Olena Shvydka
Olena Shvydka, Ivanivka village head
Іthe Vaniv community near Chernihiv was occupied by Russian troops on began march 2022. The settlement was not only under occupation, but also under constant shelling.
The head of the community remained with her fellow villagers. "I approached the Russian military several times without introducing myself. They asked where our government is? I didn't name myself because it's not known what they could have done. She only wanted to know whether it was possible for women with children to leave the village. The military did not let people out", Olena recalls.
The whole world later learned about the real hell experienced by local residents during the occupation. The history of the village of Yagidne, where the occupiers kept more than 300 people in the basement of the village school, became one of the terrible examples of the Russian occupation of Chernihiv Oblast. More than 2,000 houses, schools, and cultural centers were destroyed or damaged in the Ivanovo community.
During the invasion, Elena was hidden by the villagers, because everyone understood that if she fell into the hands of the enemy, she would not be released. Elena Shvydka's family suffered losses – her grandmother died, and her uncle was shot by the occupiers.
After the liberation, the Ivanovo community began its path of restoration. The biggest challenge – is rebuilding people's private property, because many families stayed outdoors. With the help of the chairman, local activists, authorities and businesses were united, which helped move forward. Despite all the obstacles, Olena does not stop. She believes in her community. And people believe their leader. And today, the Ivanovo community continues to cooperate with international foundations and organizations. The work continues, and this process is managed by an indomitable woman.
Iryna Dubyk
Iryna Dubyk - head of the department of culture, family, youth and sports of the Kiptiv village council, deputy head of the NGO "Kiptiv Women's Union"
In the first month of the full-scale invasion, the Kiptiv community found itself on the demarcation line. The evacuation transit road passed through it. In addition to the military, many internally displaced persons appeared in the community.
Iryna Dubyk, together with partner women's NGOs, organized a humanitarian corridor and provided people with baby food, medicine and everything they needed.
When the community was cut off from Chernihiv, Kyiv and Sumy, the old mill was restored in the village of Vovchok. There they began to grind grain and bake yeast-free bread. Each of the women had her own responsibility. Iryna's task was to establish logistics. Thanks to her work, bread was delivered, as well as other products, assistance at the request of the elders of the surrounding villages. Together with the headman of. Progress Iryna Prydako set up a kitchen for the military, met IDPs, including victims from Yagidny, formed humanitarian aid.
And the women of the "Lyubystok" folk group, where Iryna sings, sewed the necessary things for the military. When the fighting subsided, they set off with creative performances. "Because culture, creativity — is also bread, but for the soul!" - believes Iryna Dubyk.
Іtoday, she is convinced that the bread baked by the women of the Kiptiv community — is a symbol of stability and unity. "We, like grains in an ear of corn, held on to each other, and together we were able to survive in that hellish time", the public activist emphasizes.Natalia Kalinichenko
Nataliya Kalinichenko, Chernihiv entrepreneur, owner of the Veranda restaurant
However, the full-scale invasion of Russia, active hostilities around the city stopped the work of "Veranda", and Natalia left for Austria. She lived there for 5 months with a good job, and finally I realized that I am not a potential emigrant.
"I believe that we are a socially responsible business. And I decided to come back to be involved in life in the city, to support various meetings and initiatives", – emphasizes the restaurant owner. They reopened one facility in June, the other – in November 2022.
Moreover, they have a children's camp under their care, which provides high-quality and healthy food. They also actively participate in all-Ukrainian meetings, initiate their own. Like most Ukrainians, they have relatives and close friends whom, unfortunately, they lost forever. There are friends who have gone through captivity.
"I will not be wrong if I say that each of us has a feeling that we are not doing enough", says Nataliya Kalinichenko. Therefore, involvement in various public campaigns helps cafe and restaurant teams to be useful and feel that they are also useful.
" From each hot dish, our institution, like other Chernihiv colleagues, donates a certain percentage to the all-Ukrainian fundraising for our defenders. It also allows restaurant guests to feel that their actions are important, that they are doing a good deed. And, I think, this is very important for everyone now", she emphasizes.
Kateryna Molko
Kateryna Molko, owner of frameless furniture production "KatyPuf modern furniture workshop"
Before the beginning of the great war, Kateryna Molko's family business in Chernihiv became quite large-scale and powerful. Together with her husband, a large production was opened, at the beginning of February 2022, a new showroom was arranged and opened…
On the eve of the – invasion on February 23, Kateryna's daughter was only 9 months old. Then the woman was a happy mother, wife and entrepreneur... The girl's little anniversary was celebrated with relatives and friends. And in the morning a great war began. They collected basic necessities and went nowhere... Kateryna and the baby ended up in Germany. The man stayed at home.
In production at that time, the direction of work was changed and white winter protective suits for the army began to be sewn. And later, in Germany, Chernihiv received news that there is no more production. The warehouse with materials burned down. The showroom was damaged. "I didn't even cry because I understood that the main thing was completely different. My relatives are alive!" - recalls Kateryna Molko.
Then she realized that she would not be able to stay abroad. After all, relatives were waiting at home and an insatiable desire to return to the business of their lives again.
But Kateryna received the greatest support for her business from clients. "They, when they heard about our trouble, started calling, asking, and started placing orders specifically to support us. I am very grateful to everyone!", says the entrepreneur.
Everything that was built before that for years started from scratch again. Kateryna and her child just had to return to the patterns by candlelight, and then her husband took them to tailoring... This was followed by grant support and the purchase of new equipment. The enterprise "KatyPuf Modern Furniture Workshop" is being revived. This year he turns 9 years old.
Larisa Shovkova
Larisa Shovkova, Tupychiv village head
Larisa Shovkova has been working as the head of the Tupychiv Village Council since 2006. Even before the war, the program "Decentralization brings better results and efficiency" was launched in the community. According to the decision of the residents of the community, they began to work on the opening of a sewing workshop: they decided on the equipment and donors. The first part of the funds was received even before the war. Another one already in the summer of 2022, after Tupychiv met with the occupiers. Given its proximity to the Russian border, the community was under occupation in the early days.
"The Russians came to us already on February 24, although the Russian troops were not based in us —, we were a transit zone. I was there all the time, I didn't go anywhere. As best she could, she solved the issue of community life, although it was not easy. In general, the local military, fortunately, did not touch them, but I had a search at home", says Larisa Shovkova about her experiences.
The invaders were looking for weapons and walkie-talkies. And the main task of the head of the community at that time was to make every effort so that after talking with the occupiers, everyone would stay alive. And the soul ached for the new equipment that the community so dreamed of.
On April 1, the last invaders left the Tupychiv land. Sewing equipment for the new workshop, which was hidden from Russian soldiers with great efforts, survived. And in November 2022, a sewing shop started operating in the community.
Now the Tupychiv community has a lot of ideas and energy, but funds for implementation and partners who can help are needed. People dream of a large gym and a sports field with an artificial surface in the village of Vykhvostiv. But the biggest dream is common to all – so that the war ends and we win.