From Fear to Confidence: Tetiana’s Story of Overcoming Fear

This is the story of Tetiana, an internally displaced woman from Zaporizhzhia, who lost her sense of stability, social circle, and security due to Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Before 2022, Tetiana ran her own online clothing business. She had clients, a steady income, and a stable life.

At the beginning of the full-scale invasion, having lost everything—including her business—Tetiana was forced to relocate to Kyiv without support or acquaintances in the new city, living in a state of uncertainty about the future. At the same time, she did not dare to resume her business activities, as this required re-registering as an entrepreneur. She was afraid because she did not understand the process well, was unsure which taxes she would need to pay, feared fines, complicated electronic services, and, above all, doubted whether she would be able to earn enough to sustain herself while officially running a business. 

The Key to a New Start: The Consultation That Changed a Life 

Everything changed when Tetiana received a free individual legal consultation through a project implemented by the Charitable Foundation “Safe People”, with the technical support from UN Women Ukraine and funding from the United Nations Women’s Peace and Humanitarian Fund (WPHF). She recalls that she once came across a post on social media and decided to fill out the registration form.

A simple, clear, and empathetic conversation with a lawyer helped her not only understand the legal aspects but also regain confidence in herself. Tetiana heard the most important thing—that business re-registration is possible, not complicated, safe, and accessible. 

“I couldn’t afford to make mistakes. It felt like one wrong step—and I would lose everything. But once I had answers and understanding, I found the strength to move forward,” Tetiana shared.

After the consultation, Tetiana re-registered her enterpreneurship, gained access to online reporting tools, assessed her real, not imagined, tax obligations, and was able to officially resume her business. This opened up new opportunities for her, including applying for visas and loans or participating in entrepreneurship and grant programmes. 

From Uncertainty to Independence 

Tetiana felt that she had returned to a stable life and regained confidence in herself. She also gained access to insurance and pension contributions, which allowed her to plan for the future.

“For several years I thought it was too complicated, so I kept postponing it. But when everything was explained simply and step by step, the fear disappeared. I realized that I could be legal, independent, and confident in my decisions,” she emphasized.

Tetiana’s story is about the strength of a woman who, despite the challenges of war, internal fears, and uncertainty, managed to restore her business and build a new, controlled trajectory for her life.

The project “Inclusive Psychological Support for Women Displaced by the War in Ukraine” continues to support women affected by the war, helping them restore not only their psychological well-being but also economic independence, legal literacy, and a sense of inner resilience. 

It is precisely such changes—step by step, through knowledge, support, and trust—that transform women’s lives and create communities where women can make decisions, grow, and be financially independent. 

This project is produced by the CF “Safe People”,funded by The United Nations Women’s Peace and Humanitarian Fund (WPHF) with technical support of UN Women Ukraine. The United Nations Women’s Peace and Humanitarian Fund (WPHF) mobilizes critical support for local and grassroots civil society organizations working on women, peace and security and humanitarian action. WPHF is a flexible and rapid financing mechanism supporting quality interventions designed to enhance the capacity of women to prevent conflict, respond to crises and emergencies, and seize key peacebuilding opportunities.

This publication is produced with funding from the United Nations Women's Peace and Humanitarian Fund (WPHF), however, the views expressed and content included does not imply official endorsement or acceptance by the United Nations.