Category: News

The NGO “Association of Private Employers” is the winner of our Varto+GO competition program. They have identified helping veterans develop their own businesses as a priority for their work today.

“This is the least we can do to thank these people for ensuring our independence,” says Oleksandr Chumak, head of the organization, with confidence.

Now we’ll tell you more about our winners and their important project.

The Kharkiv-based NGO “Association of Private Employers” has had its own mission for more than 10 years: to unite practitioners to develop entrepreneurship and create a favorable business environment.

Over the years, they have accomplished many projects: campaigned and promoted reforms for economic development, advised hundreds of businesses, helped government and business to be partners, helped IDPs integrate and find jobs, and much more.

After February the 24th, new tasks emerged that were taken on by the “Association of Private Employers”. Logistics and trade need to be restored in the de-occupied and frontline areas. To achieve this, the NGO is actively working: it studies the situation, advises entrepreneurs, and establishes logistics links. Moreover, the members of the NGO bring humanitarian aid to those in need.

Veterans-entrepreneurs are a separate, special focus of the NGO. Veterans-entrepreneurs have given their health, their life time, protecting each of us, and now we must help them to establish their own business.

The “Association of Private Employers” already has experience in mentoring veteran entrepreneurs, so they took part in the #Varto+GO project competition, received funding, and continue to help develop veteran businesses.

The New Countdown Center for Veterans’ Entrepreneurial Initiatives project is an entrepreneurship training course. Project experts train participants and help them start or develop their own ventures.

As part of this course, veterans and their families learn how to:

• Business registration. Selection of the form of taxation
• How to choose a successful business strategy.
• Effective communications
• Management accounting
• Sales and customer service
• Working with the team
• Grants for veterans. How to get them.

“We are currently recruiting the second group and finishing the training of the first group. On November 4th, we will have a pitching of our participants’ projects. That is, veterans will present their business ideas, and experts will add comments and suggestions. But we are especially proud of the fact that among our participants there are already winners of the contest program from the UVF Varto:Golden Hands,” Oleksandr shares with us.

“We wish the project participants interesting and useful lectures and fruitful work in the business field! And of course, we are waiting for you in our future competition programs. We are proud to support veterans and NGOs that help the veteran community.

“Creators of Change” is a project working on the economic (re)integration of veterans of the Russo-Ukrainian War and internally displaced individuals.

The event of the same name was held in Kyiv for the third time. This year, the organizers focused on public, charitable and business initiatives. They received more than 60 applications.

We are pleased that due to its professionalism and expertise, our Ukrainian Veterans Foundation was a member of the jury this year. Vita Kostyk, Deputy Executive Director of the UVF, together with other experts, selected the very best.

Congratulations to the two winners who will receive assistance for their projects in the amount of UAH 100 thousand each.

“There is a job for a veteran!” by Happy Monday – the project aims to expand opportunities for training and retraining of veterans and their successful employment during the transition from military service to civilian life.

The IDP Adaptation Center “Zmist” – Poltava – works to help IDPs and accelerate their social and economic adaptation and integration in Poltava region.

The Audience Award for microfinance went to the My.Ridnym project, a social enterprise that aims to support elderly single women from villages in Sumy region in their socialization, creative self-realization, and well-being.

For more information:
The “Creators of Change” project has been implemented by the Bendukidze Free Market Center in cooperation with the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom for the third year in a row.

Instead of Oleksandr Porkhun, Oksana Syvak, Advisor to the Minister of the Department of Advisors of the Patronage Service of the Ministry of Veterans Affairs of Ukraine, joined the Supervisory Board of the UVF.

We are strong when we are united. We are strong when we are together and make each other tougher. The most important thing is our veterans and their families.

The Ukrainian Veterans Foundation has such a powerful support – the Supervisory Board.

Dear friends, we continue to publish a digest of opportunities for female and male veterans and their families. Our team has gathered relevant and useful information that may help you.

The online course “Returning from War: Mind, Body, Society” is available 24/7 for veterans. The course is useful for veterans who have returned from war. It includes lectures on physical rehabilitation, employment in civilian life, and how to build, develop, and scale your own business. The course was prepared by the team of the Ukrainian Veterans Foundation and the Ukrainian Catholic University. Details and the course are available at https://cutt.ly/nwWelQ1U

Switch to a new job in an IT company or Administrative Service Centres. Veterans are invited to attend online/offline courses. Participants who successfully complete the training will be helped to find a job in the digital sector. You will also receive certificates of training in English, cybersecurity, IT, etc. Apply here: https://cutt.ly/mwWeg0Hq

“Do You Hear? Plus.Plus” is a project by the NGO Vidchuvai for the hearing-impaired veterans. The project’s psychologists and educators help the soldiers learn to perceive sounds again. Consultations are held online and offline in Kyiv. All details at https://cutt.ly/KwWeLhq8

You can always contact the Crisis Support Hotline for Veterans and Their Families. If you need to talk to a qualified psychologist, call: 0 800 33 20 29. The line is available every day and around the clock. The project was made possible by the Ukrainian Emergency Response Fund program, implemented by IREX in Ukraine with the support of the U.S. Department of State.

Need a generator or laptop? The UVF compensates 20 thousand to veteran businesses for the purchased goods. These can be generators, irrigation systems, sewing machines, laptops, cameras and much more.
Details: https://veteranfund.com.ua/projects/20000-2/

Employees of the Ukrainian Veterans Foundation of the Ministry of Veterans Affairs attended a scientific conference. Global experts gathered in London to discuss the needs of veterans.

The title of the conference: “Out Of War: Global Insights on Reintegration to Support Strategies for Ukraine’s Front-Line Returnees”.

The Foundation’s team took part in two strategic sessions:

• Hidden wounds of war

Yulia Kirillova, Head of the Training and Analytical Department, spoke about the Crisis Support Hotline at the event. Based on the experience of the Line, the team created a Guidebook. It contains a roadmap in the system of psychological, medical and psychiatric care, as well as recommendations for veterans and their families who find themselves in critical conditions.

• Reintegration of veterans at the community level

Olena Prikhno, Head of the Department of Organizational Development and International and Regional Relations, talked about the experience of the UVF in working with the regions of Ukraine.

Based on the results of the conference’s strategic sessions, the international research group LSE, Corioli Institute and Trust After Betrayal will provide recommendations for the development of Ukraine’s veteran policy.

This conference also introduced us to the professionals who will conduct research at the UVF: Dr. Marnie Howlett, Oxford University, Terrell Odom, University of Chicago, Professor Alejandro Castellego Cuellar, University of the Andes.

“This comic book has shown that the problems that families of veterans may face are normal, and that other families have similar situations.”

This is how the family of a soldier who had read the comic book “My Dad returned from the war” responded. The UVF team met with veterans, their relatives, military personnel, and psychologists to share their impressions of the comic book and discuss its value.

The author of the comic is Ilya Shpolyansky, a veteran. He lived abroad until February the 24th. However, he returned and stood up to defend the country one more time. This comic book is partly an implementation of his idea. It was published thanks to the UVF funding program.

The comic book explains to children aged 10-15 how to communicate with a father who has returned from war, helps them understand his psychological state and facilitates their integration into society.

The link to the comic book is here: https://book.heroesukraine.org/

Karyna Doroshenko, UVF Deputy Executive Director, joined the event.

“When there are no printed copies, and there is a constant demand for more and more new printings, this is an indicator. We will sincerely welcome and support veterans’ ideas that will be submitted to the Foundation’s funding programs.”

The authors of the project shared their plans. The next stage of the project is the comic book “My Mom returned from the war”. More than 40,000 women are currently defending Ukraine. The idea was also supported by practicing psychologists.

Soon we will launch a new financial support program for veterans. The winners will receive funds for project execution. Follow us on social media and be the first to know about the start of the competition.

The world is working on the needs of Ukrainian veterans who will return home after Victory. Experts from 17 different countries met in London. Among them is the team of the Ukrainian Veterans Foundation of the Ministry of Veterans Affairs of Ukraine.

The organizers are holding the conference “Out Of War: Global Insights on Reintegration to Support Strategies for Ukraine’s Front-Line Returnees” to:

✅ listen to the problems and needs of Ukrainian veterans

✅ develop a basis for the veteran policy of Ukraine: recommendations that will take into account the unique Ukrainian experience

The UVF team arrived well-prepared. All that you have seen in our social networks, we use for such meetings with world experts. All-Ukrainian surveys, information, and analytical research, online surveys of veterans, and communication with veteran focus groups.

The conference officially has started. The Ukrainian delegation spoke about the needs of veterans and the efforts made by the government and public society to support the veteran community of Ukraine.

The round table was attended by:

🔷 Yuliia Kirillova, head of the department of educational and analytical work of the UVF

🔷 Kostyantyn Tatarkin, veteran, representative of IREX in Ukraine

🔷 Ganna Demydenko, representative of the Ukrainian Women Veteran Movement

🔷 the meeting was moderated by Oxford University lecturer Marnie Howlett.

Yuliia Kirillova presented the scientific basis of the Foundation’s work – analytical research. She also told how the Foundation is helping veterans now – through the Crisis Support Hotline and business financing programs for veterans and their families.

  We thank the organizers of this important event: The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) , Department of Geography and Environment, LSE Trust After Betrayal, Corioli Institute, Erin K. McFee, PhD, MBA, Jonathan Röders

To work responsibly and do everything possible and even more. Because we, the Ukrainian Veterans Foundation, are empowering the strongest.

We are moving and working within our strategy. Nearby is the Supervisory Board. These are the people who strengthen and guide the UVF team.

All events are now more dynamic than ever. So we also have changes that we quickly share with you.

The Supervisory Board of the Foundation was replenished with a new specialist. Instead of Maksym Kushnir, Nadiya Adamenko joined. Nadiya is the Deputy Head of the Department for the Development of Information Systems and Veteran Electronic Services of the Department of Digital Development, Digital Transformations and Digitalization of the Ministry of Veterans Affairs of Ukraine.

Side by side, we continue our work, because changes in the country begin with each of us.

🔹How to get the status of a participant in hostilities?

🔹What documents you need to prepare to obtain the status of a person with a disability due to the war? 

🔹Who should family members of a fallen (deceased) veteran or defender contact to obtain the appropriate status?

Lawyers of the Ukrainian Veterans Foundation of the Ministry of Veterans will answer all these questions.  Leave an application on the website and receive a comprehensive answer and legal support for your situation: https://veteranfund.com.ua/legal_consultations/

You can get a free legal consultation free of charge and on working days from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. You will be contacted via the email or phone number you left on the form.

You can read more about the procedure for granting statuses at the link: https://veteranfund.com.ua/legal_consultations/status_nadanna/?fbclid=IwAR0PHwYcPqQdSlXdIyDv3YmlaSWO4f4DjG8gUZoYqiERT7hdIfTw7QJ7kQM

In Ukraine, the first mobile application was presented, which helps veterans and military personnel receive free sports rehabilitation.

TRENVET offers veterans and active military personnel fast online access to free sports rehabilitation services in all regions of Ukraine: find a coach, rehabilitation specialist and massage therapist by specialization or location, using filters and geolocation. And sports rehabilitation specialists should offer their services to veterans.

The TRENVET project was created by the NGO “Victory of the Invincible” and the NGO “Strongman Federation of Ukraine” with the support of the Ukrainian Veterans Foundation. Public organizations have been engaged in sports rehabilitation of veterans and military personnel since 2015.

“Such projects as TRENVET allow veterans to feel much better and to understand that they are cared for and respected. And all this – at the expense of state budget funds. Yes, the state provides an opportunity for veteran initiatives to determine where they should go, what they need and how to implement it. These are projects in which veterans work for veterans,” says Ruslana Velychko, Acting Executive Director of the Ukrainian Veterans Foundation of the Ministry of Veterans Affairs of Ukraine.

The creators of the application emphasize: we work either at the front or for the front. And supporting veterans and involving them in sports is really important.

“Every veteran deserves the best support after returning from a combat zone. Our TRENVET app aims to facilitate the integration of veterans into civilian life through sports and sports rehabilitation. TRENVET is a story about bringing in, as automatically as possible, more trainers who feel that they can use their skills to help veterans return from war. Another target audience is veterans who, with the help of the application, can determine where the nearest specialist is located who can provide volunteer sports rehabilitation assistance, who will support him and encourage him to train regularly,” says Serhiy Konyushok, co-founder of TRENVET.

“It’s much easier to come to a gym where you have your own environment, a veteran community or coaches who are waiting for you to train, who invite you to train. We hope that the veteran will want to do physical culture and sports. We strive to attract as many veterans as possible to physical culture and sports, to a healthy lifestyle, because we believe that this industry is perhaps the best tool for veteran socialization in civilian life,” says Vasyl Virastyuk, co-founder of TRENVET.

At the presentation of the application for veterans, they did not speak without veterans. Sergeant of the 95th Separate Airborne Assault Brigade Oleksandr Shvachka was seriously wounded and lost part of his leg in the battles with the Russians in the spring of 2022 in the Kyiv region.

“I underwent long-term treatment and surgery, gradually engaged in sports, looked for ways to rehabilitate myself… Sports is one of the important levers that helps a veteran socialize and switch thoughts away from absolutely all problems, from the war, communicate more with his environment, restore his moral psychological state… I urge all veterans to join sports, because thanks to sports you become stronger not only from the outside, but also from the inside,” says the veteran, who is also a co-founder of the TRENVET app.

The application is available for download on the AppStore and Google Play..

Links to TRENVET mobile application social networks: Facebook, Instagram