U-Power Summer Academy with Ukrainian and Moldovan Girls

In August, we conducted a 5-day Summer Academy. We gathered 30 participants aged 12-18 from different parts of Moldova, including Transnistria. Half of the group was Ukrainian teenage girls who fled to Moldova after the Russian full-scale invasion. Summer Academy covered the topics of youth and female participation, gender equality, feminism, project design, peacebuilding, and social innovation.

For this, we used various interactive formats, among which was the simulation game that the team had prepared during the Training of Trainers. The game focused on youth participation and project design. Participants learned how to collaborate with others, find common solutions, and make agreements. It also served as a playground for project idea development and application writing. Some participants highlighted that they learned fundraising and resource management basics through the game.
Using the gained knowledge and skills, the girls have developed 9 ideas for their own social change projects:

• prevention of bullying;
• violence and harassment prevention;
• fighting stereotypes and promotion of gender equality;
• promotion of feminism;
• increasing participation of vulnerable groups;
• raising awareness about ecological issues and the importance of recycling;
• fighting transphobia;
• renovation of the bus stop.

Overall, it was a great pleasure to work with young yet very bright minds, and the project team together with mentors will keep supporting the implementation of the initiatives.