Oksana lives in Līksna. Since a car accident, she has been using a wheelchair, but this has not stopped her from leading an active life. She creates a variety of epoxy resin products and travels to Ilūkste every day, where she is actively involved in the Augšdaugava Municipality Association of Persons with Disabilities, supporting other people with disabilities.
An active lifestyle has always been important to Oksana, so being able to leave her home safely and independently is an essential part of her daily life. Until recently, the yard outside her home had only a narrow, uneven gravel path which became muddy in autumn and spring, making it extremely difficult for her to get to the garage.
Everything changed when she noticed an advertisement in the local newspaper Augšdaugavas Novada Vēstnesis. It informed people with mobility impairments about an opportunity to improve the accessibility of their homes with funding from the European Union Recovery and Resilience Facility. Oksana responded to the call, gathered the necessary information, and decided to apply.
The home accessibility improvements carried out under the second round of the European Union Recovery and Resilience Facility investment Measures to Improve Access to Public Services and Employment Opportunities for Persons with Functional Impairments, administered by the Ministry of Welfare, are much more than technical solutions. They are practical improvements that enable people to leave their homes more often, live more independently, and feel safer in their everyday environment, while also strengthening their self-confidence and reinforcing the sense that they are valued and equal members of society.
In cooperation with municipalities across Latvia, the Ministry of Welfare is improving the accessibility of more than 200 homes for persons with disabilities through this investment by autumn 2026. Thanks to the involvement of Augšdaugava Municipality, paving has been laid around Oksana’s home, handrails have been installed, a canopy has been built, and electrically operated garage doors have been fitted.
These improvements are more than just new infrastructure. They make everyday life safer and more convenient, give people greater freedom to plan their daily activities, and allow them to devote more time to what truly matters.
Because every person matters.
#NextGenerationEU
