Charity without Borders

The Kyiv-based International Women’s Club, founded 13 years ago, is seeking to expand its activities. This is the goal set by the club’s new president, Mrs. Ira Adityawarman, wife of the minister-counselor at the Embassy of Indonesia in Ukraine. Throughout her year-long club presidency, Mrs. Adityawarman is going to be focusing on key international developments. The club intends to mark the UN’s 60th anniversary and International Women’s Day, and plans to hold a charity Christmas fair and a Latin American Night, already the club’s trademarks. The organization spends its funds on supporting the disabled, low-income persons, victims of natural disasters, armed conflicts, and repressions, as well as on environmental protection, promoting a healthy lifestyle, and educational, scholarly, and cultural development, etc. The International Women’s Club recently awarded grants to 7 organizations. For example, an elevator for disabled children will be installed in Bila Tserkva School No. 20. Assistance will be given to an adaptation center for former street children, a project to set up an information network for families caring for mentally handicapped children and adults, a project for former juvenile delinquents, and the magazine Turbota pro litnikh (Caring for the Elderly). The club is going to help establish an art studio at the rehabilitation center in Kyiv’s psychiatric institution No. 1. It is already an established tradition to assist Rozrada, a refuge for female and juvenile victims of domestic violence.

According to Ira Adityawarman, today the International Women’s Club has about 200 members representing the diplomatic corps, international governmental and non-governmental organizations, business, etc. They work in small interest groups and, in addition to doing charitable work, they have an opportunity to deepen their knowledge of various cultures and countries, as well as improve their command of the Ukrainian language and culture.

“Although it is becoming imperative to diversify the club’s projects, one principle remains unchanged: women can achieve more when they are supported, especially by other women,” says Mrs. Adityawarman, adding that the role of women’s organizations in Indonesia is constantly increasing. “The Indonesian Women’s Congress, founded back in December 1928, is a national federation of women’s organizations, including professional, religious, and social associations. The level of women’s involvement in the political structure of society — sociopolitical and non-governmental organizations — is quite high, but the percentage remains relatively low. After the recent devastating tsunami, women’s organizations lost no time in helping the victims of the disaster: they are supplying them with food, medicines, clothing, and temporary shelters, raising funds, caring for orphans, and taking part in the reconstruction of refuges and the educational infrastructure,” Mrs. Adityawarman said.