USAID/ENGAGE

Ukrainian Civil Society News, November 30

“He who wishes to secure the good of others has already secured his own,” Confucius believed. Yesterday, we celebrated Giving Tuesday, a day that inspires millions of people to do good deeds and promotes a culture of charity. But this year offers a special occasion to demonstrate your support for those defending Ukraine’s territorial integrity and the freedom of its people.
In this issue of our newsletter, we will share some latest insights about the culture of giving in Ukraine and introduce you to civil initiatives that bring the victory of Ukraine closer. Engage in a traditional read!

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Back in peaceful days, people donated money to feel good and help those in greater need. Today, when the goal is victory over the aggressor state, we see an unprecedented boom in volunteering and donations. According to our Civic Engagement Poll, 72% of respondents donated funds to support the resistance. Did the motives change after the full-scale invasion? The Zagoriy Foundation`s study revealed that traditionally the strongest motives of charity in Ukraine are compassion and awareness that no one is immune from trouble in the country today. However, in 2022 ideological reasons surged. It is about patriotic sentiment, a desire to contribute to the solution of current challenges, and awareness of their social responsibility. Сheck our chart for more!

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USAID/ENGAGE and NAPC Ask Masi Nayyem About His Views on Integrity

We often say that integrity is a basic trait that should guide all our actions. Within a joint USAID/ENGAGE & National Agency for Prevention of Corruption campaign, we asked Masi Nayyem, a lawyer, public figure, and serviceman of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, to share his thoughts on the meaning of integrity. Click on the link to read the interview and learn what price Ukraine pays for freedom and democracy, cherishing values, virtuous deeds, corruption, and changes in society. Check study.nazk.gov.ua and follow the #доброчесністьперемагає hashtag on social networks for more tips on integrity practices.

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NEST Initiative Installs Modular Houses for Ukrainians Who Lost Their Homes Due to the War

Russia’s aggression left thousands of Ukrainian families homeless. To help them return to their land and reunite with families, Serhiy Prytula Charity Fund launched the NEST initiative. NEST allows people to get a temporary mobile home for free and install it on the land they own. The first house was specifically constructed for the family who lost their home due to Russia’s shelling of Makariv village earlier this year. Click on the link to learn more and support the initiative.

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National Interests Advocacy Network “ANTS” Initiates Campaign to Provide Ukrainian Communities with Power Generators

Russia has been conducting massive missile attacks on Ukraine’s energy system for several months. To support the Ukrainian people in their struggle for survival, the National Interests Advocacy Network “ANTS” together with partners from France, the Stand with Ukraine initiative, United4Ukraine, started the campaign “Des Lumières pour l’Hiver” (Lights for winter). Activists call on each French community to procure and deliver at least one power generator to heat crucial public buildings in Ukrainian communities and support “winterization” in Ukraine.

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Ukrainian Leadership Academy Holds Street Actions to Commemorate the Holodomor Remembrance Day

On November 24-28, the Ukrainian Leadership Academy alumni held a campaign called “Uncounted 1932.2022. Food as a weapon of genocide” in various European capitals to commemorate the Holodomor Remembrance Day. The campaign ran “the worst restaurant in the world” serving dishes popular during the times of the Holodomor to raise awareness of the genocide committed 90 years ago, as well as bring to the spotlight the crimes of the ongoing war. Activists also raised funds for food and basic necessities for the residents of the newly liberated territories of Ukraine and called on local governments to support a petition to the European Parliament advocating to bring the perpetrators of the genocide in Ukraine to justice.

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Active Youth Win Lviv a Title of European Youth Capital

On November 23, the city of Lviv was named the European Youth Capital of 2025. The initiators of the joint application of the Ukrainian cities to the competition was the Network of Youth Centers “Tvory.” The European Youth Capital is a title awarded by the European Youth Forum and is designed to empower young people, increase youth participation and strengthen European identity. Every year, a new European city gets a chance to showcase its innovative ideas, projects and activities aimed at raising the voice of young people and introducing a new youth perspective into all aspects of city life.

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OZON Public Monitoring Group Launches the National Shelter Monitoring Campaign  

The threat of Russia`s missile strikes has recently increased, and Ukrainians need high-quality shelters for protection. Therefore, the OZON public monitoring group, an initiative launched by the Center for Civil Liberties, started a national monitoring campaign. For three months, volunteers will evaluate Ukrainian shelters based on a specially developed form. They will also check the quality of the shelter fund and search for solutions to improve it. Click on the link to join! 

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Ukrainian Activists Visit Kenya and Ethiopia Promoting Ukraine`s Image in Africa

On November 20, a delegation of Ukrainian civil society representatives, including a scientific director of the Ilko Kucheriv Democratic Initiatives Foundation started an advocacy visit to Kenya and Ethiopia. The delegation met local policymakers, government officials, and representatives of the business community and civil society to establish partnerships between Ukrainian and East African organizations, promote Ukraine`s image, emphasize the negative implications of cooperating with Russia and counter Russia-backed narratives on the continent. 

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Civil Society Organizations Demand the Restoration of Electronic Asset Declarations

The introduction of electronic declaration is one of the important reforms achieved after the Revolution of Dignity. However, in the first weeks of full-scale Russia`s invasion, this process was temporarily suspended. Civil society organizations believe that suspension of e-declarations risks increasing corruption. Therefore, CSOs demand MPs to adopt draft law No. 8071 and restore the submission and verification of electronic declarations.

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Job Alert: USAID/ENGAGE is Looking for Qualified Professionals

Attention, job seekers! This is your chance to join the expanding USAID/ENGAGE team. We are looking for:

– Culture & Arts Program Officer https://bit.ly/3E1WE8A;
– Digital Innovations Program Officer https://bit.ly/3EgAPCG;
– Events Program Officer https://bit.ly/3EyNfHe;
– Program Officer, Networks and Coalitions Building https://bit.ly/3UV3VOz;
– Civic Education Program Officer https://bit.ly/3g9D1DN
– Social Cohesion Program Officer https://bit.ly/3UTmPW0;
– Finance Officer https://bit.ly/3g0RAK0;
– Grants and Contracts Officer https://bit.ly/3hNg9u4;
– Procurement Officer https://bit.ly/3O8RfBB.

For interested applicants, check out the requirements by the links and do not hesitate to send your CV and motivation letter!

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Internews Ukraine Announces a Grant Competition to Develop Cooperation Between Voters and Deputies

Internews Ukraine within the USAID RADA Program announces the launch of a grant program for civil society organizations. The grant will support projects aimed at building interaction and cooperation of people’s deputies of Ukraine with voters within the district or region under martial law, involving citizens in the decision-making process and work of the parliament, communication of reforms, and public consultations. Applications are accepted until December 9, 2022.

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Network “100 Percent of Life Rivne” Announces Grant Competition for CSOs That Support People Affected by the War

Network “100 Percent of Life Rivne” invites civil society and charitable organizations to participate in the grant competition in frames of the EU4CSOs Emergency Actions project. The competition aims to support CSOs that help civilians affected by the war. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis until the official notice on the organization`s website.

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