Kyiv hosted the graduation ceremony of the Veteran Business Development Support Programme, implemented by the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) in partnership with Startup Ukraine. This was done with the support of the Ministry of Veterans Affairs of Ukraine and funding from the European Union. This year, 104 veterans, female veterans and their family members completed the programme.
Veteran Vasyl Bobryk, who returned to school as a mathematics teacher after his service, decided to develop the Green Energy Farm greenhouse business. He now has his first employee, who is also a combat veteran. And Serhiy Stetsyura, the father of a fallen defender, founded the KaTaNa coffee shop, creating a space for communication and support.
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These stories demonstrate how the programme helps veterans find themselves in new roles and create businesses that have social value. Over six months, participants from 24 different fields — from agriculture to IT — underwent three months of training, two months of mentoring support, and pitch days to present their projects. Half of them received funding of up to 317,000 UAH for business development. The total amount of grants exceeded 17 million UAH.
According to Anna Petrova, founder of Startup Ukraine, for many veterans, this programme has become not only a training course, but also a path to a new meaning in life. She adds that over 63% of veterans in Ukraine want to start their own business after returning to civilian life.
Robert Turner, Head of the IOM Mission in Ukraine, emphasised that supporting veterans is not only a matter of personal adaptation, but also of community and economic recovery. He noted that the IOM will continue to work with Ukrainian partners to ensure the sustainable socio-economic integration of veterans.
Graduates of the programme emphasise that the training helped them regain their self-confidence and find practical solutions for their own businesses. “I saw guys who had been wounded and taken prisoner, but who are developing their businesses and not giving up. It’s inspiring,” says programme participant Serhiy Stetsyura.
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