#YakVdoma

Goals

Supporting Ukrainian journalists to produce rigorous and balanced information of war in Ukraine
2,9 M
21months

A project

Supported by

In partnership with

Presentation

With no resolution to the war sparked by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in sight, Ukrainian journalists continue to be targeted and bear the brunt of the war on two counts, as both citizens and media professionals. Given this situation, the RFI Ukraine project and Yak Vodma (“like being at home” in Ukrainian), jointly organised by France Médias Monde (FMM) and CFI, provides them with support that guarantees the safety of the journalists and their families, together with an environment that is conducive to their continued independent and safe coverage of the conflict.

The aim of the project’s first component, Yak Vdoma, implemented by CFI, is to provide shelter to Ukrainian journalists exiled in Romania and their families by offering them material, financial, logistical and psychosocial support, as well as training and an environment in which these journalists can work.

The second component, jointly implemented by France Médias Monde (FMM) and its subsidiary RFI România, consists of providing Ukrainian content and strengthen the Russian FMM offer, with 17 Ukrainian journalists being hired and trained to produce content that covers the conflict and its regional impact.

Verbatim
During 3 months, I had the opportunity to stay in my profession and be productive in Ukrainian journalism, despite the difficulties in the energy system and military operations in my country.
Julia Fomicheva, Ukrainian journalist

Project beneficiaries

- 30 Ukrainian journalists hosted to benefit from grants and training;
- 17 journalists hired and trained to work with RFI.

Project manager
Timothée DE MAILLARD

Files to download

Yak Vdoma

Actions

Direct assistance for Ukrainian journalists living in exile

- Support to meet personal and professional needs: accommodation (including for families, where applicable), a daily living allowance and a grant for equipment;
- Psychosocial support: referrals to various humanitarian and consular organisations, personalised psychological support.

Related news
March 16, 2023

“In the current conditions, it was even better than home”

Testimony of Julia Fomicheva, Ukrainian journalist who has just spent three months in the Yak Vdoma Residence in Bucharest (Romania).
March 21, 2023

Call for applications to join the Yak Vdoma residence in Bucharest

The Yak Vdoma residence is launching its third call for applications from independent Ukrainian journalists.
June 13, 2023

#VilniusNATOSummit Ukraine's membership of the Alliance: mission possible!

Working in partnership with RFI Romania and the Regional Centre for Advanced Francophone Research in Social Sciences (CeReFREA), the Yak Vdoma...
June 22, 2023

Journalists explore the integration of Ukrainian refugees

On 30 and 31 May 2023, journalists from the Yak Vdoma residence travelled to Constanța in eastern Romania to meet civil society organisations...
September 22, 2023

Supporting Journalists and Media Organisations in Exile

The fifth Forum on Media Organisations in Exile was held in Hamburg on 12 and 13 September, organised by the Körber Stiftung foundation.
September 28, 2023

Yak Vdoma journalists visit Moldova

From 18 to 22 September 2023, a team of journalists staying at the Yak Vdoma residence were joined by the project's coordinators and travelled to...
November 28, 2024

Book release in Kyiv - Iryna Avramenko

The struggle for the independence and integrity of Ukraine does not only have territorial and physical implications. This struggle is an...
November 28, 2024

Yak Vdoma: profiles of committed Ukrainian journalists

In September and October, a new group of Ukrainian journalists joined the Yak Vdoma residence in Bucharest.
Grand angle
February 4, 2024

Yulia Fumichova, drawing inspiration from women

Yulia Fumichova is forging links between Ukrainian women currently scattered around the country and across the whole of Europe.

February 4, 2024

Yana Skoryna, the war in Ukraine as seen from Romania

Yana Skoryna is the youngest member of the Yak Vdoma residence in Bucharest, where she seeks to use her experience in television to tell the story of...

February 4, 2024

Taisia Bakharieva, a spokesperson for female war reporters

Taisia Bakharieva gives a voice to the Ukrainian women covering the war at the front.

February 4, 2024

Olena Dyachuk, education in times of conflict

A journalist specialising in education issues, Olena Dyachuk observes the difficulties of a system stretched to breaking point by the war.

February 4, 2024

Ksenia Kalieberda: shellfire overhead and Kherson on her mind

Since the Russian invasion, Ksenia Kalieberda recounts the lives of the people of Kherson, and in particular those of her friends and family.

February 4, 2024

Konstiantyn Doroshenko, artist-in-resistance

The Yak Vdoma project's only male resident, art critic and curator Konstiantyn Doroshenko wants to write a book about Ukraine's artistic effervescence...

February 4, 2024

Oksana Gryshyna's optimistic approach to rebuilding Ukraine

Oksana Gryshyna looks at what citizens and authorities are doing to put Ukraine back on its feet and rebuild the country.

Enhancing the editorial and operational abilities of the journalists

- Training on fact-checking and combating disinformation, conflict-sensitive journalism, and digital and physical security;
- Providing extensive coaching to the Ukrainian journalists who will join the RFI Ukraine team and improving their professional skills.

Related news
February 1, 2023

Misinformation surrounding the war in Ukraine

The French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs visits Yak Vdoma, the residence set up by CFI for independent Ukrainian journalists in exile.
April 4, 2023

Digital security at the heart of the training programmes at Yak Vdoma Hub

The Yak Vdoma project beneficiaries and coordinators participated in a training programme on digital security run by the association Nothing2Hide...
April 20, 2023

Ukrainian journalists in times of war: the second year of fighting

On 21 March 2023, in partnership with the French Embassy in Romania and the French Institute in Bucharest, the Yak Vdoma Residence organised a...
July 19, 2023

Meeting between journalists and African delegations in Bucharest

On 4 July 2023, at the request of the Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Yak Vdoma residence welcomed a delegation of high-level experts...
August 7, 2023

Exchange of fact-checking experiences in Bucharest

On 1 and 2 August 2023, journalists at the Yak Vdoma Residence took part in a training course on fact-checking and OSINT, in partnership with...
September 14, 2023

Amplifying the voices of Ukrainian women

On 6 September, in collaboration with UNESCO, the Centre for Independent Journalism organised a multi-stakeholder discussion in Bucharest on the...
October 16, 2023

A conference on digital safety in the media is held in Geneva

Oksana Baldina, a journalist benefiting from the Yak Vdoma project that supports independent Ukrainian journalists, opened the annual European...
November 22, 2023

Supporting Ukrainian journalists to ensure independent and balanced coverage of the war

On 23 November 2023, Thierry Vallat, Chairman and Managing Director of CFI, Marie Christine Saragosse, CEO of France Médias Monde and Jean-Marc...
August 14, 2024

Georgia: Ukrainian journalists analyse the political stakes in the Caucasus region

From 22 to 26 July 2024, several Ukrainian journalists had the opportunity to delve into the political and social realities of Georgia and the...

Producing a greater volume of reliable content covering the conflict

- Creating a Ukrainian and Russian-language newsroom, with the recruitment of 17 Ukrainian journalists and managerial and technical staff;
- Developing a multilingual digital platform (Ukrainian and Russian);
- Supporting the journalistic output of Ukrainian journalists in exile and in residence.

Related news
March 5, 2024

Ukrainian journalists meet with expert, Igor Fedyk

On 15 February 2024, the Yak Vdoma team in Bucharest organised a very informative meeting and discussion between journalists benefiting from the...