are all different, but each of us has the right to be stylish, elegant, and fashionable. After all, fashion, as a part of culture, knows no limits and contributes to introducing new social values," says Boyko. In her opinion, such a project can make Ukrainian society more open and tolerant.

"I believe that the situation with stereotypes will gradually change in Ukraine because thousands of indomitable and successful Ukrainians are constantly destroying the Soviet myths. Today, it is the civic duty of people with disabilities to be socially active and defend their rights, to become agents of change in society, and not to lose optimism," Boyko believes.

35-year-old Yuliia Sukhova is also from Lviv. She is a social psychologist and deputy head of the non-governmental organization "Equal Opportunities for All." Sukhova became blind as a teenager but found a resource for herself in sports — she actively participated in various sports. She wanted to break stereotypes and prove that people with disabilities are full-fledged citizens.

Today, Sukhova is also engaged in continuous development, helping others to rehabilitate and self-realize. She volunteers with her family, holds charity concerts and fairs, and works on a book about rehabilitation and self-realization after the war. There are plans to open a social enterprise, a rehabilitation structure, and a family-type home for people with disabilities. Model activity in Sukhova's arsenal was also not by chance: "I believe that inclusion and integration should always be present in everything. People with disabilities are often forgotten — it was before the war, and it is now. You can draw attention to them most vividly only with something new," Sukhova shares with Rubryka.

"Akymova's school is a vivid example of the fact that it is possible and worthwhile to work with people with disabilities because of excellent results — this is a new modern look at development, implementation, and equal opportunities in everything. "We, people with disabilities, study, work, popularize Ukraine outside its borders, volunteer for the army, make candles, weave camouflage nets, organize charity fairs and concerts. Those who lost their health or became disabled during the war see in our image a living example that all is not lost," says Sukhova.

Nadiia Romanyuk is also from Lviv. She is 39 and was diagnosed with cerebral palsy in childhood. Even though it is difficult for her to walk, Romanyuk has always been active. She is an accountant by education, but she has never worked by profession because she faced discrimination. Romanyuk recalls that when she tried to get a job, employers looked at her appearance and politely refused because of it. Another problem was that speaking was difficult for her, and she was simply not understood.

However, despite the diagnosis, Romanyuk still worked and studied and has been volunteering for many years, helping the Ukrainian military — since 2016, she has been weaving nets on the front lines. Romanyuk sent an application to the model school in 2021: "I had a dream to become a model, but I knew that it was not realistic, especially for me, a person with a disability. I was surprised and joyful when I was accepted into the school. I was happy," Romanyuk shares.

The model recalls that she was very nervous before her first appearance on the podium. But the excitement was worth it.

"Since the beginning of realizing myself at school, I have changed a lot. The school gave me confidence in myself and my abilities. It raised my self-esteem and changed my attitude toward life and my environment," Romanyuk continued. "Thanks to the training, my physical condition changed; I started to walk better and feel more confident walking and on the catwalk. I noticed this and those around me, who are very happy and supportive of me."

There are dozens of such stories at school. All the participants say the same thing: thanks to learning new things, they have discovered new selves, but what is no less important is that they have made society a little more inclusive and tolerant.

"We learn not only modeling. We learn to interact with each other, help each other, find the middle ground, and adapt to each other. In this way, an inclusive society is being built, where everyone is equal, and everyone is comfortable," says 38-year-old Sukhar.

She emphasizes that society must see people with disabilities not as a separate category of people to be pitied but as full members of society:

"Society is used to perceiving people with disabilities as incompetent, poor individuals who should only be pitied. It's time to change that. All my life, I have shown the other side of the coin — a strong, independent personality who wants and can realize themself despite the difficulties and misunderstandings of others. Thanks to people who did not emphasize my disability and believed that I could move mountains, I managed to find strength in myself and not dwell on negative moments."

19-year-old Kseniia Gvozdyak adds: "People with disabilities are trained to deal with difficulties, so why don't we become an example of a worthy confrontation for those in a similar situation? Life goes on, and it must be lived. And our physical disabilities should not be an obstacle to this. Everything best lies inside."

Even more useful solutions!

Is it necessary to organize similar projects, attract sponsors, and spend money on them in times of war? Definitely, yes, according to the project participants. Ukraine will have even more people with disabilities after the end of the war, and such projects show that life with disabilities can be no different from the life of a healthy person.

As for the NoviMY project, it will continue to develop and transform. The founder of the Inclusive School of Models, Olha Akymova, says that the events will be of a more social nature, and there are already plans to participate in relevant projects in Ukraine and abroad.

"Our project is relevant now because we understand that our society needs to be prepared for proper communication with people with disabilities. It is already necessary to show that they exist, that they are cool, that they are no different from people without disabilities, and that you can perfectly interact with them," Akymova is convinced. The new NoviMY program will also include motivational meetings with people-legends who share their achievements and their stories of overcoming failures and obstacles and rising up after a fall because this is where the strength lies. "The main marker for me is that after our performances, people's attitude towards people with disabilities changes, and they perceive them differently. And even if at least one person leaves the hall with a debunked stereotype about people with disabilities, then we are doing everything right," says Akymova.

All willing young women over the age of 18 with or without disabilities, including mothers of children with disabilities, can participate in the project. It is enough to write a message in the Viber messenger at the number +380680972640, receive a short questionnaire, fill it out, and start studying.