She Made: discovery & recovery of Ukraine!

She Made: discovery & recovery of Ukraine!

The UN Women Ukraine team, in partnership with Marie Claire Business and funded by the United Nations Women’s Peace and Humanitarian Fund (WPHF), embarked on a media expedition to explore how women and girls are actively driving Ukraine’s rebuilding and recovery.

Since the onset of Russia’s full-scale invasion, the economic situation of Ukrainian women has deteriorated*. As of August 2024, women account for 58% of the 3.7 million internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Ukraine. The increase in unemployment from 9.8% in 2021 to 24.5% in 2022 underscores the pressing need to promote women’s entrepreneurship and expand employment opportunities.

This project features ten unique stories of women’s entrepreneurship, craft production, and socially responsible businesses to amplify the voices of women entrepreneurs and underscore their vital role in Ukraine’s recovery.

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Maria Fleychuk: Carpet Weaving as Art: “Zena-Hlyniany-Art-Studio”
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Iryna Periv and Iryna Andrusiak: Sewing Lingerie with a Focus on Women’s Health
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Khrystyna Zakrevska: Craft Cheese Dairy “BUDZ BARAN”
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Oksana Bas: Eco-Farm “Podilskа Rodyna”
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Alla Shcherbyna: Ordinary Wines from the Raspberry Capital of Ukraine
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Hanna Chumak: Craft Workshop of Wooden Products “Mazha”
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Iryna Karpenko: Farming and production of mushroom jerky
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Natalia Vysotska: Dog Treats Production “Myas-Myas”
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Olga Dryha: Family Leather Goods Workshop “Kozhumiaky”
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Nina Smyrnova: Eco-Farmstead “NUTS’N’GARDEN”
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“Development of women’s entrepreneurship is a crucial component of Ukraine’s gender-responsive economic recovery. During wartime, the role of women-led businesses becomes even more critical and visible. These women support their communities, create jobs, preserve traditions, and carry out important social missions. This project tells the stories of 10 women entrepreneurs. Each woman brings unique experience and expertise, but they all share a remarkable ability to turn challenges into opportunities and grow their businesses despite the difficult circumstances. Our goal is to make sure that women entrepreneurs’s voices are heard and their impact is seen. We want to share the potential of Ukrainian women’s businesses as part of the resistance to Russia’s full-scale war. We hope this project will inspire and guide you in developing your own business, because Of Course, You Can!”
Sabine Freizer Gunes

UN Women Ukraine Representative

Support for women and girls by UN Women Ukraine and the United Nations Women’s Peace and Humanitarian Fund (WPHF)

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civil society organizations were supported by UN Women Ukraine and the United Nations Women’s Peace and Humanitarian Fund (WPHF)

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allocated to funding women’s civil society organizations

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women and girls in Ukraine have participated in various support programs and projects by UN Women Ukraine and the United Nations Women’s Peace and Humanitarian Fund (WPHF)

All the heroines featured in the She Made: discovery and recovery of Ukraine expedition received training, funding, and/or equipment to develop their own businesses, thanks to the support of UN Women Ukraine and funding from the United Nations Women’s Peace and Humanitarian Fund (WPHF) in collaboration with partner civil society organizations.

Join our joint projects and receive assistance to develop your business!

Stay updated on current opportunities through the official social media pages of UN Women Ukraine.

Study* of the Phenomenon of Women’s Entrepreneurship in Ukraine During Wartime

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of all sole proprietorships in Ukraine were started by women in 2024

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of respondents stated that running their own business is the only way to earn money to support their family

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of women and girls view their business as a good alternative to employment

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consider their business as a tool for self-realization

Factors* that contribute to the development of women’s entrepreneurship

Family support

Presence of role models

Availability of personal space

Access to professional expertise among acquaintances

Pursuing business education

Gender Equality in Women-Owned Businesses*

Women entrepreneurs show a keen interest in developing socially responsible businesses based on the principles of gender equality, where leadership fosters staff potential, promotes work-life balance, and supports career development:

Safety

43% of women entrepreneurs personally ensure that there is no harassment of women in their company.

Equal Opportunities

90% of women entrepreneurs who hire both women and men follow the principle of equal pay for equal work.

More Freedom

50% of women entrepreneurs acknowledged challenges in balancing business with family responsibilities. However, they also noted that entrepreneurship enables more flexible organization and distribution of daily duties.

Planning to start your own business? Explore programs and initiatives designed to support women entrepreneurs!

Women’s Entrepreneurship EXPO

The project provides an interactive space for women entrepreneurs, investors, and representatives of the private sector to communicate and collaborate, engage in joint learning, generate ideas, build capacity, and grow businesses. To register for the EXPO, follow updates on the official UN Women Ukraine pages.

Educational and grant programs for women entrepreneurs by Diia.Business

Partner programs focused on advancing women’s entrepreneurship across various sectors of the economy.

State grant and educational programs from the Ministry of Economy of Ukraine

Microgrants for business development, grants for the development of veteran businesses, funding for the growth of processing enterprises, and more.

“The team of ‘Zena-Hlyniany-Art-Studio’ not only preserves the knowledge of ancient collections but also breathes new life into them by creating Hlyniany carpets as true collectible art objects.”

Profile

Maria Fleychuk

Founder of “Zena-Hlyniany-Art-Studio”

“We position ourselves as ‘cheese production from the milk of happy cows.’ The cows graze freely wherever they like, eating fresh grass most of the time and are only supplemented with hay without additives. From the milk of these cows, we make cheese.”

Profile

Khrystyna Zakrevska

Co-founder of the craft cheese dairy “BUDZ BARAN”

“Our goal is for lingerie to be focused on health, not sexualization. We want to create a collection that will be comfortable for everyone. This is our dream because the right formula for lingerie doesn’t exist – we’re just creating it.”

Profile

Iryna Periv

Co-founder of the sewing company “Yarii Lingerie”

“Bar ceramics were famous and highly valued, but today the tradition is lost, and there are no more craftsmen. That’s why we decided to start pottery workshops to revive this unique craft.”

Profile

Oksana Bas

Founder of the eco-farm “Podilska Rodyna”

“Lebedyn is the raspberry capital, where people grow raspberries instead of potatoes.”

Profile

Alla Shcherbyna

Founder of the Agricultural Enterprise “Collection of Fruit Wines”

“We strive not just to keep up with the market, but to create our own niche by offering truly unique products.”

Profile

Hanna Chumak

Founder of the craft woodworking studio “Mazha”

“The most important thing we’ve achieved is establishing the first organic industrial orchard using bear hazel rootstock.”

Profile

Nina Smyrnova

Founder and Head of the “NUTS’N’GARDEN” farm

“We are developing a line to facilitate a transition to plant-based products — a range of vegan treats made from pumpkin, apple, banana, sweet potato, and beetroot. We even have a ‘borscht’ marshmallow, which is also completely vegan.”

Profile

Natalia Vysotska

Founder of the dog treats brand “Mias-Mias”

“Jerky has a long shelf life. It’s a ready-to-eat product – just open the package and enjoy. Moreover, jerky is very healthy as it contains many enzymes, vitamins, trace elements, and soluble polysaccharides.”

Profile

Iryna Karpenko

Founder of the farm and mushroom jerky production business

“If something happens, the client can reach out, and we will help or repair the product. It's important for us that our clients feel safe.”

Profile

Olha Dryha

Founder of the family leather goods workshop “Kozhumiaky”

The project “She Made: discovery & recovery of Ukraine” was created by Marie Claire Business Ukraine and UN Women Ukraine funded by The United Nations Women’s Peace and Humanitarian Fund (WPHF). WPHF mobilizes critical support for local and grassroots civil society organizations working on women, peace and security and humanitarian action. WPHF is a flexible and rapid financing mechanism supporting quality interventions designed to enhance the capacity of women to prevent conflict, respond to crises and emergencies, and seize key peacebuilding opportunities.

The idea and coordination of the project: the UN Women Ukraine team. The civil society organizations that were involved in selecting entrepreneurship stories: The National Network for the Development of Local Philanthropy, The Rural Women's Business Network, Studio of Public Women's Initiatives. Media Expedition: General Producer of Marie Claire Business and Project Creative Director: Julia Brosko. Head of Brand Marie Claire Ukraine: Kateryna Fastovets. Expedition Team Administration: Yanina Provotar. Photos on this page: Nadia Berska, Serhiy Piriev. Video: Marharyta Omelchuk. Editing: Viktor Khodosov. Texts: Julia Brosko. Retouching: Olena Chykylova. Web: Vitalii Provotar. Expedition Driver: Svitlana Sapon. If you notice any errors or have suggestions for improvement, please let us know.