When Maryna (not her real name) was displaced from her home in the Donetsk region to Western Ukraine due to the ongoing conflict, it challenged her both economically and psychologically. “In the new area, I had no friends, relatives, or job, and I faced challenges in every aspect of my life. I soon realized the importance of engaging in some form of economic activity to provide a basic income for my family,” said Maryna.
After relocating, Maryna soon found out about an IOCC-supported program providing business grants, business training, and vocational training to internally displaced women. After enrolling in the program, and with the help of mentors, she was able to formulate a business plan for producing natural cosmetics using organic agricultural products.
Maryna’s business plan impressed the selection committee, and she was awarded a grant to start her business and help make her dream a reality. Maryna had this to say about the assistance she received from the IOCC-supported business program: “This project gives me hope that the funding I receive will help me start a new chapter and support my family, with the potential to expand my business in the future.”
