What is Empatia?
Empatia is program developed by the Opora Foundation to make psychological care accessible for people who are often left outside existing mental health systems.
How can Ukrainian-speaking psychologists be integrated into the healthcare system?
Through the privatised healthcare system, through insurance.
Businesses need clients, psychologists need patients: how do they find each other?
Through an easy-to-reach helpline, which provides informational and crisis support.
How can a family doctor refer a patient to Ukrainian sychologists?
Through a large-scale communication campaign and an interactive map.
How can we make sure people know that their mental health matters?
Through workshops, consultations and proactive outreach.
Our mission is to provide timely, trauma-informed and culturally relevant psychosocial support while reducing barriers to care.
"Since my early teens, I have always wanted to contribute to solving the world’s social problems. I quickly realised, however, that no single organisation can solve every problem, and that meaningful change requires focus: choosing one problem and working on it deeply.
This is why, in 2022, we chose access to mental health support as our main priority for displaced Ukrainians in the Netherlands. At a time when the mental health system was already stretched, there was a clear need for culturally sensitive care for a group that was already displaying symptoms of psychological distress.
In the course of this work, we have learned that the system still leaves many people behind, particularly children and older people. We have also learned that the challenges we are working on are not universal. They require cultural sensitivity and firsthand knowledge of the impact of war trauma.
That is how Empatia evolved into more than a solution: a knowledge centre, a product development engine, and a programme that continues to put people’s needs at the centre of our work.."
Maria Shaidrova
CEO, Managing Director
Testimonial
Empatia Team
Psychological & Legal Helplines
Matching and Placement
Mental Health Advisory & Product
Legal Team
Research
All
