As a consequence of the war, many citizens were left alone with their problems, both emotional and physical. The ideas of the project “The support of young veterans and internally displaced persons in Ukraine” turned out to be not just about studying or volunteering, but about new strong communities. Due to this, like-minded people with similar problems, values and intentions, found each other and planned to work on the country’s reconstruction. The initiative includes psychological rehabilitation, improvement of communicational skills, training, and business incubator, as well as grant support. They withstood and are now part of the “Young Veterans Ukraine” platform.
When we say “young people”, it is not only about age, but also about intentions. They are full of ideas, strength, and inspiration, even though they have experienced the horrors of war.
The participants of the “Young Veterans Ukraine” platform partner project are currently veterans of the Russo-Ukrainian war under the age of 35. All of them seek to open businesses or to scale an existing one.
Oleksandra Shchukina, the team leader of the platform, who, together with partners, created a network for young veterans and developed future rehabilitation projects, says that she, like the resettlers from Kharkiv, knows what it is like to start a new life and revive a business:
Returning from the front is not just buying a train ticket. It’s a long way as well as for those who left their homes forever and started building their activities in other cities. It is to start living anew. All our project participants are similar, although not all of them know each other. These are people who have survived displacement and fear, but they are ready to work further. They did not leave the country, and it is very important for us that such young people remain to rebuild Ukraine. In the organisation of events, we do not think in terms of the scale of projects, we think about team building. Projects will end, but social ties and values will remain because such communities are very viable, especially with such participants.
Platform responds to the challenge of reviving or creating a new veteran business, because the country is getting on new rails and building a new society, accordingly, there is a need for new policies and living conditions.
In addition to the practical component of assistance in writing business plans and opening one’s own business, one of our projects aims to improve the legislative base — writing a policy brief, which we will present this year. In the work of our round tables, we united people’s deputies, experts, ministries, and veterans themselves, — says Oksana Alekseeva, an expert on the Young Veterans Ukraine platform.
The project continues supporting the business of IDPs and veterans, volunteering, and doing analytical work. Participants are already sharing their stories:
Denys Bodnar, a father of 5 children, who, without hesitation, went to fight on the first day, was injured, survived, and wants to open his own sports centre in his native Novomoskovsk and already has a business plan.
Saxophonist Stanislav Raldugin injured his hand in the war. It is unknown whether he will start playing again, but he is not going to say goodbye to music:
I deliberately became patriotic, which not everyone in the Dnipro region did at that time. Back in 2014, I walked around the thresholds of military enlistment offices, and then they accepted my father, but not me, apparently, he asked them to protect me. However, a full-scale invasion changed everything. I trained, and together with other instructors, I went first to the Donbas, then under Robotine. There, I fought, dug, and rescued comrades. I was injured by a tank shell. It was very unpleasant, because we spent two weeks looking for this one, but then the guys hunted it.
Nevertheless, the dream would have remained a dream without support. Stanislav took part in the Hackathon of the project aimed at supporting young veterans and internally displaced persons in Ukraine. Now, thanks to training and assistance, it is not just an idea, but also a clear business plan. There is a studio, and its expansion and additional training are planned.
Before, people listened mainly to Russian content, and therefore there was still a shortage of Ukrainian music, we had many attempts, but there were not enough specialists who would bring it all together. Some write music, some — cool lyrics, there are those who sing, who release but cannot collaborate in any way. There are new artists, wonderful artists, and there are those who reach the world level, but they are few and want to compete, — talks Stanislav about his idea.
Cherkasy citizen Denis Sherengovsky was mobilised among the first, he got into the army in March. Having military experience, he was in a detachment of border guards in the Donetsk region. There, he was seriously injured and overcame the amputation of the leg.
I understood that would have to fight because I had a fixed-term service experience and a contract with the army. I was in the Mariyinka direction, in Novomykhailivka, and there I was injured. Constant shelling, mortars, and rifle battles took place, — Denis discreetly recalls participating in the war.
A lot of effort was spent on healing and starting to walk again, using a prosthesis. Even more — to perceive the world around. Veteran brotherhood helps Denis to think positively. He became even more interested in sports after being wounded than before. Denis dreams of feeding people. He came to the project with an idea that has now become a detailed business plan. In addition to Hackathon, Denis also got enrolled at the university and finds time to agitate other veterans to try their hand at projects and in business.
The way it was initially planned has been changed a little. The project helped, and I really liked it. Experts advised us on SMM, marketing, and development of everything. In general, I am interested in business for everyone, but since I am a veteran I will be pleased if veterans come to me with families, not just to eat, but to spend time, it should be a place where we could gather, talk, and hold events for the future, — says Denis.
According to the organisers, the veteran business community is strategically important for the country and much stronger than all other communities, especially now, and needs support, because the more veterans can participate in such projects, the more of them will successfully return to civilian life.
