Two FLEX alumnae participated in the prestigious 2014 Clinton Global Initiative University (CGI U) in March hosted by former President Bill Clinton, former Secretary of State Hilary Clinton, and Chelsea Clinton because of a volunteer project the duo created in Central Ukraine.
FLEX alumni coordinator for Central Ukraine Kateryna Zhupanova '09 and Daria Batalova '12 created Help and Travel, a volunteer project funded by the US Embassy in Ukraine and the FLEX Alumni Grants Program. The Help and Travel project toured 21 participants by bus through six regions in Ukraine, introducing community projects and inspiring positive change along the way.
Recognized for their efforts for the project, the alumnae joined fellow young leaders at the 7th Annual CGI U in Tempe, Arizona to discuss and develop innovative solutions to pressing global challenges such as poverty, substandard education, and public health. More than 1,100 students, youth organizations, topic experts, and celebrities were in attendance. Participants learned critical skills, attended informative plenary sessions, and built a comprehensive network of peers and experts in a variety of fields from around the world.
Not only accepted into CGI U, Kateryna and Daria were admitted into the highly competitive Exchange Exhibition, where they presented Help and Travel to hundreds of attendees, and were able to establish connections with potential partnerships and funding opportunities. At the conclusion of the conference, they took part in the Day of Action at a community garden, which brought together volunteers to kick-start a green transformation in Phoenix.
With the help of a generous travel grant from the Public Affairs Section of the US Embassy in Ukraine, Kateryna and Daria were not only able to attend CGI U, but also reunite with their respective host families in Arizona and California. The pair returned to Ukraine with sharpened skills, a fresh perspective, and newfound inspiration.
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