Amid prolonged stress, the challenges of war, and professional and emotional burnout, women often find themselves in the role of caregivers who support others but lack sufficient space for their own recovery. An overload of responsibilities, isolation, and the internal need to “hold it together” weaken the bonds between women and deepen feelings of loneliness.
Sisterly support is not only emotional solidarity but also a vibrant exchange of experiences, practices, resources, and knowledge. In the current context, it has become a vital tool for psychological resilience, professional growth, and community strengthening.
The participants in the dialogue meetings of the Nikopol community included women from various professional and social backgrounds: educators, community activists, mothers, and women entrepreneurs. Some of them work daily with children and families, some in the public sector, while others combine their professional activities with caring for loved ones in wartime conditions.
The project “Dialogues in Communities. Facilitating Social Cohesion” brought together women with diverse life and professional experiences, yet united by a shared, deep-seated need: to find support, replenish their inner resources, feel a sense of solidarity among other women, and see how their own journey and knowledge can serve as a source of support for others.
During the “Dialogues in Communities” meeting, participants gained theoretical knowledge about sisterhood as a form of horizontal leadership and mutual support, and mastered practical tools for facilitating dialogue, working with resources, and professional exchange. Facilitators Natalia Cheremnova and Svitlana Kurkova created an atmosphere of genuine trust, acceptance, and mutual support, forming a micro-community that continues to communicate actively beyond the scope of the project.
The practical component included exercises to identify personal strengths, sharing professional case studies, collaboratively creating a “resource map,” and reflective circles where everyone could be heard. The dialogue “Sharing Experiences: How Can I Empower Another. Sisterhood as a Resource” has so far been a one-time event, but at the same time, it marks a warm beginning in the formation of a culture of women’s solidarity, where each woman can be a resource for another while also receiving support.
The project was implemented during an extremely sensitive and critical period, when the demand for women’s support spaces had significantly increased. The meetings provided an opportunity not only to talk through difficult experiences but also to gain practical tools for mutual support, nonviolent communication, self-resource management, and professional exchange.
The event is part of the “Workshop for Positive Change: We Talk, We Act, We Influence” project, implemented by the NGO “Space for Positive Change” with support from the Government of Canada as part of the “Women. Peace. Security: From Local to Global” project, implemented by the Ukrainian Women’s Fund
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