Project Report: Beyond Drama: How Dialogue and Support Changed Lives in Odesa
SGS 2024 Grantee: Ukrainian Sisters Are Kidfriendly, Odesa, Ukraine
Project: Joint Adaptation of Mothers and Children
In 2024–2025, with support from The BEARR Trust, our foundation implemented this project for internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Odesa. What began as a simple goal—to help women and children feel more supported in a new city—quickly evolved into something more ambitious and impactful.
Our original aim was to ease the adaptation process by offering children shared activities and adults tools for emotional resilience and self-support. But by the time the funding arrived, our team had already met many of these needs using other resources. This unexpected shift became our main challenge: we had to move beyond the original scope and create something even more meaningful and transformative. With flexibility and creativity, we redesigned our efforts and launched a new initiative that exceeded expectations.
This led to the creation of our course for women, “Beyond Drama: A Practical Course in the Art of Dialogue”, built on the foundations of nonviolent communication and effective group work. The course was attended by 26 women; 12 of them went on to lead their own practice groups called “Masters of Dialogue.”
“Now I can control my mood,” laughs Anna, a participant. “I can even plan my ‘mini-depressions’ myself. Emotions no longer rule me—I rule them. I don’t get pulled into conflicts as I did before. It’s like I’m watching from the outside.”
For Halyna, the most powerful experience came while leading one of the practice groups:
“A participant shared a controversial opinion that triggered me. I was ready to argue. But then I told myself: ‘Stop. You’re the facilitator.’ I rephrased her point and reflected her possible needs. Her eyes filled with gratitude. Later she told us she usually feels silenced. This time, she simply felt heard.”
Another participant, Olena, the mother of a child with special needs, had long wanted to support other isolated mothers but felt paralysed by the lack of positive feedback. Even posting on social media was stressful.
“Now I can just do it—without being wounded by random reactions. I feel strong and confident.”
The course gave these women not only skills, but also the confidence to lead and support others. After the course ended, the women decided to continue meeting every two weeks. They created a real peer-support network that lives on—helping each other navigate life’s challenges with strength and empathy.
While the mothers practiced dialogue, their children also found joy and connection. One of the most appreciated parts of the project was giving 58 children access to a swimming pool. For many displaced families, this is a luxury they can’t afford—making the experience even more valuable.
“Yes, many organisations help us here,” said one mother, “but none have brought this much joy to our children.”
We were reminded throughout this project how underdeveloped the culture of peer support still is in Ukraine—and how vital it can be. People find it much easier to face hardship when surrounded by like-minded peers, rather than struggling alone. We hope this project will become an example of how local communities can create lasting emotional resilience and connection.
The success of this course has inspired us to develop further programmes focused on dialogue, conflict resolution, and community support. The Masters of Dialogue groups continue to meet and plan to train a new cohort of facilitators later this year.
We are deeply grateful to The BEARR Trust and our partners for believing in our work. Together, we’ve shown that even small grants can lead to lasting transformation when trust, creativity, and care are part of the process.
Contact:
Olga Khil
Founder of the KidFriendly Community
