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Our Mission
The Kharkiv City Women’s
Foundation (KCWF) was established in order to advance the status of women in
Ukrainian society and protect their rights as guaranteed by the
Constitution.
Our Programs
In 1994, the Foundation was
started by a group of 30 women from a wide variety of professions. The
Foundation is presently involved in three major programs:
- The Women’s Business and Consulting Center
- The Crisis Center
- The Battered Women’s Shelter
The Women’s Business and Consulting Center
Established in August 1994, the goal of the
center is to attract women into active participation in the political,
economic, and social spheres of Ukrainian society. This is accomplished by
providing them the skills, training, and micro-financing needed to start and
succeed in an entrepreneurial business. Some of the services and activities
the Center is involved in:
Business Education
Long-term,
comprehensive trainings
- From 1998-2001, 225 women from Kharkiv City and 262 women from
the outer-lying region participated in the “How to Start Your Own Business”
training program
- 36% successfully started their own business; 90% improved their overall
economic situation as a result of skills learned in the training
Short-term, topical trainings
- 403 women participated in short term trainings, 253 from rural areas
- Topics included: Starting Your Own Business, Women as Leaders, Public
Relations, Computer Competence, Political Leadership, Personnel Management,
and Business Planning
Micro-Financing
Activities (2000 and 2001)
- 43 loans given for small business and entrepreneurial activities
- A total of 230,000 UAH (approximately $43,000 USD) in loans have been
distributed
Sociological and
Economic Research Studies – 5 successfully completed
Business Incubation
- Several businesses have been successfully put into operation
- Future incubator project areas:
- Non-traditional (Oriental) medical center
- Sewing and embroidery
- Handicrafts
Conferences – 6
conferences held, some with international participation
Round-table and Public
Discussions – Held at local and regional levels
The
‘Nadiya’ (Hope) Crisis Center & Women’s Shelter
Services
The
Crisis Center and Shelter offer the women of Kharkiv the following FREE
services:
- A safe shelter to bring themselves and their children to in order to escape
the violence and gain some time to think peacefully
- Telephone Hotline and consultations
- Basic medical care and information (through various partnerships in the
city)
- Psychological counseling
- Legal counseling
- Job placement services (through the Women’s Business Center)
- Re-education and vocational training (through the Women’s Business Center)
- Various training and group therapy sessions
- Information services on domestic violence and sex-trafficking.
History
- Sept. 1995: The ‘Nadiya’ Women’s Public Organization was formed by 30
women
- 1996: Conducted research entitled “Women in the Labor Market” with funding
from Renascence Foundation
- 1997: Initiated a comprehensive training course entitled “Healthy Women -
Healthy Society.” Topics covered included: prevention of in-family
violence, conflict resolution, family planning, STDs and free
consultations with psychologists, doctors, and lawyers (Renascence)
- Jan. 1998: Created the ‘Crisis Center for Women’
- 1998: Participated in an information exchange program which allowed the
study of crisis centers and shelters in the city of Cincinnati
(Cincinnati-Kharkiv Sister City Committee and the U.S. Information
Service)
- 1999: Conducted a survey among Kharkiv women: 80% said they had suffered
from domestic violence; 85% agreed that it was necessary to create a
battered women’s shelter in Kharkiv
- 1999: Participated in a domestic violence prevention program sponsored by
the Cincinnati-Kharkiv Sister City Committee
- April 2000: The shelter for battered women and their children was opened,
the second shelter to open in Ukraine.
Success
Since their inception, the Crisis Center and
Shelter have helped the women in the Kharkiv community in the following
ways:
- Services and consultations have been provided to more than
1000 women
- The Center’s lawyer pleaded 4 cases in court
- 235 legal consultations
- 259 psychological consultations
- 56 psychotherapeutic consultations
- 48 training seminars of various types (vocational, self-help,
business, etc.) were provided
- A database of organizations providing assistance to abused women was created
- Close relationships have been developed with government
departments, Non-Governmental Organizations, and local businesses
- The shelter provides refuge for an average of 10 women and
their children per month, with a maximum capacity of 26. The existing
physical facilities are adequate for a very Spartan lifestyle, but we are
continually looking for opportunities to make the atmosphere more homey and
comfortable.
The Crisis Center and Shelter have no permanent
sources of funding. As such, we are always searching for financial or
in-kind contributions to aid this effort.
Opportunities for Assistance, Cooperation, and Partnership
The KCWF is looking for
assistance, support, and/or partnership in the following areas:
- Monetary or in-kind contributions for the battered women’s shelter
- Support for the women’s Crisis Center
- Business partners for the business incubators (currently in
the following areas: non-traditional medicine, sewing and embroidery, and
handicrafts)
- Sponsors for continued educational programs for entrepreneurial women in
business
- Partners for joint sociological or economic research studies
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