A dream that became the beginning of a new business. Alona is 33 years old, and her greatest source of inspiration is her family. She is raising three wonderful daughters: the eldest is now 8 years old, while the younger twins are 2.
After the birth of her younger children, Alona began thinking about starting her own business that she could combine with motherhood. In the current circumstances, this is particularly relevant, as life in frontline Kharkiv presents parents with many challenges. Because of the security situation, kindergartens and schools in the city operate primarily online, making regular employment outside the home practically impossible for her.
Alona had long been interested in sewing, but everyday responsibilities and life circumstances kept postponing the fulfillment of this dream. Everything changed when she saw an announcement about an NGO Girls project that offered an opportunity to undergo professional training and receive support to start her own business. She immediately realized that this was an opportunity she could not afford to miss.
One of the first stages was developing a business plan. At first, it was difficult because Alona had no previous experience in preparing such documents. However, with the support of a business consultant, all her doubts quickly disappeared: she was able to clearly structure her idea and believe in her own success. This was followed by engaging and very useful training in “Garment Making”. It gave her not only new knowledge and practical skills but also confidence that she was on the right path.
The final stage of the project was receiving modern sewing equipment needed to start her own business. Alona is currently in the process of launching production and setting up the equipment. It was thanks to this support that she was able to take an important step from an idea to its practical implementation.
“I am sincerely grateful to the project organizers for their support, knowledge and belief in the participants. For me, this project became not only an opportunity to receive equipment but also an impetus for change in my life. It helped me become more confident in my own abilities and move closer to achieving my dream — creating my own business that will allow me to combine the work I love, self-realization and caring for my family,” Alona shares.
The project: Strengthening resilience and protection of conflict-affected individuals, communities and systems in central and eastern Ukraine in partnership with CARE, with support from the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development.
