A Civic Start-up for Ukrainians in Lithuania

Article by Dalia Cidzikaitė

Photos by Nail Garejev

For almost thirty years, an NGO the Open Lithuania Foundation (Lith. Atviros Lietuvos Fondas) has been acting as a catalyst for civic start-ups. Ukreate Hub, a Vilnius-based competence center, dedicated to displaced Ukrainians in Lithuania, equipping them with knowledge, skills, network, and other tools to unleash their potential for the future of Ukraine, is the most recent OLF’s initiative.

Since 2022, Ukreate Hub has introduced two Grant Programs, successfully conducting two seasons and funding twenty projects to date. The project topics include creating Ukrainian narratives—bringing Ukrainian voices to the forefront; women’s role in the recovery of Ukraine—social innovation and entrepreneurship; and preserving and enhancing Ukraine’s democratic course.

Through Grant programs, Ukreate Hub provides vital support for Ukrainian activists in Lithuania and nurtures the seeds of self-realization and empowerment. With each project funded, it helps to unlock the potential for impactful change, fostering a community where every idea has the opportunity to flourish and make a lasting difference.

Ukreate Hub’s Initiatives

Clusters or membership-based groups for active Ukrainians is one of few Ukreate Hub’s initiatives. Within clusters, Ukrainians are given a chance to exchange experiences, coordinate events, amplify the Ukrainian voice globally, lead projects, enhance interaction with Ukrainian society and local residents, cultivate professional networks, and more. These communities provide a support network and collaboration opportunities, fostering personal development and enriching the Ukrainian cultural landscape. Ukreate Hub also facilitates professionally relevant networking events, inviting Ukrainians and Lithuanians to get to know each other and build new connections.

“Civil Consciousness Club” is the collaboration of Ukreate Hub and Ukrainian Youth Group in Lithuania. It is an initiative that fosters dialogue on cultural and social issues through literature. The idea of the Club is to cultivate a community of engaged citizens who explore Lithuanian and Ukrainian works of literature from the perspective of civic awareness and historical reflection.

Ukrainian Women Entrepreneurship Program provides a unique opportunity to receive free offline training that would help Ukrainian women in Lithuania to turn their business ideas into a systematic detailed business plan, learn how to attract investment and find business partners, improve one’s business mindset, and find support in the community of women entrepreneurs.

Supporting and Enabling Ukrainian Women Entrepreneurs

The program for women entrepreneurs began in Ukreate Hub as an initiative to support Ukrainian women in Lithuania. Eugenija Kovaliova, the CEO of Ukreate Hub, says that the Ukrainian Women Entrepreneurship Program has been one the most successful Hub’s initiatives. Addressing the lack of opportunities for Ukrainian women to acquire essential entrepreneurial skills, the initiative has culminated in a pitching competition of business ideas. For some of the participants, it has grown into a separate adventure and perhaps a path to a new future.

The Ukrainian Women Entrepreneurship Program is a three-month program for women who want to start their own business. The initiative included twenty-nine ambitious Ukrainian women entrepreneurs, who were the first to complete the program from an idea to detailed business plans. The jury of the first season chose the top three pitches: Kateryna Serdiuk, who received 1,000 euros for her project Modern Ethnic Lithuanian Clothing; Marina Pilipenko, who received 450 euros for her project Voice Flow Studio (operating offline in Vilnius and online), and Svetlana Kolomeyko, who received 450 euros for her project Food Gifts. Furthermore, the winners became members of the Ukrainian–Lithuanian Chamber of Commerce.

An Opportunity to Develop Ideas and Initiatives

Lena Kalashnykova, vice president in NUKC Prosperis and co-founder and director of the Ukrainian Playback Theater School and the Playback Theater Vakhtery, is one of the Ukreate Hub’s winners of the Grant Program Second Season and a recipient of a special award in the Women Entrepreneurs Program for the project Neuroresearch Laboratory.

Lena Kalashnykova came to Lithuania on a theater tour in February 2022. She says that the decision to stay in the country was driven by the intense conflict in Kharkiv, leaving her and her colleagues stranded, with no safe place to return to. The theater group had to fly back home on February 28, but instead of heading to the airport, they all went directly to Lithuania’s migration services.

Lena learned about Ukreate Hub through her close friend, who had been actively involved in the Hub and often shared information about its activities. Additionally, her colleague from the theater initiated a playback club within the Hub. “As a playback practitioner and coach, I took a keen interest in these activities, which drew me deeper into the activities of the Hub,” Lena says. “My involvement with Ukreate Hub has been motivated by the opportunity to further develop our playback theater project.”

When the Season 2 of Ukreate Hub Grants was announced, Lena and her colleagues saw a chance to strengthen their initiative. She applied for a grant to provide official certified training for club members. After receiving the grant, Lena successfully completed a comprehensive basic course in playback theater. The course was aimed at deepening participants’ understanding and skills in playback theater, fostering both personal and artistic growth.

Another Lena’s project, Neuroresearch Laboratory Project, designed to explore the intersections of neuroscience and marketing, creating innovative approaches to understanding consumer behavior, has been a long-cherished dream that combines her interests in psychiatry, psychology, and community work. As it has already been mentioned, Lena’s project was awarded a special award within the Entrepreneurship Program—legal services for her start-up by Fondia Lithuania.

An Island of the Ukrainian community

Nataliia Akishyna, another participant of Ukreate Hub Women Entrepreneurs Program, arrived in Vilnius in June 2022. Prior to the birth of her daughter, Nataliia worked as a manager in a car store. With over ten years of experience in creating woolen toys, she has honed her skills in creating decorative interior mini-copies of animals and pets from wool based on photos. Already organizing and running toy-making workshops, Nataliia became interested in learning more about developing and doing business in Lithuania. She learned about Ukreate Hub when volunteering at the Ukrainian Center: “From the visitors I often heard about Ukreate Hub, so I subscribed to their Facebook page, and very soon learned about the program for women entrepreneurs.”

Nataliia notes that the Women Entrepreneurs Program provided her with an opportunity to learn more about proper business management, structure and planning. “Now I understand what I need to do next,” she says, “where and how to find customers; how and where to get grants or financial assistance for development; and how to develop and find partners. I also learned what tools can be used to facilitate and improve my skills and process.”

Nataliia found the lectures on segmentation and customer search, the right advertising approach especially useful and interesting. Whereas the meetings with mentors opened up additional opportunities in the development of her business idea, motivated and supported her. Nataliia says that the Program also provided an opportunity to meet many wonderful people—from participants who provided constructive criticism to lecturers who shared useful information that later formed into a clear business action plan. Moreover, a community has formed within the group of participating women, which has been a great support and additional opportunity for cooperation.

When asked what Ukreate Hub means to her, Natallia answered: “Ukreate Hub is an island of the Ukrainian community; it is a support and communication opportunity. And a connection with Ukraine: culture, language, communication, and unity.”

In addition to her artistic endeavors, Nataliia has been actively involved in volunteer work, organizing workshops and teaching the dry felting technique. Currently, she is also learning Lithuanian and completing a course to get a driver’s license.

Serving the Ukrainian Diaspora in Lithuania

Lena Kalashnykova notes that Ukreate Hub is a vibrant space where dynamic individuals come together: “It serves as a crucial support system and a network for women, particularly in valuable displacement contexts. The Hub provides a sanctuary where individuals dealing with post-traumatic challenges can feel accepted and supported despite their struggles.” She also says that Ukreate Hub represents an integral part of a mosaic of initiatives serving the Ukrainian community in Lithuania, each with its unique focus and impact.

According to her, the diversity of the initiatives is crucial for they address varying needs across different stages of the community’s adjustment and development. “While the Ukrainian Center emphasizes cultural identity, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) tackles broader international issues; meanwhile, Lithuanian organizations often focus on helping Ukrainians assimilate into local society. In contrast, Ukreate Hub zeroes in on empowering women and fostering professional growth.” Lena also notes that such a varied ecosystem ensures that all aspects of the community’s life are supported, reflecting the importance of recognizing and realizing different layers and goals within the Ukrainian diaspora.

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Since 2022, Vilnius Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Crafts has participated in the Interreg Baltic Sea Region project PROSPER BSR. Government and public institutions, NGOs, business support organizations have been outreached, and new partnerships have been established. Many best practice initiatives towards the integration of refugees and immigrants into the local community and Lithuanian job market have been discovered.

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