Ukraine: Supporting Women in Their Economic Activity

Originally posted by Action Against Hunger.

After three years of conflict, loss of livelihood and rising prices are increasingly exposing the Ukrainian population to the risk of impoverishment. Currently, 15% of the population suffers from food insecurity, and women and girls are particularly at risk. In regions close to the front line such as Kherson, Kharkiv, and Mykolaiv, unemployment has reached record levels, leaving many families without resources.

Women-headed households have multiplied due to the military mobilization of men in Ukraine. Facing obstacles in accessing all kinds of services from health services to financial and economic resources, these women are particularly vulnerable to impoverishment. In addition, economic instability, displacement, and conflict all impact mental health, increasing the risk of gender-based violence. Around 2.5 million people in Ukraine are at high risk of such types of violence, including intimate partner violence, conflict-related sexual violence, sexual exploitation and abuse, trafficking, and harassment.

To support women’s economic activities and promote their financial independence, Action Against Hunger and the Disaster Emergency Committee (DEC) are supporting the Center for Economic Recovery and Business Support in Mykolaiv. The project is led by a Ukranian organization called Perspektyva, and in it, women-led businesses rebuild the local economy in their conflict-affected area by providing essential goods and services. Maria, Iryna, Victoria, and Olena are among the 45 women who have received training and subsidies to develop their businesses in Mykolaiv near the front line.

Maria: “Finding clientele wasn't easy, but today my schedule is full” 

Maria has been a manicurist for 8 years. Originally from Kherson, she had to leave her home and take her three children 37 miles north to Mykolaiv as Kherson was, and continues to be, targeted almost every day by airstrikes. Alone with her three little girls, she had to start all over again.

After a year of hard work, her nail salon is now going strong. “I arrived in a new town without knowing anyone. Finding a clientele wasn't easy, but now my schedule is full,” Maria explains with pride.

Today, Maria wants to expand her business and take up training, so that she can pass on her knowledge to others. Using a grant from Action Against Hunger, Maria has designed her own training modules and purchased some of the equipment needed to train future manicurists.

“Thanks to the knowledge I gained from the project, I'm now able to calculate my expenses more accurately and plan my purchases, as my business requires constant investment. I also know how to better showcase my services in external communication media, especially on social networks,” explains Maria.

Having been displaced by the conflict herself, Maria is well aware of the difficulties faced by others who have had to flee violence. She therefore wants her services to be accessible to all and adjusts her rates for displaced people.

Iryna: “People heal their souls when they come into contact with creativity” 

Iryna worked in the maritime sector for 30 years. When the war started, she found herself widowed and alone with her two children. Iryna decided to change careers and tap into the desire for creativity that had been with her since childhood.

“I became interested in trashwork, where works are made from garbage, plastic bottles, and natural materials like tree branches. I practiced this type of art for about three years and took part in various fairs, traveling around Ukraine,” says Iryna.

Iryna joined the Ukrainian organization Perspektyva as a volunteer. She organized self-help events based on the principles of art therapy. “I saw that people found it more interesting than just talking; they opened up more. And, as the saying goes, people heal their souls when they do something, when they get in touch with creativity,” she explains.

It was then that Iryna discovered the Center for Economic Recovery and Business Support project and decided to join. In addition to business training to draw up a business plan, Iryna has taken a painting course and is working on cutting and the various trashwork techniques. The grant she received from the project enabled her to buy a laptop and furniture for her creative workshop. Soon, she will buy a printer and jewelry-making tools.

Iryna would like to collaborate with other Mykolaiv-based artists by inviting them to her studio to give classes. She would also like to continue participating in exhibitions and fairs, as well as sell her products on online sales platforms.

Victoria: “I started my business with a mixer that was lent to me” 

Born in Mykolaiv, Victoria worked almost all her life in the civil service. When she went on maternity leave, however, she developed a passion for baking. Victoria had to juggle raising her children with her professional activity for many years. “My children took up a lot of my time, so sometimes I would make my desserts at night. I once spent six hours sculpting Mickey Mouse. It was very beautiful,” she says with amusement.

When she started out as a pastry chef, Victoria studied production techniques and recipes on her own. She wasn't able to take part in pastry classes because her children could not be alone for long. “In the beginning I had no equipment at all. I started my business with a mixer that someone lent me,” explains Victoria.

Rather than compete with cafés for customers, Victoria offered her services directly to them. She now receives numerous orders and supplies desserts to several Mykolaiv cafés. In 2023, she rented a space to manufacture her products. “This premises is close to my home because I want to be near my children at all times in case of air raids”.

As part of the support offered by Perspektyva, Action Against Hunger, and DEC, Victoria has benefited from sales training to better manage her business. She bought more equipment to replace the old one, increase her productivity, and become more competitive on the market.

Olena: “I was able to purchase cosmetic equipment that will allow me to expand my range of services” 

Olena was born in Krasnodon, in the Luhansk region. In 1993, she decided to move to Mykolaiv, where she studied, married and held positions as financial manager and sales director. 7 years ago, Olena decided to retrain and entered the field of aesthetic cosmetology.

The building Olena used to work at was destroyed by a missile. “Fortunately, my cosmetics and furniture were not damaged,” she says. To escape the bombs, Olena went to Bulgaria for two months, then lived in Kyiv for almost 9 months before returning to Mykolaiv at the request of her customers. She rented a studio and resumed her business.

She went to the Center for Economic Recovery and Business Support to learn more about business practices. “I'd like to thank the instructors who accompanied us during the training for their clarity and responsiveness. This new knowledge enabled me to write a business plan and adjust it. I was also able to purchase special cosmetic equipment that will allow me to expand my range of services,” explains Olena.

In the future, Olena hopes to open a new studio and hire employees. She dreams of creating her own chain of cosmetics studios.

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Action Against Hunger leads the global movement to end hunger. We innovate solutions, advocate for change, and reach 21 million people every year with proven hunger prevention and treatment programs. As a nonprofit that works across 59 countries, our 8,900 dedicated staff members partner with communities to address the root causes of hunger, including climate change, conflict, inequity, and emergencies. We strive to create a world free from hunger, for everyone, for good.