Resilience Amid War: A Mother’s Entrepreneurial Journey in Ukraine
Ulyana Bilashevska is a woman of unyielding determination – a mother of five and an entrepreneur whose resilience inspires. Her story is a testament to how experience, perseverance, and belief in oneself can lead to success, even in the most challenging circumstances. Her life, filled with relocations, trials, and battles, reflects the fate of many Ukrainian families affected by war.
Originally from Vinnytsia, Ulyana and her family have lived in various corners of Ukraine, including Uzhhorod, Chernivtsi, and Kharkiv. Currently residing in the Lviv region, she is raising five children, aged from one and a half to seventeen. Her husband, who joined the army as a volunteer in 2015, moved with his family from city to city as his assignments changed. "He was transferred, and we followed," Ulyana recalls.
Her husband, a skilled electrician, voluntarily joined the army because soldiers on the front lines needed assistance with living conditions. “In 2015, he went voluntarily... They had nothing, no gear. We still have a shovel-turned-armor in the house,” she says. After sustaining injuries, he is now undergoing treatment in a hospital, though he plans to return to his combat unit after further medical assessments.
With her husband’s health uncertain and his military responsibilities ongoing, Ulyana has, like many Ukrainian women, taken on the responsibility of sustaining her family. Drawing on her experience and resilience, she has learned to navigate challenges independently, turning her focus to creating a stable future for her children through entrepreneurship.
Ulyana holds a master’s degree from the Lviv Commercial Academy, where she trained as a commodities expert. Before the war, she gained business experience managing a company importing and selling construction materials. Additionally, she ventured into second-hand trade. However, her true passion lies in medicinal raw materials: herbs, berries, mushrooms, and grains – gifts of nature.
Her journey to reviving her business began with the "Recover and Develop Entrepreneurship for IDPs During the War" training program. This initiative, part of the UNIDO project "Emergency assistance for 3D-printed prosthetics and job creation in Ukraine" funded by the Government of Japan, supports entrepreneurial activity among persons with disabilities and other vulnerable populations, including IDPs, in Lviv and the Lviv region.
"The training helped me systematize my knowledge and address gaps," Ulyana explains. "It gave me the time to think about how I envision my company’s logo and where to start. The fear is almost gone." The program also provided her with opportunities to meet like-minded people, exchange contacts, and share experiences, further shaping her confidence and vision for her business.
Ulyana rented collection points and accepted raw materials from locals in various Ukrainian regions: mushrooms in Poltava, berries and chestnuts in Khmelnytskyi, and herbs in Lviv. She personally handled contracts with factories, organized procurement, storage, and shipment of raw materials. Her meticulous approach – calculating expenses, mastering processing technologies, and ensuring quality – allowed her to build a reputation as a reliable partner. "I focused on raw materials that were guaranteed to sell well," she says.
Raising five children amidst uncertainty and war has shaped Ulyana’s unwavering determination to create a stable future for her family. "My strength lies in them, my children," Ulyana says. "When I can provide for them, raise five lives, and dream of even more achievements, I feel unstoppable."
Now, Ulyana is studying the competitive market in the Lviv region, searching for a suitable location for a collection point, planning to purchase a freezer, and preparing to apply for a grant program.
Her dream is to create a home for her children – a place where they will feel safe, where their childhood will flourish, and where the past will be preserved while the future is built. "On these roads, we lost so much – possessions, memories – and if nothing is done, it will all disappear, and we will lose ourselves in the world," she reflects.
"I have no one to rely on. And that’s not always a bad thing, really. When you can’t count on anyone else, you learn to rely on yourself," Ulyana concludes. Her story is more than just personal resilience, it is a testament to the enduring spirit of a nation. Her determination to rebuild, provide for her children, and grow a business amidst war reflects the hope and strength of countless Ukrainian families striving for a brighter future.