On 2 March, the President of Voice of Romni, Anzhelika Bielova, took part in the opening ceremony of Humanitarian Networks and Partnerships Week (HNPW2026) – a major two-week international event bringing together humanitarian experts from around the world.

Anzhelika Bielova represented Ukraine at the opening session, alongside speakers from Switzerland, Mexico, Somalia, and Nigeria.

For us, it is both a great honour and a profound responsibility to be part of a global dialogue and to represent Ukraine’s experience at the international level with dignity. During the official opening of HNPW2026, Anzhelika Bielova spoke about how Ukrainian civil society organisations have not only endured the challenges of war but have also managed to scale up their work, including through the support of international partners.

In 2022, our team consisted of four volunteers. Today, we have more than fifty staff members working across six regions of Ukraine. More than 111,000 people have already received various forms of support from Voice of Romni.

The full-scale war has brought suffering to all people in Ukraine. Civilians have been killed by russian shelling. Families have lost their homes. Millions have been forcibly displaced. Communities have endured occupation. Repeated attacks on energy infrastructure have led to prolonged blackouts, leaving people without electricity, heating, and water. In response to these immense challenges, civil society organisations continue to work every single day.

“The first factor that enabled us to mobilise resources and expand our operations was the support of the Center for Disaster Philanthropy. Their funding significantly strengthened our institutional capacity. The flexibility of this support allowed us to invest in team expertise and recruit specialists in monitoring and evaluation, communications, fundraising, management, and finance. A second crucial element was investment in advocacy and in providing platforms for local organisations such as Voice of Romni to be heard. Over time, we became partners of major humanitarian organisations, including Oxfam, Mercy Corps, CARE, Save the Children, and the International Rescue Committee. An important component of these partnerships has been the inclusion of indirect cost recovery (ICR) mechanisms, which enable us to respond effectively to unforeseen challenges in wartime and other crisis contexts,” Anzhelika shared.

According to the President of Voice of Romni, supporting grassroots organisations in Ukraine is an investment in the future – in resilient communities that will be part of Europe, and in people who are becoming economically independent and empowered.

Over the years of war, our approach to supporting vulnerable communities has become increasingly comprehensive. People first come to us for humanitarian assistance. They learn about our organisation, see our values in action, and discover the broader opportunities we offer. They return – bringing their children to our community spaces, receiving psychosocial support, gaining professional skills, and joining leadership development programmes.

We sincerely thank HNPW2026 for the opportunity to share the unique experience of Ukrainian organisations working under the most challenging conditions of crisis and constant danger. Despite all obstacles, they demonstrate effectiveness and strengthen our communities every day.