Themes by tag: women

A women’s volunteer fire brigade emerged in Rivne Oblast at the onset of the full-blown invasion. Spearheaded by Alla Karpiuk, head of the Velyka Omeliana village community, the brigade sprang into action after Karpiuk’s firsthand experiences battling blazes, including three fire incidents involving homes and dry grass, when under coordination with firefighters, she helped save people’s property. 

Comprising 21 volunteers, the fire brigade boasts diverse backgrounds, with members ranging from deputies and accountants to saleswomen. Even a widow, grappling with the war’s toll, has joined the ranks.

Currently, the team is immersed in rigorous training provided by the State Emergency Service, honing skills in first aid, fire hose manipulation, fire extinguisher operation, and water management to earn their professional certifications. 

Journalists, upon arrangement, are welcome to engage with brigade members for firsthand insights, either in person or online.

• volunteers
• women
• Rivne

Anastasia Astafieva is one of the best tattoo artists and tattoo removal specialists in the capital. After the start of the full-scale invasion, Anastasia was approached by a military man who wanted to have his tattoo removed. There was gunpowder residue embedded into the skin of his face after an explosion. Anastasia tried to remove these specks with a laser, because her device can also be used for such tasks. The result became noticeable after the first session. And after a few procedures, Anastasia completely restored the soldier’s skin. He, in turn, told his brothers in arms about the tattoo artist. This is how the woman obtained her first clients with injuries from explosives. Nowadays, in addition to gunpowder residue Anastasia also removes pieces of soot and earth from people’s faces, as they also get under the skin during an explosion. Anastasia doesn’t charge military and civilians who have suffered as a result of the war.

• casualties
• volunteers
• women
• Kyiv

Kharkiv-based cheerleading team Nice Ladies was created back in 2016. It is also referred to as the most mature cheerleading team, because all the participants are over 50 years old. Women were even listed in the National Register of Records of Ukraine. At the beginning of the full-scale war, the team suspended training, which resumed in September 2022 (5 participants remain abroad).

Currently, there are 8 women in the team. The youngest is 53 years old, and the oldest is 77. The women train despite the shelling of their hometown and despite the power cuts. They also had to change their practice space to a safer one.

Nice Ladies became the champions of Kharkiv, Ukraine, and now they would like to prepare for the European Championship, however, the team, which consists mostly of the retired citizens, lacks funding for this.

Journalists have the opportunity to communicate with the Kharkiv team in person.

• culture
• women
• Kharkiv

Since the onset of the full-scale russian invasion, Olha Konoval has dedicated herself to volunteering. Initially, she focused on purchasing drones and thermal imagers for the Defense Forces. It was during her first trip to the East that Olha met her future husband, Serhii, the commander of the Steel Hundred company, known by his call sign Nord. What was intended to be a brief volunteer mission turned into a four-month stay with Serhii. To buy a thermal imager for him, Olha sold her car. Additionally, she began crafting jewelry from spent shell casings, using the proceeds to support the soldiers. Serhii soon embarked on a project to manufacture FPV drones, aiming to supply the military with high-quality equipment.

In January 2024, the couple married and soon after produced their first batch of drones.

Tragedy struck shortly after their wedding when Olha learned that Serhii had been killed during a combat mission in the Donetsk sector. Despite her profound loss, Olha continued their work, setting up a drone workshop and assembling a team of engineers. To date, they have produced 250 drones. She named her business NORD-DRON in honor of Serhii. Olha views this endeavor as her form of revenge against the enemy for the loss of Serhii and other fallen soldiers.

For reference: Currently, Olha Konoval is in Ternopil but plans to return to the East soon.

• dead
• military
• volunteers
• women

The “OnTrack” course by “Reskilling Ukraine” is a free course that gives women the opportunity to become a truck driver (with category C driver’s license). The course consists of theoretical and practical parts, as well as an exam.

The priority categories of women considered for this course are veterans and discharged soldiers, women from military families, as well as forcibly displaced persons. Future students must have category B driver’s license and previous driving experience (at least 3 years).

The “OnTrack” course started in February 2024. 38 Ukrainian women have already received category C driver’s licenses.

“Reskilling Ukraine” also launched the “BusDrive” training program, which focuses on training women to become passenger bus drivers (category D license). The first group has already been enrolled.

By prior agreement, journalists have the opportunity to talk with participants of both programs (“OnTrack” and “BusDrive”) and cover practical classes in Kyiv or Ternopil region. Also, media representatives have the opportunity to communicate with Sweden-based organizers of the program online.

For reference: “Reskilling Ukraine” is a project by the Swedish non-profit organization “Beredskapslyftet” working in the field of retraining and employment of women in Ukraine.

• women
• Kyiv
• Ternopil

Inna Sorokina is from Toretsk, Donetsk region. The woman saw the war with her own eyes in 2014, when russia attacked Ukraine for the first time, and her hometown was temporarily occupied by the enemy. Inna didn’t want to leave her native region, so she moved to Sloviansk, which is also in Donetsk region. At that time, Ukraine had already regained control over the settlement. On February 24, 2022, the Kramatorsk District State Administration, where the Inna worked, decided to order an evacuation of its employees to Dnipro. Soon the woman came up with an idea to create a place in Dnipro where refugees from Eastern Ukraine could meet and communicate. Together with her supervisors, Inna founded and headed “We Are Together” IDP Support Center in Dnipro. Soon the Center began to organize thematic festivities and pajama parties for children. And for adults, the Center held a master class on pysanky painting. In the Center, displaced persons can also receive legal, psychological, informational, educational and healthcare services. The Support Center has been operating for 18 months with over 7,000 people addressing the center for help.

• casualties
• women
• Dnipro

Kateryna met her husband Volodymyr at KPI University. When the Maidan protests began, he felt compelled to join. In 2015, he volunteered for the front lines. A year later, during a combat mission, Volodymyr was hit by an enemy mine, losing both his legs.

The family was in Bucha at the start of the full-scale invasion. Volodymyr moved Kateryna and their 5-year-old son from their apartment to a private house. Despite his prosthetics, he eagerly joined the local defense forces, determined to protect his country.

Volodymyr died on Vokzalna Street in Bucha, a site later infamous for photos of destroyed Russian equipment. He was among the first to engage in the battle and was killed.

Kateryna and her son endured two weeks in a basement, suffering from constant darkness and running out of food and water. Finally, they ventured outside to find a car to escape the city. After hours of wandering outside in the cold temps, an elderly man picked them up. They traveled under fire for six hours in a frigid car, eventually reaching a village near Kyiv where Kateryna’s brother lived.

Journalists can arrange to speak with Kateryna in the Kyiv region for more details.

For reference: A street in Bucha has been renamed in honor of Volodymyr Kovalskyi. After his exhumation, he was reburied on the Walk of Fame and posthumously awarded the title of “Honorary Citizen of the City.”

The family is now supported by the Children of Heroes charity foundation, which aids Ukrainian children who have lost parents to the war.

• casualties
• dead
• occupation
• women
• Kyiv

In 2021, Olha Akymova founded an online modeling school for women over 40. The project also worked with mothers of children with disabilities (participation was free for them): the idea was to give an opportunity to women who devote themselves completely to their children to discover themselves. A little later, young girls also joined the project, and it became inclusive. Models with and without disabilities work at the school, and together they participate in all the projects, shows, and performances.

The transformed project held its first classes in February 2022 in Kyiv and Lviv, but they had to stop because the full-scale invasion started. A year later, Olha decided to resume classes. The students of the school study subjects just like in any other modeling school: the basics of modeling, posing techniques, model walking, etc. The school operates in Kyiv and Lviv. Classes take place online and offline. Currently, the school has 32 graduates from Kyiv, Lviv, and Vinnytsia.

The mission of this project is to use the art of modeling to bring Ukrainian society closer to a new tolerant inclusive European barrier-free space with equal opportunities for everyone.

In the near future, journalists will be able to visit a show with the participation of the students of the modeling school in Lviv or a rehearsal in Kyiv.

• culture
• women
• Kyiv
• Lviv

At 39 years old, Victoriia Prokhorenko resides in Kryvyi Rih with her son and daughter. Her husband, Anton, swiftly mobilized upon the commencement of the full-blown invasion, rising to the rank of squad leader in a Special Forces battalion of the National Guard within months. However, upon his return home a year and a half ago, Victoriia noticed a stark transformation in Anton’s demeanor. Afflicted with PTSD, he struggled to reintegrate into family life despite her efforts and the assistance of a psychologist. Anton’s sleeplessness and subsequent alcohol consumption culminated in hospitalization due to a micro-stroke, instilling fear even in their children. Consequently, the couple made the difficult decision to part ways, navigating the challenges of PTSD recovery and family dynamics.

In the midst of adversity, Victoriia hit the ground running, taking up educational training and delving into the field of psychology. Determined to sustain her relationship with her beloved, she faithfully communicated with him daily. After several months, Anton reconnected and began applying the psychological techniques imparted by his wife. Within a month, Victoriia won her husband back home. 

Presently, Victoriia is on the cusp of completing her studies and is already strategizing her approach to support military spouses and children. She is eager for her experiences to resonate with women who may feel isolated in their struggles amid the backdrop of war.

Victoriia Prokhorenko is available for interviews, both in-person in Kryvyi Rih and online. 

• casualties
• military
• psychological support
• women
• Dnipro

Benda enlisted in the Defense Forces back in 2017, juggling her duties with caring for her son who was almost two years of age. Assigned as chief cook to the 72nd Separate Mechanized Brigade named after the Black Cossacks, stationed in Avdiivka, Donetsk Oblast, she faced enemy fire that same year, sustaining injuries that resulted in the loss of her leg. Following treatment and rehab, Olha adapted to using a prosthetic limb. Just two years later, she triumphed in her first 10-kilometer run at the Veterans Dozen Foundation event in Kyiv. Shortly after, she conquered the challenge of the Marine Corps Marathon in the U.S. In 2023, she even joined a women’s soccer squad specifically designed for amputees.

Olha’s dedication extends beyond personal achievements. She actively supports fellow veterans and those impacted by the war through various social initiatives, including creating videos showcasing the resilience of Ukrainian defenders with amputations. Recently, she took on the role of ambassador for the Ukrainian Veterans Foundation.

• casualties
• women
• Kyiv