Ukrainian Refugees Establishing Businesses in Georgia
Published: Dec 11, 2024 Reading time: 3 minutes
Imagine you must flee from your home to escape the constant shelling and burden caused by war, and you find yourself in a new country trying to get used to a new environment, language, and different way of life. Many Ukrainians, including Marharyta and Olena, experience this reality. They had to leave their Ukrainian homes and settle in Tbilisi, Georgia, where both established thriving businesses with our support.
When the Russian invasion of Ukraine began, Marharyta was five months pregnant.
"We had already seen soldiers with machine guns walking around. We would be standing in a queue at a shop, and they were walking on the roofs of high-rise buildings with machine guns and controlling everything. It was scary," she tells us.
She chose to move to Georgia as she has relatives in the country. A few months later, she gave birth to her daughter Nastia.
Marharyta earned her PhD in agriculture. However, she had to find a new occupation in her new country after fleeing Ukraine. With our support, she attended a course to learn the basics to become a manicurist. With her newly acquired skills, she started her own business. She set up her manicure studio in the middle of her apartment and is very passionate about her business. She wants to develop her skills further, expand her services, and seek new educational opportunities.
Grooming saloon and veterinary services, all in one
Olena also found refuge in Tbilisi. Initially, she lived with a Georgian family, but after some time, she wanted financial independence. She took advantage of her previous professional pet grooming skills and started a new business.
Olena came across our grant opportunity and decided to apply immediately. After completing the course, she set up her own grooming salon in Georgia's capital. She had many return clients; however, she noticed that most dogs suffered from various injuries. Therefore, Olena expanded her services to provide veterinary care and appreciates clients' trust in her.
Olena is grateful for the support and opportunity to actualise her potential even in an unfamiliar country and environment.
As an organisation, we have a demonstrated track record of delivering high-quality responses and adapting quickly in highly volatile, insecure environments. In Ukraine, we provide assistance according to the needs of those affected across the country, including assisting people in the frontline areas where the situation is dire. However, we are aware of the importance of supporting the people who fled from Ukraine due to the war and in Georgia, we have supported around 800 individuals.
We will continue to respond to rapidly evolving contexts, such as Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. We work with local communities to ensure our support's greatest efficiency and impact.
With the support of everyone who contributed to the public collection through our SOS Ukraine Appeal, we can support Marharyta, Olena, and hundreds of Ukrainian refugees in Georgia. We remain committed to supporting those affected by the war and are grateful to everyone who supports us, as together, we can do more.
