As part of the Rooted Resistance – National Ecofeminist Network for Climate Action and Empowerment project, another WenDo workshop on assertiveness and self-defence for women has taken place.
This time, we worked with an exceptional group of activists and community organisers from Poland, Belarus, and Ukraine. The workshop provided an opportunity for intensive work, exchanging experiences, and supporting one another.
During the workshop, we focused, among other things, on feeling safe in public spaces, recognising our own boundaries, making decisions, and responding to situations that require quick action. Working on our sense of agency and confidence in our own abilities was also an important part of the sessions.
We discussed how the skills developed during workshops like these are important not only in everyday life and personal development. They are also essential for women involved in social activism, running local initiatives, and working for the benefit of their communities.
One of the important themes throughout the workshop was the power of community and sisterhood. Working for others requires commitment, courage, and a sense of agency, but that does not mean we have to do it alone. Mutual support, sharing experiences, and knowing that others face similar challenges can be an important source of strength.
The workshop was filled with active participation, conversations, exercises, and shared experiences. We would like to thank all the participants for their openness, energy, and commitment, and for creating a safe space for working together.
WenDo is about more than assertiveness and self-defence. It is also about agency, community, and mutual support.
