July at MARTIN Club: new spaces, support and partnership

July was a month of action for our team. We opened safe spaces for children and women, worked with communities facing the challenges of war, violence, and loss. We strengthened our expertise, launched partnership initiatives, spoke out about painful topics — and sought answers together with those around us.

CHILD PROTECTION

One of the main areas of the month is child protection. In five communities of the Dnipropetrovsk region, "Kwoka Hubs" have been launched - new spaces that are friendly to children. Here children can feel safe, express themselves, and explore the world through play, communication, and their own emotions.

As part of the work of the "Children's Support Service", we visited shelters , schools, and group homes. We conducted emotional intelligence classes, master classes, consulted, and simply talked to children — sincerely and genuinely. Because that's where trust begins. We discussed this approach at a working meeting on July 9 with representatives of juvenile prevention. We jointly analyzed complex cases and launched a mechanism for referring children to specialists. And on July 23, during the forum "Everyday for Children," the MARTIN Club team presented their experience: how we create safe spaces, work with communities, and support those who are with children every day.

OPENING SPACE

Work on security issues continued in another direction — supporting women. In partnership with the Dnipro City Council and the Leader Children and Youth Center, we opened “Your Space” — a place where you can stop, breathe, and feel like a resource. The space is located on the left bank of the Dnipro. Women who have experienced war, violence, or loss can come here. Psychological, social, and legal assistance is provided here. And, no less important, conditions have been created for recovery, rest, silence, and care.

EDUCATION

In July, we strengthened community resilience through training. We conducted a series of trainings on "Preparedness and Protection in the Event of Conflict" for teachers, social workers, and community representatives. We taught how to act in emergency situations to preserve the most important thing - life and psycho-emotional health of people.

Separately, we organized specialized training for the police. We talked about sensitivity to the topic of domestic violence, response algorithms, and trauma-informed approaches. Because it is important not only to act, but also to act with understanding.

So that every interaction with a traumatized person is not a re-trauma, but the first step towards recovery.

COUNTERACTION AGAINST VIOLENCE

Combating gender-based violence is a key area of our work. In July, we joined forces with the national police in Kryvyi Rih and conducted an information campaign right on the streets of the city. We talked about what violence is and how to recognize it. We talked about support services. We gave women contacts with whom they would not be left alone.

And what's important is that new cases were discovered, because when there is trust, a voice appears.

LEGAL SERVICE

In parallel with our fieldwork, we continued advocacy at the systemic level.

Julia Segeda, head of the legal department of the MARTIN Club, became a speaker at two professional events in the field of law and justice.

During the webinar of the Kyiv office of the Register of Losses for Ukraine, the topic was recording losses and reparations — so that justice is not only a value, but also a procedure reflected in documents and real actions.

At a seminar for judges at the National School of Judges of Ukraine, Yulia spoke about the trial of sexual crimes — through the prism of the real experiences of victims. The focus was on sensitivity, dignity, and justice — which should be present not in slogans, but in the courtroom.

EVACUATION

The MARTIN-club team also worked in the Malomykhailivska community of Dnipropetrovsk region, 17 km from the front line. At the request of the regional administration, we provided psychological support to 42 residents who were in the evacuation zone. Specialists helped people who were faced with the need to leave their homes - they consulted, reduced anxiety, and supported the decision-making process.

PEACEBUILDING

Throughout July, we organized four forum theater performances in Dnipro. Through dramatic scenes based on real events, we opened up topics that are usually kept quiet — violence, discrimination, social vulnerability, and indifference.

The format involved not only viewing, but also active participation: viewers could come on stage and suggest alternative scenarios for the development of events. This created a space for reflection and finding solutions.

According to feedback, over 90% of participants felt more understanding, solidarity, and a desire to influence change in their environment after watching.

Also, throughout July, all services of the NGO MARTIN-club worked in a stable mode: hotline, mobile teams, case managers, social workers, lawyers, psychologists, children's and women's spaces. We continued to provide humanitarian and financial support to women who have suffered from violence.

This month has once again confirmed that systemic change is only possible with trust, cooperation and open dialogue. Through our joint work, we support the safety of children, women and communities, restoring their dignity and strength for the future. We thank everyone who is involved in this change - together we move forward.