The aim of the project is to provide financial support to women journalists to cover the costs of care work. In total, more than 40 participants have received assistance under the program.
The program was made possible through the project “Voice of Resilience: Supporting Women in Journalism During Wartime,” implemented by the ZMINA Human Rights Centre with technical support from UN Women in Ukraine and funding from the United Nations Women’s Peace and Humanitarian Fund (WPHF).
“We take care of you while you take care of others” is one of the largest support programs I have encountered since becoming a mother. Thanks to being able to hire a nanny to help care for my child, I had the opportunity to attend important training abroad, which allowed me to establish many valuable contacts,” shared Lera Shyrokova, radio host at Radio Culture and journalist at Gender in Detail, about her participation in the program.
She added that, unfortunately, any activities not directly connected with earning income cannot be a priority for her at the moment, as she must care not only for her child but also for her parents, who lost their home due to the war. That is why receiving support for her professional training was crucial for her, opening up new career opportunities.
“I also want to stress this: in wartime, for a mother of a young child, it is very difficult to plan any rest. Thanks to programs like this one, I managed to sleep through the night in a bed for an entire week. It may sound strange, but this is the reality of a working mother in a city under daily shelling. Usually, we spend half the night running to shelters and waiting for the all-clear. But while I was away on a training trip, I was able to sleep properly. At that moment, I was not responsible for my child’s life and safety, nor was I constantly a target for Russian attacks,” said Lera Shyrokova.
The program also supported the professional development of Kyiv-based journalist Anastasiia Fedchenko. Before taking maternity leave, she worked as an editor for the regional department of Suspilne. At the beginning of 2025, just a month before the birth of her daughter, her husband, marine Andrii Kuzmenko, was killed in the war. Caring for their daughter, Katrusiia fell on Anastasiia’s shoulders — though not without the help of friends and family.
“The program from Women in Media allowed me to hire a nanny. While the nanny was walking with my four-month-old daughter, I had the opportunity to serve as a jury member for the Honor of the Profession journalism competition. It also gave me the chance to take better care of myself — including something as simple as preparing meals. I am grateful to the organizers and donors for this opportunity,” said Anastasiia Fedchenko.
For more than three years, Poltavska Dumka editor Diana Strashko has been raising two preschool children almost single-handedly while her husband defends Ukraine. She stresses how valuable it is to feel the support of a community of other women, mothers in journalism:
“Very often it feels like I am not just running my own ‘marathon,’ but doing so with two little children in my arms. I believe that the program supporting mothers in the media is not simply a pleasant bonus, not just an initiative that compensates for some childcare costs. It gives me motivation and inspiration to keep developing, to continue working despite any difficulties, to accept the circumstances, and to believe in a better future.”
The challenge of combining journalism and motherhood is also highlighted by Viktoriia Kobyliatska, editor-in-chief of the websites of the Povaha campaign against sexism in the media and politics, and of the platform Women Are 50% of Ukraine’s Success. In today’s reality, when constant tension from air-raid alerts and shelling is the norm, it becomes increasingly difficult to find balance:
“It’s a constant emotional rollercoaster: you doubt whether you’re doing your job well, and then, when something does succeed, you can’t even enjoy it, because you immediately ask yourself: ‘Did you take care of your child? Do you even know what your son was doing while you spent two days writing that text without finding a moment to ask him how his day at school was?’ Or the reverse — your child is ill, you’re lying in bed together, I’m reading books aloud to him from morning till late at night, and can’t step away for even a minute. Meanwhile, deadlines are burning and work chats are exploding with requests.”
This summer, Viktoriia Kobyliatska decided for the first time to send her son to camp for a week. It was not an easy step, since it was his first independent trip far from home. Moreover, making the trip possible turned out to be a major financial challenge: several projects she had been working on were shut down due to changes in USAID funding, putting at risk the trip that had been planned since winter.
“Thanks to the caregiving support program, I was able to cover the costs of the camp. My son went to the Carpathians, had a wonderful rest, and came back with a bag full of positive impressions. And I was finally able to breathe a little while he was away and catch up on my work without postponing things indefinitely,” said Viktoriia Kobyliatska. “I thank Women in Media for such a helpful initiative. This is truly valuable and tangible support for women journalists, especially now, when we face all the challenges of war.”
The program “We take care of you while you take care of others” also enabled Hromadske Radio journalist Anastasia Bagalika to send her child to camp. She is raising four children while her husband is on active duty, so the burden of childcare and household management falls entirely on her shoulders. In addition, with project funds, Anastasia was able to pay for a nanny to look after her youngest child.
“In fact, I wanted to begin this feedback by saying that after 15 years I had grown used to being a working mother and journalist, responsible for virtually everything. But in recent years, especially since the birth of my youngest daughter, my expectations of myself — as a mother, as a professional, and of my environment with its level and forms of support — have changed dramatically. That is why this program is a wonderful way to tell women — who, let me remind you, make up the majority in journalism — who are trying to combine professional and maternal experience: ‘You exist, you deserve support, we see how hard it is for you, and we are here.’ Thank you for this care.”
In addition to childcare and summer camps, participants of the initiative “We take care of you while you take care of others” were also able to cover the costs of tutors, clubs, and extracurricular activities for their children. The time their children spent learning allowed mothers to dedicate hours to their own needs, including professional ones. For example, Nashe Misto — Dnipro website editor Tetiana Zakharova was able to use project funds to pay for English lessons for her 11-year-old son. She says this support was a real lifeline:
“Amid the war and increased workload, the program allowed me to delegate part of my caregiving duties and provide my son with additional classes that are so important for his development. Thanks to your initiative, I felt supported and could focus on my professional work, knowing that my child was receiving the attention he needed. Your efforts not only support women in media but also create opportunities for our children, helping us combine motherhood and careers. Thank you for your sensitivity, flexibility, and care! This program is an example of how life can truly be changed for the better.”
By arranging individual and group lessons for her son, Informator Kolomyia editor-in-chief Nataliia Sandetska was able to plan work trips:
“Thanks to Women in Media, the ZMINA Human Rights Centre, and UN Women in Ukraine for this wonderful initiative. This summer our son had the chance not only to rest but also to learn new things, make friends, and avoid boredom while I was working. The individual and group lessons gave me breathing room and allowed me to schedule field trips twice a week, prepare materials, do filming, and even complete several investigations. That is invaluable,” Nataliia Sandetska said.
Journalist Valentyna Pestushko from Kherson also lost part of her income due to the suspension of projects funded by USAID. She decided to apply to the Women in Media program to cover the cost of tutors for her daughter. Because of the war and constant shelling of Kherson, the girl cannot study offline and spends almost all her time at home, connecting to lessons through Zoom.
“This format is difficult, and it’s not always possible to fully absorb the material. That’s why we turn to tutors, especially for English. I believe language skills are particularly important for my daughter’s future. Of course, these are additional expenses, and it is not always easy to cover them,” said Valentyna Pestushko.
She added that while preparing her application documents for “We take care of you while you take care of others,” the Women in Media team treated her with care and attentiveness — something that, she said, meant a great deal:
“Because every day I am both a journalist and a mother in a frontline city. In such conditions, it is especially important to know that your work is valued and that you are supported.”As a reminder, Women in Media also runs peer support groups for women journalists — friendly meetings where participants can share their concerns, listen to others, and, if they wish, receive feedback from a psychotherapist. The next group is scheduled for September 19, 2025, and will focus on balancing journalism with motherhood, as well as the issue of reproductive pressure on women journalists. Follow Women in Media’s social media pages for registration details.