Team
About us
“Sylni” is a charitable Fund that provides assistance to people who survived sexual violence after 24 February 2022 confidentially and free of charge. The Fund was established by Yaryna Vyshenska and Nadiia Volchenska right after evidence about gruesome crimes and dozens of rape cases by russian soldiers were revealed to the world from Bucha.
From that moment onwards our Fund’s main goal is to assist sexual violence survivors with reinstating their own inner strength. We want to make sure that this event was not the most significant in one’s life. We know that violence is hard to forget but we are strongly convinced that it can be lived through.
We are funded by donations - over 6 thousand people have already contributed to our Fund and supported those, who survived sexual violence.
Our mission
We work to ensure that everyone who survived sexual violence could receive specialized assistance and could live the best of their lives despite a trauma they experienced.
Our goals
Comprehensive assistance. Offering professional and effective assistance in different spheres that will help survivors to deal with trauma and prevent future cases of sexual violence.
Information sharing. Informing our society about different types of sexual violence and types of assistance one can receive. We want to popularize consent culture, respect and mutual assistance. We contribute towards developing a society with a zero tolerance to sexual violence.
Awareness raising. Debunking stereotypes, biases and pseudo-scientific approaches of sexual violence assessments. Ethical training for specialists who work with people who survived sexual violence. Develop standard operating procedures (SOPs) for medical and police staff.
Advocacy. Advocating amendments and changes of current legislation to ensure that perpetrators were brought to justice and survivors had access to professional treatment and assistance.
Capacity building. Improving our team’s expertise, contributing to continuous development and learning to ensure we can provide specialized assistance to survivors from all over Ukraine.
Our team
Specialists in various fields that work and volunteer to ensure we offer qualified assistance. Each of us is guided by ethics, confidentiality and safety of those who reach us for assistance.
Yaryna Vyshenska
co-founder
“I want that all who survived sexual violence could leave their trauma behind without carrying it to the future, their children and our country. This is one of key aspects of mature and healthy society, which is free of sexual violence”.
Nadiia Volchenska
co-founder
“I realized that I have the capacity to develop a project which was so needed back in 2014 when war invaded my hometown. In the meantime, this is something that creates my own senses to continue my work and life in Ukraine”.
Olha Bondarchuk
operations manager
“I’ve wanted to be involved in assistance for people who survived sexual violence for quite a while. Together with the Sylni team I am now able to assist effectively. I also met a team of incredible women who aim to contribute to changes in this sphere”.
Vira Stadnyk
communications manager
“To raise awareness about sexual violence and support those who survived it. I believe that everyone is responsible for a contribution we make towards destigmatizing and creating a society where everyone is included and feels safe”.
Anastasiia Neboha
content manager
Iryna Levchenko
designer
“Work in Sylni gives me an opportunity not only to withstand sexual violence and harmful stereotypes but also to be surrounded by people who share same values and worldview. This is a place where “feminism” and “LGBT” words don’t threaten anyone. It’s a place where you can be yourself and write about important issues and at the same time help others”.
“I am here to make sure that all information shared by the Fund is easy to see and perceive”.
Volunteers
Anastasiia Krasnoplakhtych
Iryna Loik
“I am with Sylni because I believe survivor’s assistance and stigma around sexual violence can be debunked. Changes won’t happen if you just hope for them and remain inactive. I want to be a person who contributes to change. Change that would enable Ukraine to be a safe place for all”.
“I believe that help is within a request away.
“Sylni team is about passionate people who are truly committed to their values in life and work, within our team or with people who we help”.
Victoriia Povh
Liudmyla Bobeika
“I am with Sylni because I know what it is like where your body and personal space is being mistreated. I really want that people who survived sexual violence believed that there’s a life beyond traumatic experience”.
"Circumstances force us to perceive the world as a dangerous place, teach us not to trust. But "Sylni" shows that no one is alone with their difficulties and is worthy of the help and support they need and it is not a shame to ask for them, because it is a manifestation of strength. That is why I with them".
Mariia Zubova
Anastasiia Kondratiuk
Andriana Lele
“I joined Sylni because of a massive injustice and hopelessness but with a huge desire to help people who have survived sexual violence. Within a short span of time a small team of like-minded volunteers has become like a sisterhood where I can share the craziest of my ideas and I will always be heard”.
“I am with Sylni because I cannot tolerate violence in any of its forms,because I love Ukrainian, because I believe in everything the Fund is doing and I want to do my best to ensure that there’s a community of help”.
“I am with Sylni because I want to make sure that people who have survived violence could receive quality assistance and support and be sure that lives go on”.
Anastasiia Stepko
“I have survived violence myself. I did not have a chance to receive any help and I was scared. I really want that people who survived violence did not stay alone with a guilt that they have no responsibility for. It is really important for me and I want to be a part of a solution”.
Kateryna Pavlenko
Tetiana Pavliuchenko
“I joined Sylni because I wanted to transform people’s pain and my own anger for what russians have done into something meaningful. I want to help in ways I can and to make sure people who survived violence could lead happy lives”.
“I am with Sylni because it’s truly inspiring to observe purposeful girls with unique approaches and talents unite and build from scratch a working and meaningful project. I fight my cynicism and now I am sure that if you fall there’s always someone to catch you. But most importantly - I try to help those who need it”.