Feedback from members of The Network of Active Citizens

The Network of Active Citizens project was launched in March 2024. A few months later, it was supported by The European Endowment for Democracy.

The videos for the project participants’ advocacy messages are produced by Pohlyad media, and Espresso and GIT help to distribute them.

Media partners Glavkom, LB.ua, Censor.NET and other media disseminate the materials in their editorials and in their own columns.

The prominent sociologist Iryna Bekeshkina, who has been researching how society changes for several decades, explained that it is the restructuring of the media and their interaction with civic activists that is the impetus for the development of democratic processes in Ukraine.

Iryna Bekeshkina

a sociologist who worked for the Ilko Kucheriv Democratic Initiatives Foundation during her lifetime

Ask Question

We can outline the following promising ways in which the media can become a factor in the formation of civil society and a stimulant and component of democratisation processes. Rebuilding the tone of media influence, shifting the emphasis to the active life position of citizens, popularising "success stories" - stories of citizens' success in defending their rights, teaching people legal ways and methods of fighting for their rights... and rebuilding professional journalism education, civic position as an essential component of journalism professionalism.

That is why Holka connects local activists and national media, makes the work of such citizens visible and the activists themselves more recognisable, helps them build their social capital, teaches them advocacy and introduces them to citizen journalism.

Artem Lymansky’s article was published on the front page of the LB.ua and a video was made based on it, which was later distributed by Espresso, Pohlyad and GIT.

Artem Lymansky

protects the Sobache Gyre spit on the Dnipro River (Kyiv)

Ask Question

Most of all, I liked the opportunity to see from the inside how civic activities are organised at a high level, and I wish there were more people at Holka who could help activists. In the project, I learned how to write texts so that they are both informative and well-grounded, and at the same time, they interest the reader. In addition, I saw that it is quite possible to raise awareness of an issue and achieve results without having significant media resources of your own, if you organise an advocacy campaign properly. I also learnt how to post on social media to achieve maximum coverage. While filming the story, I learnt how to communicate with journalists. I would also like to note that Holka promotes cooperation between civic initiatives and organisations.

Glavkom published an analytical piece by Mia Kirilenko about Kitayiv and the developer’s attempts to build up particularly valuable land from an archaeological point of view. She also analysed a draft law that significantly restricts the rights of citizens, in particular, may limit their ability to protect archaeology.

Mia Kirilenko

protects Kytayiv (Kyiv)

The initiative group “Let's Protect the Kitayiv” is grateful to Holka for its support. We conveyed our position to members of the Kyiv City Council and Parliament, officials and government officials. Our texts were published in LB.ua, Glavkom, and “Espresso” and ““Pohlyad””.his public initiative identified and analyzed harmful projects that threaten archaeological heritage. It is highly effective in supporting the community when the situation is critical. We recommend that active citizens contact Holka.

During the project, Varvara Bobrova published an analytical publication and op-eds on the LB.ua and Glavkom. A video about the defence of the Holosiivska Tower was posted on Espresso, GIT, and Pohlyad media.

Varvara Bobrova

protects the Holosiivska Tower (Kyiv)

Ask Question

Cooperation with Holka has been a good support for us in protecting the land plot in Holosiivskyi Forest from development. Thanks to the organisation's systematic approach, we work on a larger scale and with more confidence, instead of chaotic spot actions. We really appreciate that the support is constant, and we can count on quick help and advice if needed. The Needle-MAGs chat (MAGs is an acronym for Networks of Active Citizens - ed. note) regularly publishes useful articles and educational materials that provide a broader view of the activities of civic activists, and this is a unique opportunity for us to raise awareness. This organisation has helped to create and distribute a number of publications and videos in the media, which has given us a wide reach, which is critical in cases like ours.

Natalia Ukrainska’s article on the protection of the Landscape Alley was published on the front page of the LB.ua and a video was made, which was distributed by GIT and Pohlyad media. While creating advocacy material on the protection of the Literary Square, we managed to obtain a letter from writer Lina Kostenko to the mayor of Kyiv, Vitali Klitschko, asking him to protect the square. It was published before a meeting of the Kyiv City Council to block consideration of the issue.

Natalia Ukrainska

protects archaeology near the Landscape Alley and Literary Square (Kyiv)

Ask Question

I am very grateful to the community that Holka has united for their valuable support. The most important thing for a person who finds themselves face to face with injustice and raiding of common property is to know where to go and what to do. In this sense, the project proved invaluable, as it provided a full range of support - analytical material, journalism, and psychological support (which is no less important in such a stressful situation). And in the end, we all received a product that we could work with, not just help. In our case, it was a case study with killer arguments and media coverage, which ultimately blocked the raid and at least gave the community time to continue preparing for the preservation of Kyiv's heritage.

Svitlana Kuraksina protects the forest in Kharkiv. During the project, we helped to prepare a publication on the front page of Glavkom and filmed a video and posted it on Espresso, Pohlyad media and GIT. 

Svitlana Kuraksina

protects the forest (Kharkiv)

Ask Question

Regional cases rarely get into the media focus of national publications. Therefore, the public usually does not learn about violations of environmental legislation and other rights. And without resonance, it is impossible to change the situation. The network's special value is that we are all involved in the protection of green areas or cultural heritage. And when you need help in Kharkiv, Kyiv residents and residents of other regions who are members of the network spread our information, and we spread theirs. And this resonance has a greater impact on the system. This is how we manage to give the issue a powerful coverage. It's important that Holka engaged a variety of experts to comment on our materials, who could strengthen us and point out the consequences to society and the authorities. It is important to be heard at all levels.

Alina Lizunova, a resident of Bucha who moved due to the full-scale invasion of the United States, published an article on LB.ua and a video on Espresso and Pohlyad media.

Alina Lizunova

protects the green zone (Bucha)

Ask Question

Holka and I have been together for more than a month or even a year, but I need her help more and more when it comes to clear communication and advocacy. I have only realised over time how important it is to write concisely and unemotionally, because a good article that includes a comprehensive and thorough analysis is a kind of guide to solving a problem. When we started fighting for the forest in Bucha many years ago, we were very offended that the media did not want to take up our topic. Now I know how amateurish we were acting. Society, as it turned out, has a number of institutions, and each of them has citizens who are ready to help, if you understand what is needed and in what order. And even more so if you can explain it to them. An even more valuable discovery for me was the realisation that it is possible to fight for ideas from a distance, and that being in another country gives you the opportunity to share your experience, which is what we, together with the Holka team, are trying to do. I believe that the knowledge we gain here in the US, including the experience of the civil society sector and our new understanding of the structure of American society, makes Ukrainian society a little stronger as well.

Together with Natalia Vyshnevetska, we prepared a publication for Censor.NET.

Natalia Vyshnevetska

protects a green area near a lake (Ivano-Frankivsk)

Ask Question

The most valuable thing about the project was the professional support, observing how others do advocacy, seeing other initiatives in other cities and the course of events - it all kept me afloat, did not allow me to give up during the struggle in my city. Also, in Ukraine, there is a great lack of civic activism outside of Kyiv - everything is decided there, and the regions are not looked at, but this project was a good example of both outside help and the opportunity to observe/learn from experience. I had enough of everything in the project, in moderation, on time. I have and will continue to apply knowledge about comprehensive advocacy, engaging stakeholders and opinion leaders, and media relations skills. Thanks to our participation in the project, we defended the green zone from development in Ivano-Frankivsk (at least for now), and met other stakeholders through the publication we were helped with. I also prepared materials for our initiative, and the project team helped me gather information.

Materials with comments by Maryna Antoshchuk, who protects the forest in the Sviatoshynskyi district of Kyiv, were published on the front pages of LB.ua and Glavkom, and analytical publications analysing the legislative framework were published. The textual materials were used to create a story that was also posted on the YouTube channels Espresso, GIT, and Pohlyad.

Maryna Antoshchuk

protects the territory of the Prolisok camp from development in the green zone (Kyiv)

Ask Question

Thanks to the cooperation with Holka and the MAGi project, we were able to highlight the acute issue of the destruction of green spaces at Proliska, where there used to be a campsite for foreign tourists surrounded by 18 hectares of forest. We were able to convey information about this illegal action, which, unfortunately, has not yet been stopped by legal means. The struggle continues and we are not only concerned with this problem, so we will seek the help of IAGs again and again.

Tatiana Shamina’s article was published on the front page of the LB.ua. Based on her materials, a video was filmed and posted on Espresso, Pohlyad and GIT.

Tatiana Shamina

protects the Svydovets mountain range (Carpathians)

Ask Question

Cooperation with Holka allowed the voice of the Free Svydovets initiative group to be heard louder. On the eve of the court hearing, which was supposed to recognise the legal validity of the DPT for the development of the Svydovets mountain range, articles in many leading media contributed to the publicity around the issue, and the topic was on the radar. This sent a signal to the opponents: the public would not remain silent. The victory in the trial, which lasted almost 10 years, is largely due to Holka, which strengthened the information and communication work of the initiative movement. The victory is not yet final, as the opponents will look for other opportunities to build up the ridge (they have publicly stated this). At the same time, at this stage, it is a significant shift, for which we are grateful to Holka.

5The material about the Osokorky Ecopark by Oleksandr Pylypenko was published on Glavkom, GIT, and later a video was filmed and posted on Espresso and Pohlyad media.

Oleksandr Pylypenko

protects Osokorky Ecopark (Kyiv)

Ask Question

The project gave wide publicity to the situation around the Osokorky Ecopark, which the local community has been fighting to preserve for almost 10 years. And publicity is the tool that really allows you to influence the course of events. When a case is heard by ordinary people and journalists, it is actually reflected in the results of voting (in our case, by members of the Kyiv City Council) and court decisions. It was thanks to the media support of the Holka that we managed to "shoot down" the draft decision of the Kyiv City Council to lease the land plots of the Osokorky Ecopark to a developer.

Maria Voronina’s column defending the Bilychansky Forest was published on the LB.ua. To cover the topic, they engaged partners from the Espresso TV channel, whose journalists Holka sent directly to the scene of the event, where the activist was and helped the TV crew with speakers.

Maria Voronina

protects a plot of land in the Bilychansky forest (Kyiv)

Ask Question

This is the first time I've been in this situation. What to do, how to act, where to look for help? After all, I know nothing about such matters as forest protection and opposition to developers. But people came to my post and tagged "The Needle" and... I was no longer alone. People were constantly in touch with me, telling me what to do, what to write, what to say. In the hottest moments, they called for help. They wrote statements, complaints, articles, and gave comments to television. When you are not alone, you have the strength to fight. I am very grateful for the support, advice and a reliable shoulder. This is not the end, but I am sure we will succeed.

The project team helped Serhiy Chaharov publish an op-ed on the LB.ua and filmed a video that was published by Pohlyad media.

Serhiy Chaharov

protects the ponds of the Siverka River (Hatne)

Ask Question

I really liked the advocacy campaign in support of the petition against the draft law 12089, which aims to nullify claims against developers. I realised that when advocating for socially important initiatives, you cannot use advertising tools. Where leadership is needed, advertising does not work. Voices must be "clean" and this gives a significant advantage. Participation in the project has greatly contributed to my social activities. "Holka helped me publish materials about an attempt to seize land near the river in Hatne. These materials were very helpful because after their publication, the developer made access to the water bodies open and brought its social media page and official website in line with the law. I would even say that these materials helped to overcome segregation on the part of the residential complex, which is a negative phenomenon that is very common in the world.

 Yulia Rovenska prepared an article for the LB.ua’s editorial about the Chernechy Forest.

Yulia Rovenska

protects the Chernechy Forest (Kyiv region)

Ask Question

Our community borders on Kyiv, so many of its natural resources and archaeological sites have already been destroyed to please developers. The suburbs of the capital are a tasty morsel for them. It is extremely difficult to fight them, because they have significant financial and administrative resources, and we, the public, are forced to use democratic instruments, which, unfortunately, often do not work in our country. For us, there are two effective ways: interaction and publicity. I am very grateful to Holka for their help and support! The team here does a great job of analysing and covering both local events and the work of the Verkhovna Rada. Reading Holka and cooperating with it, you realise that you are not alone, that there are many people in Ukraine who care and are moving the country towards progressive change. And that by uniting, sooner or later we will definitely defeat lawlessness and corruption at both the local and national levels. It may not be tomorrow, but all our efforts are not in vain!

Maria Kosovtsova defends the Literary Square, the Museum of Prominent Figures, the Observatory Hill and the Pirogov Open Air Museum in Kyiv. Together with Holka, we prepared a story about the Observatory Hill for the front page of LB.ua, and a video about Pirogov based on Maria Kosovtsova’s publication was published on GIT and Pohlyad, and an article on LB. As for the advocacy for the preservation of the Literary Square, an interim victory was achieved: the deputies  removed the issue from the agenda. In addition, advocacy was carried out to protect the Museum of Prominent Ukrainian Figures, which was also covered in a story on Espresso and Pohlyad.

Glavkom published an analytical publication and an article by Ulyana Dzhurlyak and Lesya Donets on the court’s decision, and Espresso, Pohlyad and GIT broadcast a video.

The final analysis of the cases of The Network of Active Citizens was published in Dzerkalo Tyzhnia and Ukrayinska Pravda, and a video was released by Pohlyad media.

Olena Sokotiuk

Executive Director of Holka

Ask Question

We are well aware of how important it is to have those who have already gone through this journey with us at the start - after all, our NGO was institutionalised only a year and a half ago. That is why we are especially grateful to the European Endowment for Democracy (EED) for their trust, financial support for the project, and mentoring of Natalia Klochun and Anna Tovstukha. This support has enabled us not only to strengthen our own capacity but also to help almost two dozen active citizens from different parts of Ukraine. Together, we make our participants' initiatives visible to local and national authorities, engage MPs, representatives of the government, prosecutors, local authorities and relevant experts in discussing the issues. We have managed to unite activists from different regions into a network to share experiences. In this fight, it is very important to feel that you are not alone. This project has become not only a stage of institutional formation for "Holka", but also an example of how donor support for a specific project can scale real changes in communities. Therefore, when people thank us for our work, we, in turn, thank EED for their faith, which is transformed into the protection and development of democracy.

The network has already attracted 15 civil society activists. To participate in the project, you need to fill out an application. Please note that there are a lot of requests and not all cases can be covered by Holka due to time and human resource constraints.