RESULTS OF THE GRANTS COMPETITION WITHIN THE FIRST STEP TO SUCCESS PROGRAM - 2007

First Step to Success MINI GRANTS PROGRAM

Training on planning and writing projects

 

The winners of the First step to success program-2007 showed they have interesting ideas, sincere desire, inexhaustible energy and strength to change our country for the better, influence positively on development of a just society and form a new wave of young women-leaders in Ukraine; each of them takes an active part in the country's social life and, which is the most important, believes in her efforts.

 

On December 14 in Kyiv there was the meeting of girls who are ready to implement their leadership projects and ideas.

With this goal they came to the training on planning and writing projects.

The girls learned how to formulate the problem, choose the goal, make plans, and specify budgets of their projects, were making presentations of the projects they would like to be supported.

 

 Application form (in Ukrainian)

  

PHOTOS

  

Three of the girls-winners of First Step to Success program-2007 winners took part in the work of Vital Voices of Eurasia: A Leadership Summit for Women & Girls, among the presenters of which were Kateryna Yushchenko, Chairperson of the Ukraine 3000 Foundation and the President’s wife; Araseniy Yatsenyuk, the Foreign Minister; Right Honorable Kim Campbell, Former Prime Minister of Canada; Baroness Mary Goudie, Member of the House of Lords, UK; the Honorable Jolanta Kwasniewski, Former First Lady of Poland and President of Communication without Barriers; Olena Franchuk, the Founder of ANTIAIDS Foundation; Ruslana Lyzhychko, Member of Parliament and singer and other famous persons.

On October14, 2007 the Ukrainian House hosted the meeting of 30 girls-winners of the First Step to Success program with famous women-leaders of Ukraine and other countries of the world.   The principal speaker at the meeting was Co-founder and Chair of Vital Voices Global Partnership Melanne Verveer, who served as Assistant to the President and Chief of Staff to the First Lady in the Clinton Administration. In her speech she encouraged Ukrainian girls on the way to new victories and stressed on the importance of women’s leading role in developing civil society in Ukraine.   The program winners also received the opportunity to communicate with an American astronaut of Ukrainian origin Heidemarie M. Stefanyshyn-Piper. She told the girls that, when a child, she didn’t dream to work in space, but when such a dream appeared in adult age, she was able to achieve it owing to her persistence and belief in herself even when she was refused to take part in the flight. Last year she took part in a space travel, twice was in the outer space and is going to the following travel in 2008.   Among famous women-leaders, who gave their advice to girls and discussed joint plans for the future there were Mrs. Tetyana Izhevska, the Ambassador of Ukraine in Vatican, designer Aina Gase who “dresses” Y. Timoshenko, Olha Herasymiuk hostess of “Bez Tabu” TV program, political scientist Nadia Diuk, Olympic champion Stella Zakharova, president of the Model Agency Karin MMG Vlada Lytovchenko, woman-banker Lyudmyla Rasputna, editor of Yedinstvennaya magazine Olena Skachko, Vice-President of Coca-Cola International Sonya Soutus, Natalia Sumska – actor and Key Moment TV Program hostess, Natalia Yaresko, co-founder of Horizon Capital investment fund and others.   Girls-winners were also invited to the opening reception of Vital Voices of Eurasia: A Leadership Summit for Women& Girls, launched in Kyiv by the international nonprofit Vital Voices Global Partnership. The reception took place in Sofiya Kyivska, in Metropolitan House, it was Ukrainian-style, owing to which more than200 guests from different countries had opportunity to get acquainted with our national traditions and try Ukrainian cuisine.   On October 15 the girls had a chance to get acquainted with the work of such successful company as “Procter&Gamble”, to visit its office and communicate with its leadership. “Procter&Gamble”, which supports “Always” brand, conducted for active girls of Ukraine the 4-hour training on developing leadership skills.    Besides, ten girls-winners of the First Step to Success program (three winners from this year and seven ones from the previous) took part in the work of Vital Voices of Eurasia Leadership Summit during October 15-17 and spoke at its sessions as youth experts.     The First Step to Success Program continues. Young girls leadership movement is becoming stronger. And Ukraine knows its leaders.

• Spend 2 wonderful days in Kyiv, and get acquainted with woman leaders, who play an important role in the cultural, political, social and business life of Ukraine;
• Take part in training programs;
• Receive small grants to implement their own project and ideas;
• Join the Forum of young leaders and communicate with associates;
• Take part in other competitions and programs.

• realistic character of the idea from the view of methods and terms of fulfillment
• innovative/special/new approaches and methods of implementing
• presence of your personal vision of how to solve the problem