Themes by tag: women

Alina and Vadym Gaburych are soldiers of the Azov Regiment. They had defended Ukraine even before the full-scale invasion. After February 24, 2022, they defended Mariupol. Vadym was seriously injured in April 2022 and died in the bunker of the Azovstal plant. Alina, along with thousands of Mariupol defenders, was captured.

The couple’s son Yehor (now 8 years old) was raised by his grandparents. However, the boy looked at the pictures of his parents above his bed every day and believed that they would return. He even wrote a song for his mother.

In April 2023, Alina was released from captivity, and she and her son finally met. The woman still cannot bury her husband, because the russians did not hand over his body.

Journalists have the opportunity to talk with Alina in Cherkasy region.

For reference: the Children of Heroes Fund helps the family by providing material and humanitarian aid (medicines, food products, hygiene kits). Yehor also received a long-awaited tablet.

• casualties
• prisoners
• women
• Cherkasy

Oksana Myronenko was a surgeon in her hometown of Luhansk. In 2014, following russia’s initial attack on Ukraine and the occupation of the city, Oksana and her husband relocated to Bucha in the Kyiv region.

In February 2022, during the Russian assault on Kyiv, reluctant to face occupation again and swiftly moved with her children from Bucha to Kyiv. Tragically, Oksana’s parents also attempted to flee Bucha, but her mother died and her father was injured en route.

In spring 2022, Oksana and her sister established the Nash Sokil (Our Falcon) charity foundation, dedicated to aiding internally displaced persons with limited mobility. They named the foundation in honor of their late mother, whose last name was Sokolovska. Despite her new responsibilities, Oksana continues her medical practice, performing at least 30 surgeries a month in Ivano-Frankivsk and Kyiv. As a peripheral nerve injuries expert, she helped many soldiers avoid disability and alleviate pain. Oksana offers all surgeries for military personnel at no charge. 

Journalists can interview Oksana Myronenko in Ivano-Frankivsk or Kyiv.

• casualties
• dead
• doctors
• occupation
• women
• Ivano-Frankivsk
• Kyiv

Carla Pizzolante moved to Ukraine from Italy seven years ago. She lives in Kyiv with her Ukrainian husband and 5-year-old son. When Carla first heard the explosions of the full-scale invasion, she was at home in the capital. Despite her husband’s attempt to convince her to leave for Italy with her son, the woman firmly decided that she would stay in Ukraine.

The Big War led Carla to starting learning the Ukrainian language. Later, the woman started posting videos on social networks with attempts to communicate in Ukrainian. After her videos became popular, Carla decided to inspire others to learn Ukrainian. These days, the Italian woman sings Ukrainian songs, and also launches fundraisers to support the Defense Forces.

• women
• Kyiv

Anna Gin, a journalist and writer hailing from Kharkiv, has embarked on a remarkable endeavor—creating one-of-a-kind jewelry using local flowers and minute fragments of rockets and bombs.

This initiative, dubbed “Flowers from Unbreakable,” was born unexpectedly. While leading foreign journalists through Northern Saltivka—an area deeply scarred by russia’s full-scale invasion—Anna was captivated by the resilience of poppies amidst the devastation. Despite the looming danger of sirens and explosions, she couldn’t resist gathering these blooms, determined to preserve their beauty. Turning to online resources, Anna learned the art of working with epoxy resin, transforming her floral finds into exquisite pieces of jewelry.

In a bold move, Anna also began incorporating small shards of enemy missiles—gathered during walks with her dog amidst the wreckage of the Epicenter home improvement store demolished by occupants’ hands—into her creations, ensuring every piece carries a profound story of survival.

Through three charity auctions, Anna has already channeled proceeds to support a hospital in Kharkiv. 

For further insights, journalists can engage with Anna Gin in Kharkiv or online.

• culture
• volunteers
• women
• Kharkiv

Mariana Mamonova, a military medic serving in Ukraine’s Armed Forces, was taken captive while pregnant by enemy forces. Despite her ordeal, she has since established a charity foundation to aid women who have survived russian captivity.

Aged 32, Mariana, a captain in the Medical Service, had been deployed to Anti-Terrorist Operation (ATO)/Joint Force Operation (JFO) zones since 2018. 

Initially stationed in Mariupol, she discovered her pregnancy amidst the full-scale invasion in mid-March 2022. Undeterred, she continued her life-saving work and was among those held at the Illich Iron and Steel Works in Mariupol, under Ukrainian military control, before being captured by occupiers on April 4th. An expectant mother endured nearly six months of captivity in a Donetsk region colony, finally being released during a prisoner exchange on September 21, 2022. Just four days later, she welcomed her daughter into the world.

Mariana is now available for interviews in Lviv or online, offering insights into her remarkable journey.

• casualties
• military
• prisoners
• women
• Lviv

For 56-year-old Khrystyna Dovhaliuk of Ternopil, the russia-Ukraine war began in 2014. Following russia’s annexation of Crimea and its assault on eastern Ukraine, Dovhaliuk started volunteering. She transported vehicles and humanitarian aid for the military from abroad, delivering supplies to the front lines. Dovhaliuk also became a blood donor, contributing 50 liters by age 17. One of her sons is currently defending Ukraine.

Even before russia’s full-scale invasion, Dovhaliuk had resolved to join the Armed Forces. This decision, set for 2024, recently moved forward when the Territorial Recruitment Center approved her for a military medical commission. Now, Dovhaliuk is refreshing her first aid knowledge and training physically to prepare for service.

For reference: Currently, in Ternopil, Khrystyna Dovhaliuk is available for interviews, both online and in person.

• volunteers
• women
• Ternopil

On June 18, the presentation of driver’s licenses to women who participated in the “Driving expands opportunities” course will take place in Kyiv.

Participants:

• Pavlo Zamostian, Assistant Representative at UNFPA;
• Maryna Khonda, Deputy Head of the Kyiv City State Administration responsible for exercising self-governing powers;
• Denys Darmostuk, Director of the Kyiv Regional Employment Center;
• Anastasiia Liadneva, Head of the Innovative Social Solutions NGO;
• Oleksandr Klyzhko, Head of the Kyiv Service Center of the Interior Ministry;

VONA career hub team.

In September 2023, VONA career and business hub launched “Driving expands opportunities” course. These are Ukraine’s first driving lessons for women who found themselves in difficult life circumstances. The main focus is to expand the professional competences of women, as well as to give them the opportunity to become even more mobile, independent and self-confident.

“Sisters of the Road” courses for women truck drivers will be announced at the event. The courses will be implemented with the support of logistics companies that are partners of VONA hub.

• women
• Kyiv

Liubov Kovalchuk’s husband, Dmytro, made the ultimate sacrifice in battle. A dedicated member of the Joint Forces Operation, Dmytro, a fearless airborne assault troop of the 95th Brigade, valiantly served in the Donetsk sector until his untimely demise on July 12, 2022. Despite the chaos of warfare, Dmytro managed to impart his farewell words to Liubov before departing, leaving behind their infant daughter, Ameliia, just six months old at the time.

In the depths of grief, Liubov turned to her passion for writing to navigate the harrowing aftermath of loss. Through poignant poetry and heartfelt memoirs, she channeled her anguish onto paper, culminating in a poignant manuscript aptly titled “To You, My Hero!”—a poignant tribute to her beloved warrior.

For Liubov, this literary endeavor serves as a poignant homage to Dmytro’s memory, offering solace amid the void left by his absence. Moreover, she envisions her book as a beacon of hope for fellow war widows, providing them with a source of solidarity and resilience in the face of profound loss.

Journalists seeking to delve deeper into Liubov’s poignant journey are invited to connect with her in Rivne by prior arrangement.

For reference: The Kovalchuk family receives support from the Children of Heroes charity fund, which extends a helping hand to children orphaned by the ravages of russia’s full-scale invasion. The foundation offers vital financial assistance, psychological and legal counsel, and fosters the educational and personal development of these resilient youngsters until they reach adulthood.

• children
• dead
• military
• women
• Rivne

Eight years ago, Lesia Mandur moved from Avdiivka, Donetsk region (the city has been occupied since February this year) to Irpin, Kyiv region. At the beginning of the full-scale war, she had to leave home again.

After the russian retreat from Kyiv region, Lesia returned to Irpin. And at the beginning of 2023, she founded a volunteer movement that makes energy bars for the military. Parishioners of one of the local churches (about 10 women) joined the initiative.

Volunteers make 44 kilograms of energy bars every week, which amounts to more than 500 bars. The ingredients include various nuts, cranberries, dates, dried apricots, dried plums and apples, raisins, sunflower seeds and honey.

This week, the volunteer movement faced difficulties – they could not work due to power outages. After all, a special device for grinding food is used in production, and it requires electricity. So now they are collecting fuel to start using a generator starting next week and continue working.

• volunteers
• women
• Kyiv

On June 7, Kyiv will host a panel discussion titled “Feminization and the Present: Trends, Issues, and the Role of Women in Ukraine’s Recovery” at the Media Center Ukraine – Ukrinform. The event will address the rapid feminization of the labor market, examining how this shift is impacting various sectors of Ukrainian society amid the ongoing conflict. Panelists will review current state policies and propose additional measures needed to support this transition.

Participants:

– Kateryna Levchenko, Government Commissioner for Gender Policy;

– Svitlana Voitsekhovska, co-founder of the Ukrainian Women’s Congress;

– Milena Goryachkovska, Ukrainian Women’s Fund, project coordinator;

– Yaryna Voloshyn, Head of Communications, Ukrainian Women-Lawyers Association “JurFem”;

– Oksana Hryhorieva, Gender Advisor to the Commander of the Land Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

For reference: Since the onset of the full-scale invasion, the number of women in Ukraine’s Armed Forces has surged by 40%. As of March 2024, over 47,000 women are serving, with more than 4,000 on the front lines, according to the General Staff. Additionally, the State Employment Service reports that in 2023, it helped 240,000 individuals secure new jobs, 66% of whom were women.

• women
• Kyiv