Helping Families Piece Life, Homes Back Together in Ukraine’s Chernihiv Oblast
By Tania Dudnyk Chernihiv Oblast is among the top five regions of Ukraine most affected by Russia’s invasion on February 24, 2022. Due to its proximity to the Russian border, many villages have experienced occupation firsthand and, thus, significant damage to their residential areas. To date, over 8,200 sites and facilities have been destroyed or…
Read MoreArt Therapy for Ukrainian Children Helps Reduce Stress Under Everyday Shelling
By Tania Dudnyk Since the end of June, children from three villages in the Chernihiv region have been attending special art therapy classes designed to support their mental health as the war continues in Ukraine. The sessions, which will continue until the school year begins in September, are made possible with funding from the United…
Read MoreYoung Innovators in Sri Lanka Use Technology to Bridge Cultural and Ethnic Divides
By Jessica Ayala DreamSpace Academy, located in Sri Lanka’s Batticaloa District, and its co-founder, Kishoth Navaretnarajah, believe that the key to creating a future beyond historic cultural tensions and conflict lies with empowering youth through technology and innovation. “Facilitating peacebuilding is one of the pillars of DreamSpace,” says Navaretnarajah. “DreamSpace itself is … a great…
Read MoreDirect Cash Assistance Gives War-Torn Ukrainians Freedom to Cover Most Pressing Winter Needs
The winter of 2022-2023 was expected to be highly challenging for Ukrainians. Continued Russian attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure caused disruptions of electricity and heating as well as damage to unprepared houses. The ongoing war has had a disastrous impact on the country’s economy. Millions have lost their livelihoods, and among those who have not…
Read MoreUp to Youth Program Supports Sweet Entrepreneurship in Kosovo
By Lizzie Hickman Do you remember what it was like to be a teenager, to have the entire world of possibilities open for you to explore? Many of the world’s young people lack the resources to pursue or invest in their dreams, but that’s where Up to Youth, a five-year initiative funded by the United…
Read MoreReviving Ukrainian Communities through Shelter Repairs in Hard-Hit Regions
Since the start of Russia’s invasion on February 24, 2022, hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians have been deprived of their homes and had their livelihoods disrupted due to ongoing hostilities and massive missile attacks. Damage to residential buildings and civilian infrastructure continues to grow. As of November 2022, according to the Kyiv School of Economics,…
Read MoreSupporting Mobile Legal Clinics in Sri Lanka to Increase Access to Justice
In Sri Lanka, some segments of the population — particularly those directly affected by the prolonged armed conflict — face challenges due to a lack or loss of personal documentation pertaining to their identity, citizenship, civil status, property ownership and education. For these groups, such as internally displaced persons, the resettled and returnees, the lack…
Read MoreMothers in India Lead the Process of Change and Girls’ Empowerment
By Sushmita Mukherjee A healthy and skilled adolescent girl is best placed to make informed decisions not only for herself but also for others who solely depend on her when she reaches adulthood. Her ability to influence decision-making is appreciated and respected when she has the right skills to communicate, think critically and creatively. As…
Read MoreSupporting Economic Resilience through Increased Livelihoods in Sri Lanka
By Nagarajah Sathyaruban and Amila Jayamaha In Sri Lanka’s Mullaitivu district, a lack of job opportunities and career guidance avenues has contributed to a high youth unemployment ratio. For local youth, this has reinforced negative stereotyping, increased the risk of substance abuse and led to a sense of isolation and disillusionment, with ethnicity seen as a…
Read MoreUsing the New Digital Savings Group Hub to Eliminate Paper, Inspire Savings
Digitization can feel overwhelming — and even risky when considering inherent equity and access issues. Yet, with the right resources, organizations can go paper-free, or at least reduce that paper output, and save money in the process. We chatted with Paulina Rudnicka, Senior Technical Advisor for Gender Integration at Global Communities, about the launch of…
Read MoreResponding to Humanitarian Needs in Ukraine
Since the war began in Ukraine on February 24, 2022, an estimated 5 million refugees have fled to neighboring countries, while over 7 million people have been displaced inside the country in search of safety, protection and assistance meeting basic needs. As the scale of this humanitarian crisis continues to grow, Global Communities is working…
Read MoreGiving Kudumbimalai a Lifeline
By Rukshana Rizwie and Lizzie Hickman In Sri Lanka’s Batticaloa district, deep within the jungles of Koralai Pattu South, sits a village of abandoned wells — all deep, dirty and depleted. For many years, over 400 families living in Kudumbimalai had to drink and cook with contaminated water from the repositories, even though they knew…
Read MoreReflections on Programming Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic has continued to impact communities beyond what many thought would be a few weeks of quarantine. As we recognize the second anniversary of the pandemic, we reflect on Global Communities’ country teams that are hard at work to help mitigate the impacts of the pandemic on their communities. We were able to…
Read MoreGlobal Communities’ Response to Ukraine Crisis
For decades, Global Communities has responded to complex humanitarian emergencies. Our approach prioritizes partnering with affected communities to identify and address urgent needs with a focus on resilience and long-term recovery. In addition, Global Communities has worked in Eastern Europe for more than 60 years and has a deep understanding of the unique needs of…
Read MoreSocial Media for Social Change – SCORE Leads the Way
Social media has emerged as one of the most powerful tools for communication and connection, bringing together millions of people across continents and within communities. But with that power, highly accessible channels are readily available for spreading disinformation, sowing divisiveness and contributing to offline conflict. In Sri Lanka, there has never been a more urgent…
Read MoreBreaking the Silence on Menstrual Hygiene in India
Menstruation is critical for the continuation of life on earth. Despite this being a natural process, it causes a severe hindrance in the growth and development of women and girls in our patriarchal society. Young girls are often told to discuss their period-related issues only with older girls or women, forming the impression that menstruation…
Read MoreRallying Mothers to Lead the Charge against Child Marriage in India
Naima*—now one of the most outspoken advocates for girls’ rights in her community—did not have an easy childhood. She grew up in Bokaro—a vibrant, cosmopolitan city in northeastern India, famous for one of the largest steel plants in Asia and often referred to as the “City of Scholars” for serving as an academic hub of…
Read MoreSCORE Facilitates Exhibition for 20 Women Entrepreneurs
SCORE worked in close collaboration with the Women’s Development Unit of the District Secretariat of Kandy to organize an exhibition showcasing the products of 20 women-led SMEs from all 20 District Secretariat Divisions in Kandy, at the District Secretariat premises on March 3, 2021. The exhibition was in celebration of International Women’s Day, under the…
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