Mercy Fund Helps Visually Impaired Children Climb

In Lipetsk, with the support of the charitable Miloserdiye (Mercy) Fund, a sports project for children with visual impairments has been launched. Pupils of the city«s specialized boarding school will master the climbing wall over five months. The finale will be open inclusive competitions where the children will demonstrate their acquired skills.

The initiative was put forward by activists of the regional climbing federation led by Alexei Kafanov. They are convinced that with a strong desire, the absence or partial loss of vision does not prevent conquering heights on an equal footing with others. A grant from the Steel Tree program made it possible to purchase additional equipment and work out a detailed training plan for special children.

Over the course of the project, more than 60 sessions are planned, which will help at least 80 visually impaired and totally blind children master rock climbing. In addition to technique, young athletes are taught to cope with a fear of heights. Coaches note that participants amaze with their determination and inner strength.

The Miloserdiye (Mercy) Fund is already supporting Lipetsk climbers for the third time, making sports accessible to everyone. This year, the organizers plan to involve adults from the local society of the blind in the sessions. Volunteers are confident: such training not only yields sports results but also boosts participants« self-confidence and expands their social circle.

«The inclusive climbing wall project is a vivid example of how joint efforts and sincere dedication to the cause can perform real miracles,» shares Yana Luneva, executive director of the Miloserdiye (Mercy) Fund. «Despite difficulties and a fear of heights, the children overcome themselves step by step. It is clear how much they want to achieve results.»

The charitable Miloserdiye (Mercy) Fund is among the top three leading corporate and private charitable non-profits in Russia according to the RAEX rating. The organization has been operating since 1999 in the Lipetsk, Sverdlovsk, Belgorod regions and Altai Krai. During this time, over 14.1 billion rubles ($156,666,700 at current rates) have been directed to hundreds of projects. The fund is a social partner of the NLMK Group (Novolipetsk Steel).

The Steel Tree program has been running for ten years and has united over 30,000 people. The total amount of grants has exceeded 144 million rubles ($1,600,000 at current rates), with 580 residents from three federal districts becoming grant recipients. In 2026, participants will implement 57 social projects in four regions of the country.