“Helping is my strength”: The story of Valentyna Uvarova, graduate of the WOMEN’S POWER programme

Photo: NGO Institute for Partnership and Sustainable Development

“I believe that sincere, compassionate people whose hearts are filled with love can change the world for the better.” This motto guides Valentyna Uvarova through the challenges of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, personal trials, and the expansion of large-scale support for others. She is the head of the NGO Lytai, an internally displaced woman from Luhansk, a mother of two sons, and an activist who combines caring for her family with supporting hundreds of others.

From personal pain to community leadership

The war in Valentyna’s life began back in 2014, when her family was forced to leave Luhansk and move to Kyiv.

“I know what it means to lose your home, to start from scratch, to live in uncertainty. But I also know that even in the darkest times, we can find the strength to help others,” Valentyna says.

In the queues for humanitarian aid, where women met and supported one another, a grassroots self-help group was born — the “Club of Special Women.” In July 2022, it transformed into a registered NGO, Lytai. Today, the organization supports more than 130 families, most of whom are internally displaced persons (IDPs), mothers raising children with disabilities, or children born during the war.

The organization’s mission is to provide comprehensive support to mothers and to foster their self-reliance through psycho-emotional, educational, legal, and humanitarian assistance. 
“With love, compassion, and support, we can lift each other up, endure, and prevail. We are not alone. We are together,” says Valentyna.

Supporting the youngest: kits for children born during the war

According to UNICEF, about 1.5 million children in Ukraine are internally displaced. Nearly 300,000 children live with disabilities, and the war has significantly worsened their access to rehabilitation and education. Families with infants born during the war are among the most vulnerable, especially among IDPs.

As part of her participation in the WOMEN’S POWER programme, Valentyna’s team implemented an initiative to purchase and distribute essential kits for 50 children under the age of three. These were children born after the start of the full-scale invasion or toddlers from IDP families who found themselves without basic support.

“The child allowance of 860 hryvnias a month is nothing. Families have no means, while their needs are overwhelming: power outages, limited water, damp shelters. Our kits are not just items — they are support that helps families endure,” Valentyna stresses.

Priority in distributing aid was given to families with children with disabilities and those who had no access to social support or lost it due to displacement.

Motherhood during training

Studying in the programme was a real challenge for Valentyna. 
“My baby is 1.5 years old. I have no relatives nearby. I listened to webinars on my smartphone while he was asleep, sometimes from a shelter during air raids,” she shares.

Despite the difficulties, Valentyna persevered: 
“It was hard, but every webinar gave me new insights into how to develop the organization. Most importantly, I found a community where I was understood and supported. I’m grateful for the opportunity to join the programme. It’s excellent trainers and a wealth of valuable knowledge. It’s a community where we found support, exchange of experiences, and new connections. I felt a very warm atmosphere. I was also glad to be useful to other women leaders. Our team began working on organizational policies, reviewed our strategic goals, and created a website. The webinars were valuable not only for me as a leader but also for the entire team.”

Launched in 2022, the WOMEN’S POWER programme has united more than 220 local women’s organizations, authorities, and businesses for a joint response to challenges. A total of 124 initiatives have been implemented, addressing critical needs of more than 100,000 people across different regions of Ukraine. The WOMEN’S POWER network fosters effective cooperation between civil society, authorities, and businesses, helps address humanitarian challenges, strengthens the skills and cohesion of women leaders and their teams, and enhances the resilience of civilians.

“Women from communities, authorities, and businesses stand united in the struggle for independence, freedom, truth, and dignity. Ukrainian women are a reliable humanitarian backbone and the foundation of Ukraine’s recovery,” says Daria Mustafina, founder of the programme and director of the NGO Institute for Partnership and Sustainable Development.

The WOMEN’S POWER 2024–25 project is implemented by the Institute for Partnership and Sustainable Development, funded by The United Nations Women’s Peace and Humanitarian Fund (WPHF) with technical support of UN Women Ukraine.

This publication and the programme have been prepared with the financial support of the United Nations Women’s Peace and Humanitarian Fund (WPHF). The views and content expressed herein, however, do not necessarily reflect those of the United Nations.