Pottery in the Dark, NGO

NGO “Pottery in the Dark” was established in February 2026 by three founding members, two of whom are persons with total vision loss (a veteran of the Russian-Ukrainian war and an internally displaced person). The organization was founded primarily to support the economic and social reintegration of veterans and internally displaced persons with disabilities into civilian life.
Chair of the Board: Svitlana Velychkina
Tel.: +380 98 210 65 59
Email: svet.velich@gmail.com
NGO “Pottery in the Dark” is a civil society organization operating at the intersection of creative industries, social inclusion and rehabilitation. The organization promotes inclusive artistic practices, particularly pottery, as a tool for psychosocial support, recovery and economic empowerment for people with visual impairments, veterans and other vulnerable groups.
Its core activities include the delivery of educational programmes, workshops and rehabilitation sessions; the creation of safe and accessible environments for skills development and social interaction; and support for participants in pursuing further professional opportunities. The organization also works to raise awareness of inclusion and promote the development of creative industries as a tool for community recovery.
Our Mission: To promote socio-economic inclusion and improve the quality of life of persons with disabilities, particularly people with visual impairments, through the development of inclusive artistic practices in pottery and other creative fields, the creation of accessible educational and cultural environments, and support for self-fulfillment, employment and psychological recovery.
We envision a barrier-free society in which everyone, regardless of their physical abilities, has equal access to creativity, culture, education and professional opportunities. We promote pottery as a tool for rehabilitation and bring communities together around the values of equality, dignity and mutual support.
Beneficiaries:
• Veterans and internally displaced persons with disabilities, including people with visual impairments, as well as their family members;
• Family members of fallen (deceased) and missing Ukrainian Defenders;
• People who have experienced traumatic events, particularly because of the war.