Rotary Club Ukraine Sunrise shares two powerful examples of what Create Lasting Impact means in communities living through war. One story follows women in the Kharkiv region who transformed their recovery into leadership and action. The other shows how teenagers are rebuilding spaces for learning and connection. Click “Read more” for full stories and photos from Ukraine Sunrise Charter President Yulia.
1. From Recovery to Change
On July 31, the Rotary Club Ukraine Sunrise held the Women’s Forum “From Recovery to Change” in the Kharkiv region. The Forum was the final major event of our club’s first Rotary Global Grant and showed the results of two years of work. The $145,000 Global Grant, implemented together with the Rotary Club of Ansbach, Germany, and Rotary District 1950, focused on the mental health and recovery of women and children from war-affected communities in the Kharkiv region. Women in these communities often continue taking care of children and families while living under the daily pressure of war. Our project helped women restore their own emotional resources and learn to take care of themselves, so they could better support their families and take a more active role in their communities. During the project, 71 women and 110 children participated in recovery programs. We also trained 15 professionals who can continue supporting women and families after the Global Grant is completed. At the final Forum, women who originally came to our programs for support returned to share their experiences and achievements, present their businesses and initiatives, exchange ideas and talk about what they can do for their communities. We were deeply honored that John Hewko, General Secretary and CEO of Rotary International, sent a special video greeting to the Forum to support Ukrainian women. It was an important reminder for our participants that the wider Rotary world sees and supports them. This was our first Global Grant and an important milestone for the Rotary Club Ukraine Sunrise. The grant is coming to an end, but the changes it has created continue in the lives of women, children, families and communities. For us, this is what Create Lasting Impact means.
2. Space of Peace through the Bookcrossing
In many villages of the Kharkiv region schools, libraries and other public spaces have been damaged or destroyed by the war. Children and teenagers have limited access to in-person education and fewer opportunities to meet, communicate and take part in community life. The Rotary Club Ukraine Sunrise created “Space of Peace” and bookcrossing initiative that brings young people together around books, creativity and community action. We invite active teenagers and young people to create these spaces themselves. They develop ideas, help design and decorate the bookcrossing spaces and learn how to organize a real project for their community. We support their ideas with materials, book pavilions, any supplies that they need. The process is as important as the result. Older children create something for younger children, adults join and help, and different generations work together. This is why we call the project “Space of Peace”. We believe peacebuilding can grow through cooperation, shared responsibility, friendship and creating something useful together. The project has already brought together Rotarians from the Netherlands, Germany and Great Britain, who support the initiative in different ways. There are three bookcrossing pavilion are delivered to the three villages. Currently with €5,000 in financial support from Rotarians in the Netherlands, we are creating a new book pavilion for another community in the Kharkiv region. We want to bring this model to more villages. Each new Space of Peace gives young people an opportunity to become initiators of positive change in their own community. In places where war has destroyed spaces for learning and meeting, young people are helping create new ones. For us, this is another way to Create Lasting Impact.
Thank you again, Leif, for giving Ukraine Sunrise the opportunity to share our work with Rotary friends in District 5950. International Rotary friendships and partnerships make so much of our work in Ukraine possible, and it means a lot to us to share these stories with your clubs.
Rotary really does bring the world together. Perhaps that truly is The Art of Rotary! A big Rotary hug from Ukraine, Ukraine Sunrise Charter President Yulia.
