First Lady Kateryna Sets a Good Example

By Olena Wawryshyn

In the midst of the current political turmoil in Ukraine and the disenchantment with the leadership of Victor Yushchenko since the dissolution of the Cabinet, Kateryna Yushchenko, the President’s wife, has been keeping herself busy by supporting some of Ukraine’s most deserving causes.

The Chicago-born Kateryna, who is often referred to by the Ukrainian media as the “Persha Ledi,” seems to be carving out an active and high-profile role for herself based on the model of the American First Lady. 

Kateryna has her own special section on President Yushchenko’s official website, where a listing of her various appearances,  photos and texts of her speeches given at various events are published. She has recently been seen at glamourous fashion shows in Paris and has been interviewed by glossy women’s magazine Harper’s Bazaar.

A keen supporter of various charities and social and cultural organizations, she heads the non-governmental organization  Ukraine-3000 International Foundation, which was initiated by her husband in 1991 “to develop the traditions of charity and care.”

In contrast, the spouses of Canadian prime ministers keep a low profile. Few in Canada know what Prime Minister Paul Martin’s wife’s interests are, let alone what she looks like. During the very long political career of former Prime Minister Jean Chretien, his elegant and intelligent wife, Aline, modestly stayed on the sidelines. 

Before the election of Prime Minister Tony Blair, whose wife, Cherie, is often seen in the media, the situation was similar in Britain.  Former Prime Minister John Major’s wife, Norma, and even Margaret Thatcher’s husband, Denis, both stayed out of the limelight.

Since they are not elected by the people, it is fitting that spouses of political figures in democracies do not act as if it is they who have been given a mandate by the people.

However, given that Kateryna has chosen to take on a highly visible role in Ukraine, it is laudable that she has been supporting some of the most deserving causes in that country. Promoting excellence in education, Ukrainian culture and supporting social services that help the most disadvantaged and disenfranchised have been her main areas of focus. In addition, Kateryna has played an important role in underlining the importance of philanthropists, a much-needed message in a country where the rich seem to be lacking a conception of noblesse oblige, or a sense of duty to help others in society.

This month, Kateryna was at a ceremony to mark the 390th anniversary of the Kyiv Mohyla Academy.  Speaking at the liberal arts university, which has historically been a critical force in developing and sustaining a Ukrainian identity, she praised the Academy and mentioned one of its early benefactors, Halshka Hlevychivna, who donated a substantial sum to the Academy in 1615.

Last month, Kateryna took part in a ceremony, organized by the Ukrainian office of the International Organization for Migration (IOM), to honour Ukrainian organizations and persons that actively combat human trafficking.  The horrendous problem of human trafficking is one that few in Ukraine have hitherto paid enough attention to. According to IOM data, every year, about four million people (mostly children and women) are sexually exploited by human traders. Ukraine is among the ten countries most affected by the trade in people.

By speaking out on this issue, Kateryna is hopefully both alerting unsuspecting women of the dangers that lurk behind promises of employment abroad and galvanizing Ukrainians to seek out and prosecute criminals involved in this barbaric practice.

In her role as the head of the Ukraine-3000 Foundation, she and a representative of the Procter&Gamble Company, presented four emergency cars, worth 1.5 million hryvni, to the Cherkasy Centre of Emergency Medicine and children’s regional hospitals in Uzhhorod, Kirovohrad and Luhansk.  Procter&Gamble had previously already donated over 900,000 hryvni to the Foundation. Their example may spur Ukrainian businessmen to donate to worthy causes.

Kateryna has also recently visited children with cancer and patients suffering with burns and AIDs, in hospitals in Ukraine and in the United States.  By demonstrating sympathy to those in need she is being a good role model in a country where the interests of the less fortunate are too often forgotten.

While in Chicago, Kateryna also took part in a ceremony remembering the 1932-1933 Ukrainian Famine victims.  Through these types of actions, she is helping Ukrainians re-discover a part of their history that had been suppressed during the Soviet years.  

In the current political climate in Ukraine, President Yushchenko could probably benefit by taking a few pointers from his wife on public relations if he wants to keep his already faltering image intact.