The Recipe for a New Life: How a Manicurist from Mykolaiv Started Her Own Business in Zakarpattia

Kateryna Polyakova is an experienced manicurist with 20 years of professional practice, originally from the city — Mykolaiv. Like many others from her hometown, she was forced to seek safety in a more secure part of the country at the onset of the war. This is how she found herself in Mukachevo, Zakarpattia region. 

“The first months in Mukachevo were full of confusion. I tried working in a factory, but due to my health condition — I have a Group III disability — it didn’t work out. It felt like life had come to a standstill,” Kateryna recalls. 

A turning point came with a chance visit to the community space of the NGO “Council of Women of Donetsk region.” “It was like a breath of fresh air. The atmosphere of support and understanding helped me wake up from emotional numbness,” she remembers. 

The NGO’s training programs — implemented in partnership with International Alert, with technical support from UN Women in Ukraine and funding from The United Nations Women’s Peace and Humanitarian Fund (WPHF) — opened up new horizons. Kateryna decided to turn her long-time passion for baking into a real business. 

“The entrepreneurship training gave me not only knowledge, but also confidence in myself. Submitting a successful grant application was the first step toward my dream: launching a line of healthy desserts that are lactose-free and low in sugar and fats,” the aspiring baker shares. 

Thanks to the grant she received, Kateryna will soon purchase a professional electric oven, which will allow her to scale up production. “It’s more than just equipment — it’s the chance to start a new life,” she emphasizes. 

“The most valuable thing I found through the “Council of Women of Donetsk region” program is a community of like-minded women who, despite their own challenges, inspire others to keep moving forward. Here I realized that even in the darkest times, it’s possible to find your way to the light,” Kateryna Polyakova concludes. 

****

This initiative is implemented by the NGO “Council of Women of Donetsk region” in partnership with International Alert, 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.