Tetiana Semikop
The Secret of Happiness is in Simple Things:
Helping People Makes Me Feel Absolutely Happy
Head of the Board of the Public Movement “Faith, Hope, Love”,
Member of the International Club of Successful Women
WORLD WOMAN CLUB
"The secret of happiness is in simple things: helping people makes me feel absolutely happy" - Tetiana Semikop, Head of the Board of the Public Movement "Faith, Hope, Love"
Choosing the path of public and social work, you rarely think about the fact that this is not taught in universities. Just one moment you realize that you can't feel happy without helping other people.
Almost 40 years ago, Tatyana began to deal with difficult children. Then she served in law enforcement structures. These were children whose lives were broken by us, adults. Difficulties and obstacles, but a clear understanding of how this can be changed if you work correctly and honestly at all levels. And then there was the first severe case... death of a three-year-old child. And after that there were hundreds of such difficult situations in her practice. At that time the realization that it was necessary to work with vulnerable categories of citizens much deeper and wider came to her.
In 1996, Tetiana Semikop created the Public Movement “Faith, Hope, Love”. It was these words that at that moment had a deep meaning and a source of inspiration for support. The first projects were aimed at HIV/AIDS prevention among commercial sex workers and human trafficking prevention. Activists of the Public Movement "Faith, Hope, Love" were the first to lay the route. And until now, the organization helps not only its beneficiaries, but also other public organizations, creating a strong network of interaction and partnership within the country and abroad. Tetiana Semikop actively cooperates with politicians, and achieved big changes in the legislation on HIV/AIDS, prevention of human trafficking and domestic violence.
More than ten years ago, the organization opened the “Sofia” Center in Odessa for women and children victims of violence. It became the first in Ukraine. Here women and children can find shelter, receive psychological, legal, social and humanitarian assistance. Survivors are provided with comprehensive assistance, they are assisted in their socialization and employment. All these projects are widely known in Ukraine, and Tetiana Semikop became the personification of a strong women's movement who defends women's rights, takes care of children and can radically change a person's life for the better.
And then came 2014 and the war in eastern Ukraine. Hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians were forced to leave their homes and disperse throughout the country. The first facts of sexual violence during the military conflict and new challenges in working with internally displaces persons have appeared.
Further, the well-known and terrible date in the history of Ukraine is February 24, 2022. The day that divided the whole world into before and after. Panic, fear, forced evacuation and the realization that you need to get together and take action. Then Tetiana began to call all the employees and support them morally. “This is our life, it cannot be postponed - our duty is to help everyone we can!”, - it was these words of her that became motivating. And it so happened that not only those who left returned to the organization, but a much larger number of volunteers and employees joined.
Now FHL employs 250 people and a significant part are those who were forced to flee to Odessa from other regions. “Faith, Hope, Love” managed to expand its activities, open other help centers, introduce psychological counseling for adults and children, provide displaced people with dozens of tons of humanitarian aid, launch mobile teams to counter all forms of violence with the support of the UNFPA. The Public Movement "Faith, Hope, Love" has expanded its work not only in the south of the country, but throughout all of Ukraine.
“Today, the people of Ukraine still need the support of the whole world, and we are ready to work together to bring our Victory Day closer as soon as possible!”
Public movement "Faith, Hope, Love"