Yulia’s life before the war was good; 34-years-old, she worked as a logistician at a large enterprise, her husband also earned well. The couple enjoyed their lifestyle in pre-war Kharkiv and planned to have a child. The war has changed everything.
According to Yulia, “In the first days of the war there was terrible panic in Kharkiv. Everything around us was just exploding. The whole city was trying to evacuate. Eventually we managed to get out to Pervomaisk, to stay with my mother. My husband lost his job, and I was also laid off. At that point I changed my mind about having kids as I heard how parents struggled to hide their children in basements and take care of them.
“Then military personnel with missile launchers began to arrive in Pervomaisk, and we decided to move to Western Ukraine. But then we realized it was not right for us, so when my husband was offered a job in Dnipro, we moved there immediately.
“At first, I was very confused, I didn’t know what to do. I couldn’t find a job, I had no friends here. Even with my husband’s salary, we struggled to pay for rent and food. And then I found out about World Jewish Relief’s Boost Ukraine project. I called the office, and it turned out that the project can not only help me find a job, but also assist me with acquiring a new vocation. I immediately signed up for the program.”
When Yulia arrived for her first training session, she was very shy and looked unhappy. She did not talk to anyone and tried to hide in the corner. Despite being so successful in the past, she just lost hope that life might get better.
Then, as Yulia was going through the project’s curriculum, her confidence started coming back. She heard the stories of other participants who were in a similar position. She received mental health support and training to remain calm, even in challenging interpersonal situations.
Before the project, Yulia didn’t know what she could do for work. But thanks to our employment support, she realized that she could learn a new profession in demand everywhere, even abroad. Yulia trained as a beauty therapist. Yulia also realized that she did not have to give up on her former profession, so she now has a job and is also self-employed.
She found a job as a logistician at Metro, a large chain supermarket. Even before the war it was her dream to work for this company. Yulia highlighted, “I know that your training helped me fulfill my dream and get this job. I received invaluable knowledge and support – and it opened new opportunities for me. Your training has changed my life; I realised that it was possible to continue living. I began to actively do something, to make plans, to get new ideas. I have two sources of income, I develop my accounts on social media following your guidance, I attend professional beauty exhibitions, and I made new friends.”