Unique Country Turns 18

Today, NGO “Unique Country” is celebrating its coming of age — we are 18 years old.

Eighteen years ago, a few friends came together and asked themselves honestly: “What can we do to bring a little more life, movement and meaning to our community?”

That is how NGO “Unique Country” came into being. At first, it was a space for youth ideas, creativity, volunteering and activism. Over time, it became an organization that supports the development of civil society, helps people and communities become stronger, and creates conditions for participation, learning and mutual support.

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Where it all began

The early years of “Unique Country” were very youth-focused. We created a space where young people could try, organize, make mistakes, learn, take responsibility and turn ideas that seemed almost impossible yesterday into reality.

Among our first initiatives were:

• a youth radio project;
• a journalism club and a volunteer club;
• breakdance and rock festivals;
• literary evenings;
• open stages for musicians and singers;
• BBQ battles and cinema picnics;
• football and basketball tournaments;
• charity runs.

We brought together active young people in the city, inspired them, supported them, encouraged them to take action and helped turn ideas into real events and initiatives.

Over time, our youth teams grew more mature and independent. Some of them later founded their own organizations. And then we began to understand our new role more clearly: to support those who support others.

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From youth initiatives to civil society development

Gradually, the work of “Unique Country” became broader and more systemic. We increasingly focused not only on individual events or initiatives, but also on strengthening the capacity of people, teams and communities.

We helped new initiative groups and civil society organizations become stronger institutionally, talked with communities about participatory democracy, and launched educational projects on sustainable development, human rights and responsible civic participation.

In this way, “Unique Country” gradually became an organization in the community that helps develop civil society, supports active people and creates space for dialogue, learning, partnership and joint action.

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2022: a new context and new responsibility

After the start of the full-scale invasion, the context changed sharply — for the entire country, for our community and for our small team.

The Zhmerynka community welcomed a large number of people fleeing occupation, shelling, the loss of their homes and danger. We faced new tasks: to respond quickly to basic needs, support people in crisis, seek resources, coordinate assistance and, at the same time, preserve humanity in our everyday work.

Thanks to our long-standing and new partners and donors, we were able to:

• support every third person who found shelter in our community;
• provide people with essential goods, hygiene items, clothing and other basic assistance;
• organize psychosocial and legal support for those who needed it most;
• create a space where people could receive not only assistance, but also attention, information, support and the feeling that they were not left alone with their difficulties.

This period taught us a great deal. It showed how important partnerships, trust, flexibility, responsibility and the ability of a small team to act quickly are — while still not losing the meaning of its work.

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The challenge we face as we come of age

Today, we see a new major challenge — the reintegration and support of veterans and their families.

This is a complex, long-term and deeply responsible area of work. It requires more than one-off solutions. It calls for attentive work with communities, partnerships, services, communication, trust and an understanding of the real needs of people who are returning from war or living alongside those who are going through this path.

This is the challenge with which “Unique Country” enters its adulthood. Yes, it will not be easy. But for us, this is not a reason to stop. It is rather an invitation to keep growing — to become more systematic, attentive, professional and useful to people and the community.

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Thank you to everyone who has been and remains with us

This entire journey would not have been possible without the people who believed, supported, joined in, debated, helped, inspired and, together with us, made “Unique Country” alive.

We thank our partners, donors and friends — for your trust, resources, support, patience with our ideas, applications and plans, and for the desire to do more for the community.

We thank the teams, volunteers and everyone who has ever been involved in the work of “Unique Country” — for your work, humour, humanity, resilience and belief that even small actions can change the environment around us.

We thank people, communities, public authorities, educational institutions and public spaces — for letting us into your stories, trusting us, cooperating with us and allowing us to be present at important moments.

Thank you to each and every person who has been with us over all these years: at trainings, festivals, consultations, film screenings, on Zoom, in our offices, at meetings, in partnerships and in joint initiatives.

You are all part of our “Unique Country”.

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We move forward

Eighteen years is a good moment to look back, give thanks for the journey and look honestly ahead.

We want to continue being an organization that provides people with knowledge, resources and professional support for their own development and for the development of their communities. An organization that works alongside people, hears their needs, builds partnerships and does not lose faith in the power of joint action.

We embrace everyone who has been and remains with us. And we move forward together.

Illustration: Maria Hordiiets.