Olga Kosse
Until 2014 I had no idea what civil society organizations did and never imagined it could become a professional field. But the war that came to my hometown, Donetsk, completely changed my ordinary life.
In September 2014, I returned to Donetsk after three months in Kyiv. A friend invited me to help his initiative group, which was supporting affected populations. We delivered food, clothing, and hygiene supplies to bomb shelters, dormitories with evacuated families, and even to private homes. Initially, I planned to volunteer for about a week, until I had to return to Kyiv. However, I decided to stay and fully join "Responsible Citizens."
Over the past 10 years, I went from being a volunteer to becoming the Head of the Board. I personally experienced all the challenges faced by residents of frontline areas: constantly relocating, an uncertain future, difficulties obtaining documents, finding housing etc. I gained a tremendous amount of experience. I know how civil society organizations operate during crises such as wars, epidemics, and natural disasters. Unfortunately, this experience became invaluable again in 2022 with the full-scale invasion.
Today, together with a large team of like-minded people, we are implementing support programs for the affected population. This team includes over 250 motivated people who strive to help our country endure these terrible times.
For 10 years now, I've dreamed that "Responsible Citizens" will one day implement projects focused on the recovery and development of our native cities in Eastern Ukraine. I am working with all my might to make this dream come true as soon as possible.
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Project AdministratorHanna Mylokostova
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Financial ManagerOlena Romanyshyna
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Coordinator of Educational ProgramsOlena Beloliptseva
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Founder and Program DirectorEnrique Menendez
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Project coordinator in Dnipropetrovsk RegionAlla Maslakhova
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Project coordinator in Kharkiv RegionOlena Khvatynets
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Operator of the hotlineLiliya Pashchenko
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Procurement SpecialistIryna Trofimova
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AccountantVita Serdyuk
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Mobile Team CoordinatorDmytro Belyaev