If go back to the background of our organization, it is necessary to say about 1996 – exactly that time future founders and first members of the Totem met in the courses of television, which were organized in Kherson by the producer from Kharkiv with the purpose to prepare the staff for a new TV channel. During the first year we became the true team, but the TV channel did not appear, and our “producer” sold all equipment and departed to Israel. We had to start from the beginning and from a complete zero. We worked at the future “Totem” director’s home, earned small money in credit for equipment, searched for partners and sponsors. Then we cooperated with the charitable fund named after John Howard, which gave us an apartment and possibility to work on social initiatives of the Fund. In three years the Kherson Regional Fund of Mercy and Health advised us to create our own organization – so the TOTEM Kherson Center of Youth Initiatives was born.

 

For the next years the Totem implemented a lot of programs and projects of different level (local, regional, national, international) – over 100. The organization received support from international donor organizations, from local-authority and community. And we are proud of that among our projects there were no unsuccessful ones, – all of them were realized at the most high-quality, creative, responsible level, that is confirmed by numerous letters, certificates and awards which can be seen in the office of organization. The amount of volunteers grows annually, new young people come with new ideas, however the majority of people who worked in the organization during different periods of time remain “the Totem’s members” forever and keep in touch with the organization even if now they live in other countries.

 

We cooperate very closely with other public organizations both in Ukraine and abroad – and it is not only the experience exchange programs but also general actions and projects.

We are open for collaboration, but we always remind one joe miller to all who will decide to come to the Totem with his or her idea, – any initiative is punished by responsibility! If you are ready not only to generate ideas, but also to work hard over their implementation – the doors of the TOTEM Center of Youth Initiatives are open for you!