Witches from Kolsko
Kolsko
They are a group of 14 women living in a small village in the Lubuskie voivodeship – “a white spot on the map of NGOs”, as they write. They meet to fulfil their cultural needs and to belong to a community of women. They live in the countryside, away from cinemas, museums, theatres, or cafes. “The only meeting point in our town is the bus stop (!). We don’t want to meet only in the community centre for patriotic evenings”, they say.
“Feminism in the countryside has a different face than in the city and whatever deviates from tradition, a common norm performed by women, is a feminist activity”
In small towns, women’s initiative, the desire to be a leader, social activity or professional aspirations are still perceived negatively, and at best as a whim, and not only in the eyes of men. “We commonly refer to ourselves as Witches because we break patterns, we want to experience and implement our ideas outside the box”, they say. They believe that it is unacceptable for people who think differently than the majority to be denied the floor.
“We want girls from rural areas to have the strength and courage to carry out their plans, and for those who do not dare, we want our place to be a respite from the hardships of everyday life in a small village”
They have planned a series of weekend meetings for their group to inspire, stimulate, and strengthen them. These will be leadership workshops, women’s circles and discussion meeting on women’s rights, “Thanks to the project, we will create a safe meeting place, where there will be a space for free exchange of ideas and activities”.
Grant amount: PLN 4,400.00 PLN
Photos: Witches from Kolsko
Photos: Emilia Oksentowicz/ .kolektyw