Meeting of 2011 First Step to Success winners

Then we had an unforgettable meeting in the premises of Verkhovna Rada Committees, where the girls learned about Parliamentary Development Program, about opportunity to have internship, received useful literature. «I got to know that here are great number of opportunities for youth in Ukraine, and not necessary through money or influential relationships». Dzyhalenko Yulia (Sosonka village, Vinnytsia region)

Famous Ukrainian singers Yulia Voice and Olga Yunakova, as well as journalist Olesya Oleshko came to the meeting to support the program and the girls. Presentations and stores of successful women became a kind of checkpoint and good example in life of young leaders who are just starting to build their own course of life. Girls had opportunity not only to listen to presentations of experienced women, but to ask them questions and even start discussions. «I liked stories of women about their first steps to success, about their lives as well as important advice very much» Yurieva Sabina (Mariupol).

After returning to hotel everybody had the ceremony of awarding the contest winners, as well as presentations of organizational committee and previous years’ winners. We can be proud of achievements made by girls who exactly the same first came to Kyiv in 2006-2008 making their first steps to success. And now they help the organizational committee in preparing and conducting the program events and willingly give practical advice to new winners. «I was greatly impressed and encouraged by 2008 winner Khrystyna Aleksiychuk. Irrespective of the fact that she is rather young, she could increase my awareness and prove that there are a lot of opportunities and the main role is for willingness» Kregel Khrystyna (Mala Turia village, Ivano-Frankivsk region)

Everybody got presents – bright and positive T-shirts for girls who surely «proceed to success».

The first day that started from arrival in Kyiv, gathering in hotel, excursion and meeting with successful women, continued by ceremony with awards, presentations of previous years winners and advice of organizational committee, was finalized by round table. And though everybody seemed to be tired and overfilled with information, the work was rather rich with presentations of projects, lively emotional communications of participants, practical advice and collaboration proposals. And even after returning to rooms the girls continued informal communications and discussions.

In the morning of June 26 the girls had a special meeting with Larysa Kobelyanska, Advisor of gender issues of Prime-minister of Ukraine Mykola Azarov, EU-UNDP Equal Opportunities and Women's Rights in Ukraine Project Coordinator. She talked to the girls not only as an official, but also as an experienced woman, who can give advice, recommendations and inspire to concrete actions. The girls asked and received answers to the following questions:  have you faced gender discrimination in personal life and how did you behave in such cases? Have you had «non-successes» in life and how did you overcome them? The girls became more and more interested in questions of women’s opportunities in decision-making at local and national levels. For a short time of the meeting Larysa Kobelyanska tried to answer all their questions.  In the morning of June 26 the girls had a special meeting with Larysa Kobelyanska, Advisor of gender issues of Prime-minister of Ukraine Mykola Azarov, EU-UNDP Equal Opportunities and Women's Rights in Ukraine Project Coordinator. She talked to the girls not only as an official, but also as an experienced woman, who can give advice, recommendations and inspire to concrete actions. The girls asked and received answers to the following questions:  have you faced gender discrimination in personal life and how did you behave in such cases? Have you had «non-successes» in life and how did you overcome them? The girls became more and more interested in questions of women’s opportunities in decision-making at local and national levels. For a short time of the meeting Larysa Kobelyanska tried to answer all their questions.

The training on development of women’s leadership in the context of youth’s charitable activities was very important for the girls. They got new skills, learned       about own abilities and developed priorities for the next steps. The training work was filled with discussions and exchange of ideas, experiences. «I would like to thank Tetyana (he trainer) for wonderful, informative interesting training, for the feelings and thoughts you inspired, for your high professionalism» Mukiy Taisiya (Kharkiv) 

All these meetings, training, walk around Kyiv and visit to PinchukArtCentre impressed the girls greatly, filled them with self-confidence, inspired for new achievements and opened a lot of opportunities for personal and creative development. They returned home with great inspiration and desire to start implementing their small projects, which would improve lives of common Ukrainians. And we shall be nearby to help make further steps to success. 

«I shall never forget these two days I spent in Kyiv. It was really the first and maybe the most important step....step to success. During the trainings I got knew knowledge, communication with successful women gave me inspiration, as after listening to their stories of way to success I had a kind of inside confidence, feeling that it is possible to reach the top – one just needs to make efforts. It was extremely pleasant to meet and communicate with girls who are not indifferent to other people’s problems, problems of their communities, cities and their country. I am 100% sure that all these were not in vain, as this program gives opportunity for common girls from all regions of Ukraine to implement their projects and make their first steps to success» (Yurieva Sabina, Mariupol)

We thank for participation and support of the program: