In the words of Mila Mishchenko: "Art that makes an imprint"

Mila Mishchenko showcased her business idea, Z.LIUKA, at the Dream and Achieve Demo Day in April 2025. Photo: Impact Force/Oleksandr Piliugin  

Mila Mishchenko is an entrepreneur displaced from her home in Zaporizhzhia due to the war. Despite the challenges she faces, Mils has managed to retain her ability to appreciate beauty and share it with others. She launched her clothing brand, Z.LIUKA, which features unique shirts adorned with prints of manhole covers from various Ukrainian cities. This venture was developed as part of the Dream and Achieve educational program for women. Now, her project not only has a distinct aesthetic but also carries a profound significance.

“We encountered the war in Kyiv, in a district near Irpin. That day, I felt a sense of maturity as I sought a way to take my 4-year-old child out of the capital. We relocated multiple times, both within the country and abroad, setting up a piece of home wherever we went. In 2024, we returned with our son to join my father in Zaporizhzhia, where we made repairs to our living space. For the first time, I rented a room for my workshop, Dim.Ravlyka (Snail House), and began working with others, filled with plans and inspiration. However, everything changed dramatically when our neighborhood started to be systematically bombarded with guided aerial bombs. I became accustomed to missiles and drones, enduring sleepless nights and instinctively shielding my son during explosions. Yet, I could never get used to the fear I saw in his eyes. Ultimately, I had to change everything: leave my job, my father, and our home, and head west to ensure my child wouldn't grow up hearing the sound of explosion waves.

I currently live with my son in Khust. The house in Zaporizhzhia is being rebuilt after another shelling, and although the workshop remains at home, the need to create is always with me.

One day, I came across information on social media, and a few days later, a friend who mentors in various projects encouraged me to apply for the Dream and Achieve program.

At that moment, I became fascinated with the idea of making blooming paper, as I had been recycling paper for my workshop for over a year. However, my situation has changed dramatically. During the selection process, we had to leave Zaporizhzhia, and in my new location, I lacked the space and resources I had at home. Since my work was centered around creating stamps, I had initially been considering using manhole covers as my inspiration. Manhole covers are essentially stamps as well, but they are rougher and meant for outdoor use. When I expressed my desire to change the idea, it was accepted, leading to the creation of Z.LIUKA. This concept revolves around transferring prints from manhole covers onto clothing, which comes with its own set of challenges, specifically, the weather. In winter, working outside is impossible, so I had to wait patiently and absorb as much knowledge as I could. Eventually, normal dry weather allowed me to take my first steps, all with the support of my mentor Viktoriia and my friends.

Products from the Z.LIUKA brand were presented by Mila Mishchenko at the Dream and Achieve Demo Day in April 2025. Photo: Impact Force/Oleksandr Piliugin  

As an internally displaced person living in a new city and renting an apartment, starting fresh with a new idea is challenging without financial support. This is why the program has become so valuable for us. We managed to secure our first sales even before launching the collection, and we currently have a pre-order list in place. Our team consists of four members, and we are in the process of expanding our product range. So far, we have acquired our first two clients and five shirts on pre-order. We have also welcomed a content manager to our team. Additionally, we are seeking collaboration with organizations focused on zero waste to strengthen our eco-conscious message. The city council has expressed readiness to assist us in implementing our campaign.

With confidence and a strong desire to act, I envisioned a scale and gained an understanding of product promotion channels. Subsequently, I presented the Z.LIUKA brand, collaborated with others, registered as an individual entrepreneur, and visited other cities to create prints of Ukrainian Manhole covers.

I believe that our work is not a final destination; rather, it is an ongoing process of transition, expansion, and manifestation. Ideas emerge because people are eager for these concepts to be brought to life, and for this reason, they choose you.”

The publication has been developed within the educational program Dream and Achieve implemented by the public organization Impact Force in partnership with UN Women, with the support of the Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine, the Entrepreneurship and Export Promotion Office, and the national project Diia.Business and with the financial support from the governments of Iceland and France.