Own business through support: women in Sumy and Kharkiv regions gain new professions in VONA hubs
The war takes away homes and jobs, upending normal life. Yet, it cannot strip away the will to act. Here are the stories of women who, through training and the support of career advisors at the VONA hub, have mastered new professions, regained financial independence, and rebuilt their self-belief.
The war takes away homes and jobs, upending normal life. Yet, it cannot strip away the will to act. Here are the stories of women who, through training and the support of career advisors at the VONA hub, have mastered new professions, regained financial independence, and rebuilt their self-belief.
Maryna Kupotina,
Konotop
For many years, Maryna dedicated herself to her family, putting her own professional dreams on hold. Everything changed when her husband was diagnosed with a severe illness, leaving them facing expensive medical treatment, surgery, and a long rehabilitation process. Stricken by stress and uncertainty, Maryna found herself unable to quickly secure a stable income for her family.
At the VONA hub, a psychologist offered her vital emotional support, while a career advisor helped her choose a new career path. Maryna completed a basic manicure course, received her certification, and, armed with a starter kit, immediately began working with clients.
Today, Maryna runs her own fully equipped studio, enjoys a stable income, and has built a loyal client base. Her work has become a pillar of strength, helping her provide for her family.
“When tragedy struck our family, I felt like there was no way out,” Maryna shares. “The VONA hub gave me a chance to enter a profession I had dreamed of for a long time and to believe in myself. Today, I am working, supporting my family, and I know that even the hardest circumstances can be the beginning of a new life.”
Yuliia Shamrai,
Sumy
Due to the war, Yuliia’s family was in urgent need of an additional source of income. She was actively job hunting, but finding employment proved difficult. Rather than a temporary side hustle, Yuliia was looking for a real profession—one that would allow her to manage her own schedule and balance work with family life.
Yuliia turned to the VONA hub for career counseling. Her advisor helped her identify the right path and draft a CV, leading her to choose a career as a manicure technician. The training provided her with practical skills and the team’s encouragement, which motivated her not to fear change.
Following the course, Yuliia became a self-employed manicure technician and now manages her own working hours. Her stable income allows her to support the family while her husband serves in the Ukrainian Armed Forces, protecting the country.
“Turning to the VONA hub was one of the most important decisions of my life,” Yuliia shares. “Here, I found not just a new profession, but also belief in my own potential. Today, I work for myself, run a business I love, and know that I am capable of overcoming any hardship.”
Oleksandra Zubko,
Trostianets
Together with her mother, Oleksandra was forced to flee her home due to the war. Despite her young age, much of the responsibility for supporting the family fell on her shoulders. Her dream of becoming a manicure technician seemed out of reach, as there were simply no funds available for training or equipment.
The young woman completed a basic manicure course, received everything necessary for a confident start, and began working with the support of her trainer and the hub’s team.
For Oleksandra, the work became not just a source of income, but also an opportunity to financially support her mother and feel confident in her own abilities.
“I had always dreamed of becoming a manicure technician, but I never believed it was possible, let alone free of charge,” Oleksandra says. “The VONA hub gave me a chance to learn, believe in myself, and start working.”
Yuliia Tymchenko
Kharkiv
Before the war, Yuliia worked at a coal mining enterprise in Myrnohrad. When the full-scale invasion began, her husband joined the defense of Ukraine, while Yuliia lost both her job and her home after a missile strike. The family relocated to Kharkiv. Finding employment became a matter of urgency, but finding a job in her previous field was practically impossible.
Yuliia recalled a long-time passion — doing manicures for herself and close friends at home. Initially, she tried to teach herself, but later joined a course at the VONA hub. In parallel, the hub’s specialists helped her prepare an application for a grant program.
Today, Yulia has her own business.
“Do not stay alone with your difficulties. Do not be afraid to learn new things and believe in your own strength. VONA hub helped me to understand the most important thing, that I am not alone,” Yuliia shares.
Kateryna Rudenko,
Shostka
After the missile attack, Kateryna’s family lost their apartment on Saltivka in Kharkiv. Therefore, the family had to look for a new home. In Kharkiv, Kateryna worked as a kindergarten teacher in a private kindergarten, however, there were no such vacancies in the new city, and savings were running out.
In the VONA hub, the woman attended consultations and information sessions, received psychological and career support, and in December started training in the course Manicure Master. New opportunities immediately turned the hopelessness into a profitable business.
Today Kateryna actively leads pages in social networks and has more than half a hundred of constant female clients. Together with the career advisor, the woman prepared a business plan and an application for a state grant to open her own studio.
“VONA hub for me is a women’s island of realization of the most cherished dreams, which did not allow me to become discouraged. This is beyond any doubt a lifebuoy for many women in such a difficult time,” Kateryna shares.
Women who lost home, work and usual environment found in themselves the strength to begin new pages of their life. VONA hub helped them not only to master a new profession, but also provided support at every step – from a consultation to work with the first female clients.
The project career and business hub VONA is implemented by UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund in Ukraine, with financial support provided by the governments of Denmark and Sweden, as well as the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre (KSrelief) in cooperation with the Charitable Foundation Rokada.
UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund, is the leading UN agency that focuses its work in the field of gender equality, reproductive health and youth capacity building. Together with partners, UNFPA works in 150 countries and territories of the world, since 1997 also in Ukraine.
More information about UNFPA and its work in Ukraine: https://ukraine.unfpa.org/uk
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