We believe that true change is only possible when everyone is involved — civil society, decision-makers, international foundations, and the private sector.

That is why building new partnerships is so important to us. We are sincerely delighted to see our circle of allies and like-minded supporters grow with each step.

In June, the President of Voice of Romni, Anzhelika Bielova, visited the city of Boulder, Colorado, in the United States, at the invitation of the Women’s Peace and Humanitarian Fund. Together with Shaza Elmagdi from Sudan, Anzhelika shared how women-led initiatives operate in times of war and why their work is so vital.

Over the course of several days, we took part in numerous engaging meetings and strategically important conversations. One particularly meaningful discussion took place with local Rotarians — members of an international organization that brings together active individuals from various fields to support charitable and humanitarian initiatives and to build a more sustainable and just peace around the world.

The following day, another key meeting took place at the home of Cynda Collins Arsenault — a leading philanthropist of WPHF and founder of the initiative Our Secure Future: Women Make the Difference. The gathering brought together local business leaders, investors, and philanthropists. Anzhelika shared the story of our organization, the challenges Roma women face in Ukraine, and the ways in which we support our communities.

The President of Voice of Romni felt a genuine interest from those present in the lives of Roma communities in Ukraine and in our work. This was a meaningful signal for us, as it was the first time we openly spoke about the need for private sector support for Roma women’s organizations — and we were heard.

Today, we clearly understand: to ensure the sustainability, growth, and independence of women-led initiatives, it is essential to engage new sources of support. The private sector can become a vital partner — not only in responding to crises, but in helping to build lasting, systemic change.

“As a token of gratitude for the support of the Roma community and our fight for a just peace in Ukraine, our team prepared symbolic gifts: a painting of sunflowers — a symbol of Ukrainian freedom — created by a young Roma girl during an art project supported by our organization. We also gifted tote bags featuring drawings by children who attend our child-friendly spaces in frontline cities, illustrating their vision of peace in our country (interestingly, both boys and girls often draw women defending Ukraine),” shared Anzhelika Bielova.

We are grateful to our long-standing partners, the Women’s Peace and Humanitarian Fund, for providing a new platform where the voice of a Roma woman leader could be heard. We believe that even a single conversation can spark meaningful collaboration with far-reaching impact.

And there were many such moments — each one helping to ensure that the Roma context is clearly and confidently represented on the international stage.