Diana and Her Pony Runčuks Bring Hope to Social Care Centers

Social rehabilitation specialist Diana lives in two worlds: the stable where she works with horses and the Health and Social Care Center "Sloka." Now these worlds have merged. Thanks to a project by Riga Social Care Center "Gaiļezers," funded by Riga's social integration program, she brings her black pony Runčuks to people who cannot come to see them.

It all started with Diana's grandmother, who developed dementia. Her family faced the illness for the first time, and Diana talked about it extensively. A neighbor suggested she try working in the social field, and she immediately fell in love with the profession. For eight years now, she has been working as a social rehabilitator, helping people after strokes, heart attacks, or simply due to old age regain independence and social connections.

Visiting care centers, Diana and Runčuks bring a change. The quiet wards are suddenly filled with the sound of hooves and the pony's presence. Diana says: "My goal is to make daily life easier and help people become less dependent on others." Her dream of bringing joy through horse therapy has come true. Together with Runčuks, she visits those who have lost hope and reminds them that life still holds beauty.