Why We Donate?

Philanthropic culture is mainly aimed at humanitarian causes. On the other hand, it is not a secret that there are bad practices when rich individuals are left to decide on common good. Our idea is that feminist philanthropy best meets its mission of political changes when it carries clear articulations heading towards achieving justice and creating equality with the horizon of anti-nationalist and anti-racist non-violent society. Support to organizations’ work, not charity! Support to joint struggles, not the savior syndrome!

In order to better understand why feminist philanthropy is our future, we are starting a new series of interviews and videos in which we will think and speak loudly, and try to respond to the question why do we donate?.

Jelena Ačanski (Uncut Creations): We Cannot Monetize Personal Assistance

20/11/2024

The photo shows a smiling Jelena Ačanski hugging a black and orange-and-white cat

Jelena Ačanski holds a PhD in biological sciences and, as she says, a preschool diploma in vector illustration design. Her endlessly charming illustrations have quietly won the hearts of cat lovers, but beyond the witty messages on t-shirts for cat enthusiasts, Jelena is also known for her solidarity-driven campaigns. This time, we’re talking to her for the “Why We Donate” section about her contributions to the “Living Upright” Center and the accessibility of personal assistant services for people with disabilities, as well as her views on solidarity, community, and creating a more just world.

Danka Spasovski – Feminist education is essential in peace activism

23/11/2023

Danka Spasovski is a licensed psychologist, consultant for women who have experienced physical, psychological, and sexual violence and trauma, and a stipend recipient of the Reconstruction Women’s Fund. As part of the campaign “Feminist Education – Fight for Peace,” we talked to her about the stipend program and the importance of feminist education today.

Leila Hessini: Feminist philanthropy – communities of care, solidarity and faith in humanity

15/11/202314/11/2023

Leila Hessini is a transnational feminist leader, advocate, and advisor with over 25 years of organizing and grantmaking experience advancing human rights, gender equality, and sexual and reproductive health rights and justice in the United States and globally.

Zeina Abdel Khalik: Philanthropy can respond to real needs and bring structural changes to complex social problems

25/07/202324/07/2023

Zeina Abdel Khalik is a feminist and human rights advocate. She has a BS in Biology (2002) and Masters in Public Health (2004) from The American University of Beirut. She is a certified gender trainer from KIT University- Amsterdam (2020) and has been working in the field of women’s rights and gender equality for the past 15 years.

Francesca Fornari: Solidarity is eliminating borders between those who give and those who receive

27/06/2023

Francesca was born in Italy, where she got M.A. degree in pedagogy and participated in the work of several collectives and organizations. Paths of activism and informal education brought her to Serbia, and she has been part of Volunteers` Center of Vojvodina since November 2019. In her spare, but also working time, she enjoys her pedagogical and social activities, reading, and gardening.

Center “Living Upright”: If we invest in people or in organisation, we invest in ourselves

29/03/202323/03/2023

Center “Living Upright” from Novi Sad represents a special place of encounters, exchange and acting, not only for disabled persons and their families but for a wider community. This kind of mutual trust takes years to build. About the struggles, achievements and challenges throughout these years we speak with Mima Ružičić-Novković, a founder and president of the Center, and Jelena Sokref, a long time member and activist.

Alternative girls’ center: Education of girls is a crucial part of the fight for emancipation

23/01/202323/01/2023

Alternative girls’ center was founded almost ten years ago, and has been a birth place of many important feminists, peace-building, and educational projects and actions for girls and young women in Kruševac and Rasina districts have occurred. Also, in the last couple of years it has became well-known for its feminist philanthropy campaigns to support girls. We are talking about all these topics with Jelena Memet, one of co-founders and coordinator of the Alternative girls’ center.

Tamara Šmidling: Return to Solidarity and Trust

18/11/202218/11/2022

Tamara Šmidling, an anthropologist, was born in Belgrade and lived for two decades in Sarajevo. Her main activist and professional focus are in the field of politics of memory and the ways in which societies address specific periods of their history, especially those periods of massive violence from the past. She is currently a program coordinator at Kvinna til Kvinna Foundation where she is dealing with questions of gender-based violence, women’s economic rights, sustainability, and strengthening of women’s and the feminist movement.

Paola Petrić: Solidarity is the struggle for equality and readiness to help everyone suffering injustice

30/11/202220/10/2022

Paola Petrić is „a new woman for a new era“, Program Coordinator and Deputy Office Director of the Regional Office of Heinrich Böll Stiftung Serbia, Montenegro and Kosovo. Paola has been dealing for years with housing policies, green economies, gender equality, and other important issues, and at the same time have also been a long-term individual donor to the women’s movement.

Tania Turner: Which side do we act from?

04/10/2022

Tania Turner holds a B.A. in Sociology and a Master’s degree in Political and Social Sciences from the UNAM (National Autonomous University of Mexico). She has been a monitoring and evaluation analyst for Freedom House Mexico and Research in Health, and Demographics (Insad). She is part of Rizoma Collective, focused on recovering traditional knowledge and urban gardening.

Jelena Ačanski (Uncut Creations): We Cannot Monetize Personal Assistance

Danka Spasovski – Feminist education is essential in peace activism

Leila Hessini: Feminist philanthropy – communities of care, solidarity and faith in humanity

Zeina Abdel Khalik: Philanthropy can respond to real needs and bring structural changes to complex social problems

Francesca Fornari: Solidarity is eliminating borders between those who give and those who receive

Center “Living Upright”: If we invest in people or in organisation, we invest in ourselves

Alternative girls’ center: Education of girls is a crucial part of the fight for emancipation

Tamara Šmidling: Return to Solidarity and Trust

Paola Petrić: Solidarity is the struggle for equality and readiness to help everyone suffering injustice

Tania Turner: Which side do we act from?

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