Anna Gulevska-Chernysh is a dear friend.. Anna plays a special role in the history of WAGGGS. Anna was the first President of the Association of Ukrainian Guides (1995-2001).
I am a Canadian (of Ukrainian descent- my maternal grandparents were from Lviv region in western Ukraine). Anna and I met and became friends in the early 1990s when I worked for WAGGGS as a Development Executive for the CIS countries (former Soviet Union).
1996 World Conference in Canada when Ukraine became Associate Member - Anna is 2nd from left - and I am seated on right
A dedicated Guiding leader, in addition to her important role shaping Ukrainian Guides, Anna volunteered for a year in Pax Lodge and was a young member of the WAGGGS European Committee from 2001 to 2004. Anna and I have stayed connected, visiting each other and each other's families in Canada and Ukraine.
Anna served as the director of the Ukrainian Philanthropists Forum for 10 years and was actively involved in the institutional development of the charity sector in Ukraine. Right now, Anna is the co-founder and Chair of the Board of NGO SILab Ukraine, which focuses on the development of social entrepreneurship and social innovation in Ukraine.
Shelter Ukraine is hoping for support and Anna’s appeal has received endorsement from the National Council of the Association of Ukrainian Guides. Shelter Ukraine is focused on helping internally displaced Ukrainians by raising resources and creating shelters.