From doubt to confident steps: How the Women For The Future initiative changed the lives of Ukrainian women

Participants of the Women For The Future mentorship programme (from left to right): Yuliia Lopushanska, Olena Denysova, Yuliia Bokla, Svitlana Fedorova, Olha Falatiuk, and Viktoriia Hryshchuk. Photo: Women For The Future

When familiar foundations disappear due to war, forced changes, job loss, or a sense of professional stagnation, women often find themselves at a crossroads. The question of where to go next becomes not only a career issue, but a deeply personal one. It is precisely at such moments that support, experience, and belief in one’s potential can become the starting point for new transformations.

The Women For The Future initiative, supported by UN Women, helps Ukrainian women rethink their paths, find inner anchors, and turn uncertainty into a clear plan of action.

Between 2022 and 2025, Women For The Future supported more than 80,000 women and girls in addressing various career challenges. An additional 4.5 million Ukrainian women learned about professional development opportunities through the initiative’s communication campaigns. Behind these figures are diverse life circumstances, including job loss, forced career pauses, uncertainty about next steps, and doubts in one’s own abilities.

The stories of Women For The Future participants are examples of real change that begins with conversation, support, and belief in oneself.

From Professional Uncertainty to a New Career

Photo: Women For The Future

Olha Falatiuk joined the initiative during a period of professional pause and inner stagnation. She felt the need to change her career direction but did not know where to start or how to present herself in the labour market confidently.

Working with a mentor helped Olha recognize her strengths, structure her experience, and form a clear vision of her next steps. She learned how to navigate job interviews and articulate her competencies confidently. The result was an offer to join the team of the Ukrainian clothing brand MustHave as a project manager, exactly the role she had been striving for. Watch Olha’s full story at the link.

From Doubts About Entrepreneurship to Business Growth

Photo: Women For The Future

Olena Denysova opened a cafe after 11 years of working at a botanical garden, without prior business experience, and during an extremely challenging period. The war, a small child, and her husband’s return from military service intensified her doubts: was entrepreneurship really her path?

Participation in Women For The Future helped Olena realize that business is, in fact, her strength. Together with her mentor, she applied for grant programmes, developed a growth plan, and began working systematically on scaling the café. Olena strengthened her business’s presence on social media, which delivered tangible results, including increased income and greater confidence in her decisions. Watch Olena’s full story at the link.

New Anchors and a Startup After Loss

For Svitlana Fedorova, the war meant losing her home, her business, and her familiar life. At 52, she felt completely lost and without inner support.

The mentorship programme became a space for recovery. Working with her mentor, Svitlana was able to rethink her experience and find an idea that gave new meaning. This led to the creation of DanceFreeMotion, a dance initiative for people with limited mobility.

The idea grew into a startup. Svitlana completed an acceleration programme, received initial investment, and together with her team developed a product prototype that has already been launched for public testing. Watch Svitlana’s full story at the link.

A Career with Value and Purpose

Photo: Women For The Future

For a long time, Viktoriia Hryshchuk had career stability that was more of a compromise than a source of satisfaction. She felt the need for change but lacked a clear vision of her future direction.

Women For The Future helped Viktoriia view her experience from a different perspective and build a clear career trajectory. After completing the mentorship programme, she began working at the Blahomai charitable foundation, joining projects aligned with her values and her desire to support others. Watch Viktoriia’s full story at the link.

Changing Fields and New Professional Opportunities

Photo: Women For The Future

After several years working in the environmental sector, Yuliia Lopushanska felt the need for more dynamism and growth. Participation in Women For The Future allowed her to rethink her experience and take the leap into a new professional direction.

After completing the mentorship programme, Yuliia received a job offer from the NGO Greencubator and is now working as a project assistant for the Climate Innovation Vouchers project, where her knowledge and energy are fully used. Watch Yuliia’s full story at the link.

Confidence in a New Profession

Yuliia Bokla had always been interested in psychology, but she lacked confidence and clarity on how to turn her interest into a profession. Mentorship support helped her structure her skills, shape her professional path, and believe in her own abilities.

Today, Yuliia works at a psychology app and is developing a private practice as a psychologist, confidently moving forward in her chosen field. Watch Yuliia’s full story at the link.

Support That Creates Change

The stories of Women For The Future participants demonstrate how mentorship, support, and a safe space for reflection can become catalysts for profound change. The initiative has helped women not only find jobs or grow businesses, but also restore faith in themselves, build new foundations, and shape their futures even under the most challenging circumstances.

The Women For The Future initiative has been implemented by Happy Monday (NGO "Professionals of the Future") within the UN Women project titled "Transformational Approaches to Achieving Gender Equality in Ukraine," with the financial support from the Government of Sweden, and in collaboration with the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration. Financial support for the initiative has also provided by the Government of France.