Resilience Begins with People: Art Therapy Session Held in Chernihiv

Last week in Chernihiv, a mental well-being event for the Chernihiv regional team took place as part of the project “Strengthening the Institutional Capacity of the ‘Public Resources and Initiatives’ Charity Foundation.” The project is implemented by the Foundation with technical support of UN Women Ukraine funded by the The United Nations Women’s Peace and Humanitarian Fund (WPHF).

WPHF is a flexible and rapid financing mechanism supporting quality interventions designed to enhance the capacity of women to prevent conflict, respond to crises and emergencies, and seize key peacebuilding opportunities.

The meeting was held in an art-therapy format featuring elements of coffee painting. It focused on supporting participants’ mental health, reducing emotional tension, and restoring the team’s inner resources at the end of an intense year.

“At the end of the year, we usually take stock, report on our work, and plan for the future. And amid all this hustle, it is very important to pause—to take a breath, feel the moment, and be together,” shared Liubov Yaroshyk, the Foundation’s representative in Chernihiv. According to her, this was not just a creative experiment but a full-fledged art-therapy space where the aroma of coffee and the gentle movement of brushes helped participants slow down, release tension, and listen to themselves. Each artwork reflected an inner state—both a summary of the year and a soft transition to a new stage. Through a simple action—painting—participants processed emotions, thanked themselves for the path they had taken, and replenished their inner resources.

At the core of this event, as with all the Foundation’s activities, is a people-centered approach that is sensitive to diverse experiences. A significant share of civic initiatives in the regions is carried out by women who combine professional work, volunteering, caring for loved ones, and responding to the wartime crises. That is why the Foundation pays special attention to creating safe spaces for support and recovery for those who hold teams and communities together under challenging conditions.

At the same time, the Foundation consistently follows an inclusive approach, recognizing the diversity of gender identities, roles, and life experiences. All our activities are grounded in respect for each person’s dignity and in creating an environment where everyone can be heard, supported, and meaningfully engaged in joint work.

Such mental well-being initiatives remind us that caring for teams’ mental health is not a luxury—it is a necessary condition for long-term effectiveness, development, and the ability of civil society organizations to remain a pillar for their communities even in the most difficult times.

This publication is produced with funding from the United Nations Women's Peace and Humanitarian Fund (WPHF), however, the views expressed and content included does not imply official endorsement or acceptance by the United Nations.

Background information:
The United Nations Women’s Peace and Humanitarian Fund (WPHF) is the unified global mechanism created exclusively to support women’s participation in peacebuilding and security processes, as well as in humanitarian action. Governed by representatives of civil society, governments, and the United Nations, WPHF is a multi-partner trust fund that mobilizes urgently needed financing for local women-led organizations and works alongside women on the front lines to build sustainable peace. Since 2016, WPHF has provided funding and capacity support to more than 1,000 local women’s civil society organizations working on the Women, Peace and Security agenda and implementing humanitarian activities in 41 crisis-affected countries worldwide.