“Beauty will save the world.” With these words of Dostoevsky, a 35-year-old Ukrainian woman Natalya Kolesnikova started presenting the business plan for the business he wants to open in Athens in front of the program judges “Create Your Business”realized Hellas International Rescue Committee and Alba Graduate School of Business in collaboration with Foundation City. A young lawyer from Kyiv explained that the professional prospect for hundreds of her compatriots is to work professionally in the field of beauty – hairdressing and makeup. “In 2022, about 20,000 people came from Ukraine, most of us are women,” explains “K” in free English. “In Greece, there are few seminars in other languages, we organize 90% of the courses remotely and 10% live. We are already talking to professionals who want to become more competitive, learn about drawing and cutting techniques, those who want to become makeup artists, as well as women who just want to learn the secrets of makeup for their own use, Russian-speaking and Ukrainian women”, she explains Natalia’s business idea won first place in the “Create Your Own Business” competition, which is part of a broader employment integration program. “Sustainable Future” IRC. In the last cycle, participants came almost exclusively from Ukraine. “I have been in Greece since March with my 4-year-old son, but in the summer I realized that there was no way back to Ukraine, and then I began to think about what I could do here professionally,” says Natalia, who soon found in the face of Alona the perfect partner for her project. “I had a Greek friend who told me from the very beginning: “If you need to leave Kiev, come and stay with me.” After a while, her mother follows her. “He had a big dilemma because he left my 83-year-old grandmother.” A family of three now lives in Piraeus. “My mother, because she knows neither Greek nor English, is socially isolated.” The 35-year-old is a part-time cultural mediator for a company and is learning Greek. “Through Ukraine Women in Greece, I have reached out to many women who are in a similar transition. They have a lot of fluctuations in psychology,” he concludes.

“I feel confident”

Ukrainian psychologist and art therapist came to Greece with two children – one hand – and a nephew. Oksana Drik. “In September, I intend to open a center for creative employment of children through art therapy in Anavyssos, which will meet the needs of children living in Anavyssos, Saronida, Palea Fokaia and Lagonisi”, he explains by referring to “K” 39 year old. Nothing like this works in this area. “At this stage, I’m dealing with the bureaucratic part and trying to understand how everything works here.” The family ended up in Anavyssos by accident. “We only rented the house for a month because we wanted to live somewhere near the sea and not far from Athens,” he recalls. “We hoped then that the war would end soon.” Oksana’s hopes quickly collapsed. However, she feels happy because the people in Anavyssos have accepted her. “The hostess helped me a lot to adapt and enroll the children in school,” he notes, “she told me that there is a Ukrainian priest in the parish, where children are even taught correctional Greek.” Oksana is closely related to her compatriot Papadia, who also has three children. It is she who looks after her own children so that she can attend a seminar in Athens every day. “I didn’t have relatives in Anavyssos, but I can say that I did,” she says excitedly. “Thanks to these people around me, I now feel confident to make business plans.” She herself sees her future in Greece. “Through the Art Therapy Center, I also want to express my gratitude to the Greeks for their hospitality and acceptance.”

Ukrainian delicacies

Her desire to make Ukrainian gastronomy famous, as well as create a business combining her and her husband’s skills, is behind her business plan. Tatyana Muraksina. “Last August, I arrived in Greece, where my husband was already living and working as a cook on Kos,” says Tatyana, 41, who studied economics, law and internet marketing and worked as an assistant judge in Ukraine. “We propose to create a restaurant of Ukrainian cuisine on Alexander Avenue.” With the help of borscht (soup) and lard (similar to lard), Tatyana wants to introduce us to a part of Ukrainian culture that is completely unknown. “Focusing on Greece in 2022 showed growth trends,” he notes, “we chose a busy location, close to two metro stations, a stadium and courts.” The team of professionals that surrounds the couple is aimed not so much at the Ukrainians as at the Athenians interested in discovering a different cuisine. “We are looking for funding to be able to rent the premises,” concludes Tatyana, who has two sons, aged 13 and 17. “Junior goes to a Greek school, studies Greek and English, and plays football at the Olympiakos academies,” he says proudly. “The elder is also studying Greek and English and boxing at a boxing school in Galatsi.” The 41-year-old woman feels she has no right to fail. “I’m learning Greek, it’s easier than English!”