The taste of success: the story of Valeriia Shynkarenko
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Valeriia Shynkarenko believed in her dream and decided to turn it into reality. This is how she launched her own sushi business in Myrhorod. As she developed her business, Valeriia also sought to improve her entrepreneurial skills and explore new opportunities for growth.
That is why she took part in the NIZHNA project (Unbreakable Initiative of Women — Persistent and Active), implemented by the NGO “Light of Hope” with technical support from UN Women Ukraine and funding from the…
A new beginning after loss: the story of Olena Khodusova
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Olena Khodusova’s family had invested nearly all their savings into their apartment in Bakhmut, Donetsk region, and its renovation. However, she was confident that over time she and her husband would be able to restore their financial stability, as they had a successful business. Yet, due to Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the family lost everything — both their home and the business they had built over the years.
At first, Olena, together with her husband, child, and…
Starting with what you know: Tetiana Kovalenko’s story of a new beginning after displacement
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Due to Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Tetiana Kovalenko relocated from Kharkiv to the Valky community. At first, she felt lost — her life had changed drastically, and she needed to find a new sense of stability. Over time, Tetiana realized she should start with what she knows best. She began offering her massage services within the community and gradually built up her first client base.
For now, Tetiana does not plan to return to her hometown, primarily for the safety of her…
Story of Yuliia Shubina: how to start a business in a new city after forced displacement
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After leaving Kharkiv due to Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Yuliia Shubina found herself in a new and unfamiliar city. Despite all the challenges, she decided to pursue something that would bring joy to people. This is how her journey into entrepreneurship began.
Through her participation in the NIZHNA project (Unbreakable Initiative of Women — Persistent and Active), implemented by the NGO “Light of Hope” funded by The United Nations Women’s Peace and Humanitarian Fund (WPHF…
Supporting women and girls in Kharkiv: why sustained funding matters
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Since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion, UN Women Ukraine has been working in Kharkiv - 30 km from the frontline. Together with NGO “Unity Platform” and city authorities, we support displaced women and girls across collective sites.
Yet as needs grow, funding for women's organizations is rapidly decreasing. Watch this video to see how this work is supporting women and girls in Kharkiv - and why flexible, multi-year support for women's organizations remains essential…
Stories of resilience: why supporting women’s organizations in Ukraine is critical
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"I arrived with just one bag. I came for three days, but I have been here for three years." This is how Valentina, an internally displaced woman from Kharkiv, located just 30 km from the frontline, describes the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
This video is about women whose lives have been changed by war – and why direct, flexible and multi-year funding for women's organizations is essential.
In 2025, women's organizations in Ukraine lost over $27M…
“Of Course, You Can!” | When Stereotypes Step Aside, Opportunities Appear
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80% of registered unemployed people in Ukraine are women. At the same time, the full-scale invasion has significantly reshaped the dynamics of the Ukrainian labour market. The workforce shortage continues to grow.
Gender stereotypes should not determine the future of Ukraine’s economy. Women are needed in the Ukrainian labour market now more than ever.
Women deminers, drivers, scientists, and technical specialists are not exceptions. They are a reality. Women…
Losing a home twice and starting over: the story of Olena Moskvichenko
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Olena Moskvichenko was forced to leave her native Luhansk region twice because of the war. The first time was in 2014, when she lived for some time in Kremenchuk in the Poltava region, but later returned home.
At the beginning of 2022, on the eve of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Olena came to Kremenchuk again — this time to give birth to her child. Due to active hostilities in the Luhansk region, she was unable to return home.
Losing her home and family business forced…
The story of Mariia Korniienko: how to develop a family business during wartime
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Mariia Korniienko from Kharkiv, together with her family, runs and continues to grow a family business — a bakery and a semi-finished food production workshop. Before Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, she worked as an employee, but after the war began, she lost her job and was forced to relocate to Valky in the Kharkiv region.
In Valky, Mariia became involved in providing humanitarian assistance to people affected by the war, established new connections, and gained experience…
The story of Nataliia Bublichenko: an eco-farm with unique chicken breeds
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Nataliia Bublichenko breeds black-skinned chickens that lay colored eggs and develops her own eco-farm “KoKoRela” in her free time alongside her main job. Together with her husband Yurii, she is a human rights defender.
Before Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the couple lived in the Saltivskyi district of Kharkiv, which came under intense shelling from the very first days of the war. In the spring of 2022, they were forced to relocate to a rural area in the Poltava region,…
How a winner of the NIZHNA project is developing her own beekeeping business
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Diana Hrynko was born into a family of beekeepers and from an early age helped her parents with their craft. Before Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, she was a student in her beloved city of Kharkiv, where she was studying finance.
Due to constant shelling, Diana was forced to relocate to Poltava. It was there that she decided not only to help her parents sell honey, but also to expand the range of beekeeping products and develop the family business — “Medova Lavka”.
…
She Leads Ukraine | Women leaders in the recovery of communities in the northern regions of Ukraine
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Women leaders from Kyiv, Sumy, and Chernihiv regions came together during the regional She Leads Ukraine Forum “Women’s Resilience and Agency in Northern Regions of Ukraine”.
The forum provided a space to share experiences, offer support, and strengthen the role of women in community recovery, entrepreneurship, and decision-making processes. Participants, including local government representatives, civil society members, and program alumnae, shared their…
She Drives | Freight transport without stereotypes
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Do “men-only” professions still exist in the freight transport sector today?
MHP-Logistics and Fozzy Group Logistics confidently answer no.
The logistics sector in Ukraine is changing, and women are increasingly entering professions that were once considered male-dominated, such as truck driving.
For MHP-Logistics and Fozzy Group Logistics, engaging women in freight transport is not an experiment, but a strategy for sustainable development…
She Drives | Truck Drivers: Stories of Courage and Drive
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What does a woman feel behind the wheel of a 20-ton truck? Freedom and pride in her work!
In this video, Vira Babii and Valentyna Chernova (participants in the She Drives project and truck drivers at MHP-Logistics) and Halyna Chaikovska (truck driver at Fozzy Group Logistics) share their stories about their love for the road, making responsible career choices, and how women confidently succeed in freight transportation…
She Drives | Employers’ Perspectives and Practical Solutions
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In this video, employers in the bus transportation sector explain why they became partners with the She Drives project and actively recruit women to become bus drivers.
- KLR Bus has been operating in international transport for over 10 years and already employs women drivers who work successfully and recommend the company to others.
- Lviv…
She Drives | How women are transforming passenger transport
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Tetiana, Khrystyna, and Olena are She Drives participants now working as bus drivers in passenger transport.
They came from different backgrounds but share one thing: the courage to move forward and embrace change.
In the video, they share
- How they switched careers
- Why driving a bus…
She Leads Ukraine | Women’s Leadership and Political Participation in Times of Challenges
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She Leads Ukraine is a UN Women initiative aimed at advancing women’s leadership and strengthening women’s political participation in Ukraine. In 2025, 600 women from all regions of the country took part in the initiative.
This video was created during the She Leads Ukraine Forum, held on 28 November 2025 in Kyiv, which became a key milestone of the…
EXPO 2025 | Women’s Entrepreneurship Driving Ukraine’s Economic Growth
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In 2025, women in Ukraine founded 60% of all new companies, driving job creation, innovation, and economic resilience across the country.
This video captures the Women’s Entrepreneurship EXPO 2025 satellite event in Kyiv, which brought together around 200 participants, including women entrepreneurs, private sector partners, business accelerators, international organizations, and civil society. The…
Women For The Future: Final Career Day 2022–2025
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On 15 November, the Women For The Future Career Day took place in Kyiv, an event dedicated to career development and employment opportunities for Ukrainian women in modern industries.
The Career Day marked the culmination of four years of work under the Women For The Future initiative (2022–2025), which has already supported tens of…
Yes, I’m a driver. And this is my place!
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When a little girl chooses a toy car among other toys, it’s not just about play; it’s about choosing a path. A path toward confidence, professionalism, and equality.
The new video from the She Drives project tells the story of a woman who broke stereotypes and chose a profession once considered “male-only.”
The main character is Tetyana Yurkevych, a graduate of the She Drives project, who now works as a public transport driver at Kyivpastrans…