Rebuilding women's livelihoods in frontline Ukraine
Rebuilding women's livelihoods in frontline Ukraine
Amidst daily shelling and frequent blackouts in Kharkiv, eastern Ukraine, World Jewish Relief’s Back to Work project, supported by Alstom Foundation, has given vulnerable Ukrainians the opportunity to rebuild their livelihoods through meaningful employment.
The project prioritises women and internally displaced persons, who face greater barriers to work due to childcare responsibilities, emotional trauma, skills mismatch, and employer discrimination linked to their displacement status. This life-changing project is delivered in partnership with World Jewish Relief’s long-term partner in Ukraine, Ukrainian Professional Development (UPD).
Between October 2024 to June 2025, the project empowered 586 people – 91% of them women – to regain independence through tailored employment support, self-employment and entrepreneurship training, psychological assistance, and targeted financial aid.
Despite the immense challenges of delivering a project in an active conflict zone, the results have been remarkable.
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88%of participants graduated from the project
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62%found employment or launched a business within three months
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586beneficiaries
“Throughout my participation, I felt supported by the team and the hairdressing teacher. This helped me feel more confident in my new profession. Now I can start a new stage of my life with my favourite profession. I am sure that such projects are extremely important. They give a chance to those who cannot realise their dreams on their own!"
These outcomes demonstrate the success of a holistic model that combines practical skills development with psychological support.
In October 2025, the Secretary General of the Alstom Foundation and the Alstom Project’s Promoter met virtually with Margarita, a project graduate. Margarita and her family were displaced from their hometown after it was attacked in 2023. Rebuilding her life in a new city as a single mother without higher education proved difficult, and she struggled to find work and support her children.
When a friend shared information about the Back to Work project, Margarita applied immediately. Through the project, she enrolled in a hairdressing course, gaining not only practical skills but also renewed confidence. While still in training, she secured an internship at a local salon, and in June 2025, won third place in the 'Golden Lion' Open Ukrainian Hairdressing Championship.
Today, Margarita is working as a hairdresser, steadily building her clientele and continuing to learn from experienced stylists. Her story is a powerful example of the Back to Work project's life-changing impact.
Margarita says: “When I filled out the application form, I was hoping that the project would help me learn new skills and find a job. But I got much more than that. Throughout my participation, I felt supported by the team and the hairdressing teacher. This helped me feel more confident in my new profession. Now I can start a new stage of my life with my favourite profession. I am sure that such projects are extremely important. They give a chance to those who cannot realise their dreams on their own!"
Ekaterina Mitiaev, Head of Impact and Livelihoods at World Jewish Relief, who leads the project, says: “For a humanitarian worker like me, it has been heartbreaking to witness the worsening humanitarian crisis. At the same time, I continue to be in awe of Ukraine’s resistance and resilience. Despite enormous obstacles, owing to Alstom Foundation’s generosity, our life-changing employment work undertaken in partnership with UPD has not paused even for a moment last year. Work is about so much more than generating income. Seeing our participants rediscovering who they are, rebuilding their confidence, strengthening new connections and becoming role models for their children has been a real privilege. Their transformation gives me hope and strength.”
Anne-Cécile Barbier, General Secretary of the Alstom Foundation, added: “The project successfully implemented by World Jewish Relief is fully aligned with the Foundation’s efforts to improve women's employability and support their economic and social development. In the context of the war in Ukraine, it is inspiring to see those women recover from trauma, regain strength and resources to rebuild their lives”.
The Back to Work project demonstrates what’s possible when corporate responsibility meets humanitarian expertise. Together, Alstom Foundation and World Jewish Relief are helping Ukrainians not only to survive but to rebuild their lives and thrive.