From Needs to Power: How the IDEA Women’s Hub Was Born
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Civic activist Viktoriia Perepiolkina has been working with women in her community in the Kharkiv region for many years. Again and again, she heard the same thing: women lacked a safe space where they could freely connect, learn, support each other, and grow.
“We kept hearing from women: we need a place where we can just be ourselves. A place that doesn’t teach us how to ‘survive,’ but helps us bloom,” Viktoriia recalls.
This need became the foundation of a grant application that her team successfully submitted — and that’s how IDEA was born: a space for mutual support, education, and development for women.
Facing Early Challenges — and Choosing Independence
The beginning wasn’t easy. Collaboration with another NGO brought more tension than support. That became the turning point — the team decided to build something of their own.
“It was hard — there were doubts and skepticism, especially from men. But we didn’t give up. And we have no regrets,” Viktoriia recalls.
Today, IDEA is much more than a hobby club. It is:
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an educational hub for women of all ages;
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a platform for leadership and financial independence;
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a space where women implement their ideas, find partners, and launch businesses;
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a team that keeps growing, applying for new grants and seeking support.
The SMM Course: Making the Mission Visible
Before the SMM course, Viktoriia saw social media as a mere formality. But after just a few lessons, she recognized it as a true tool for change.
She learned how to build a consistent content strategy, plan posts, manage social media systematically, launch ads to engage new women, and talk about complex topics in a simple and relatable way.
“This course taught me not to be afraid of being loud. Now our voices are heard — and that changes lives,” she shares.
Personal Transformation and a New Role
Viktoriia became not only the initiator of the IDEA space but also a woman who broke free from relying on others' decisions. She now plans to build a full ecosystem of women’s support in her community, expand educational opportunities, and create a next-generation women’s hub.
“I don’t want projects that run on enthusiasm alone anymore. I want a system that works — and that helps women become rich, both in money and in themselves,” she says.
About the Course and Project
The “SMM Manager” course is implemented by the NGO “Age of Possibilities”, funded by The United Nations Women’s Peace and Humanitarian Fund (WPHF) with technical support of UN Women Ukraine. The course is designed to empower women who want to develop their businesses and gain a modern profession to ensure financial stability. Learn more about this and other initiatives at www.agepossibility.com.ua.
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The “Online Academy for Women Entrepreneurs and Leaders” project is implemented by the NGO “Age of Possibilities”, 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.