“No country has such a number of female soldiers who are fighting on the Ukrainian front at the same time. No country has such a combat experience of women who defend their state,” emphasized Nataliia Kalmykova, CEO of the Ukrainian Veterans Foundation of the Ministry of Veterans Affairs.
Nataliia Kalmykova spoke during a special event of the Ukrainian Women’s Congress dedicated to the participation of women in the reconstruction process of Ukraine, as well as the experience of Ukrainian women during a full-scale war.
70% of loved ones or relatives of the UVF staff were involved in the war in one way or another or even died at the front. And every day these people (ed. – employees of the foundation) do not know whether they will receive a message from the front, but they continue to work. And the UVF works for the sake of Ukrainians and the future of Ukraine,” Nataliia said. “At least 1.5 million Ukrainians will take part in the hostilities, but if we consider them together with their families, there will be more than 5 million people. This is 17% of Ukrainians currently living in Ukraine. And these scales should be taken into account during any discussions regarding the future of our state.”
The Ukrainian Veteran Foundation of the Ministry of Veterans Affairs creates opportunities for veterans, family members, and families of fallen Defenders of Ukraine. Already. Without waiting for something. And we are proud that the Government of Ukraine supported the initiative of the Minister of Veteran Affairs of Ukraine Yulia Laputina regarding the need to create opportunities for veterans even during the war.
Among almost 300 entrepreneurs who received financial support during the year of the Foundation’s operation, 100 of them are women. These are wives, mothers, and veterans. These are women who have gone through trials and are already rebuilding the country, who took the place of their husbands and relatives who went to the front, and are doing their work. And we need to start returning veterans — current and future — to their employment and integration into civilian, peaceful life. Employers are already changing their approach and integrating veterans into their organizations: training teams on how to cooperate with veterans, preparing career development plans for them, etc. Our challenge will be how to create conditions for veterans to create their own businesses. In the US, after World War II, 50% of veterans became business owners or directors. And it can be a signpost for us too – where to move. And we are already on this path.” – added the executive director of the Ukrainian Veterans Foundation of the Ministry of Veterans Affairs.
“To find resources, to find people who are ready to connect, unite and make veterans and veterans visible and thank them. Because the contribution that military personnel and veterans make every day is an incredible benefit for all of us. It’s good to live, raise children and plan for the future,” Nataliia Kalmykova summed up.
