Yuliia has lived in Kharkiv her whole life. That was where she built her family, career, and plans for the future. That was where she was caught up in a full-scale war. February 24, the day that changed the country, coincided with her daughter's birthday. On that day, Yuliia felt particularly keenly how fragile her normal life had become.
The woman has three higher education degrees and worked in the pharmaceutical industry for over 18 years before the war. She started working in her profession at the age of 20 and became a true expert. But due to her family's forced displacement from the city during the first months of the war, the future of her career became uncertain.
Nine months later, the family returned to Kharkiv, and Yuliia felt the need to rethink her professional path, find herself in new circumstances, and understand where to go next. At that time, she already had the status of an internally displaced person and was actively looking for information about support, reading the news, and following thematic channels. That was when she came across the NGO Girl’s page. She started following updates, learning about opportunities, and reading other women's stories. And after seeing a call for applications for a retraining course, Yuliia felt like it was a chance she couldn't miss. So she started taking a massage course.
She remembers this period as a time of sincere support and high-quality, well-thought-out training. "The lectures were informative and structured, and the teachers answered all questions, even those that went beyond the scope of the program. If any material was missing, the teachers would bring it to the next class,” says Yuliia.
Practical classes became a particularly important part, including well-equipped classrooms, sufficient hours, individual tips on techniques, safety, and working with the body. The instructor became a true mentor, who was patient, attentive, and caring. “She was fussing over us like a mother hen,” smiles Yuliia, recalling how each student was helped to position their hands and feel the correct movement.
An added bonus was the section on administration, working with Excel, interacting with clients, and even grants for starting your own business. This gave Yuliia the understanding that she could build a new career confidently, step by step.
Today, Yuliia practices her massage skills on her loved ones, looks through job vacancies, and at the same time prepares for an important life decision, namely, registering a sole proprietorship. She plans to apply for a grant and create a space where she can help people and work on her own terms.
“Life still goes on, even in the most difficult times,” says Yuliia. “You shouldn’t give up on opportunities. Every chance can change the future. And I am very grateful to the NGO Girls for giving me this support, faith, and confidence. This is what we all lack so much right now.”
The assistance is provided within the project “Strengthening Access and Service Provision for SRH Support and GBV Prevention among Conflict-Affected Women and Girls in Eastern and Southern Ukraine” in cooperation with the international humanitarian organization CARE, with the support of the German Federal Foreign Office.
