Lviv, Ukraine, January 16, 2024 - Lviv Book Publishing Centre has been given a new Braille printer for printing books for readers who are blind, as well as equipment for making Braille books, and hard drives to store information – including audio books and films created by the centre’s team for people with visual impairments.

The initiative to provide the centre with the equipment was implemented in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Ukraine, with support from the UK government, under the "Strengthening Community Resilience in the Regions of Ukraine" project.

The equipment was provided to the to the Lviv Regional Branch of the All-Ukrainian NGO “Ukrainian Union of People with Disabilities – USI” and placed in the Resource Centre for Educational Information Technology of the Lviv Polytechnic National University, which is one of the biggest book publishing centres in Ukraine. 

Thanks to new equipment, organization will be able to:

- increase the number of book titles published in Braille;

- boost the production of Braille books;

- ensure the reliable storage of all electronic and audio/video materials, including audio books, films with audio dictation, electronic versions of Braille books, and electronic embossed pictures;

- provide services to more blind children.

Oksana Potymko, the head of the Lviv Polytechnic Resource Centre, thanked UNDP and the UK government for their support in buying special equipment. “There is a high demand for printed Braille literature,” Potymko said. “With the new printer, the centre can produce new printed literary works without interruption. The previous Braille printer that was in the centre constantly needed to be repaired. Thanks to the new printing equipment, the organization no longer risks having to stop work on publishing Braille books for blind children. ”

Volodymyr Kebalo, Participatory Governance and Community Engagement Specialist, UNDP Ukraine, said, “Now, when everyday people get injuries caused by war, the issue of accessibility is even more topical, and it not only concerns physical accessibility but also information accessibility, as well as quality education, which is the key to obtaining professional skills and employment in the future. UNDP, with financial support from the UK government, has purchased the necessary equipment for printing books and educational materials for children from all over Ukraine with visual impairments, to provide quality access to education and knowledge, leaving no one behind.”

Media enquiries: Yuliia Samus, Communications Team Leader, UNDP in Ukraine; e-mail: yuliia.samus@undp.org