On November, 12, 2024 at 201 N Main Business Center, online 16 amazing Ukrainian women building their own businesses despite war, displacement, lonely parenting (their husbands are at the war), constant stress and strain, met 4 super women -- small business owners from the USA, Farmville. Women are so strong, in their wisdom, experience, courage, and sharing makes them invincible. It is hard to put into words how important it was for Ukrainian women to communicate with their American peers and feel that support. I am extremely grateful to magnificent Sundari Cifers - Lex on Main Boutique, Nikouri Brown - Creative PM Solutions, and April Leithleiter - Farm owner.
The name of the program was Mindfulness Retreat 2.0: Restart Yourself and Your Business, and in 2024 it was funded by the Cifers Foundation. This is a four-day event in Zakarpattia Oblast (Ukraine) that aimed to help women entrepreneurs regain strength, find inspiration and support for further development. The program included yoga, meditation, business growth workshops, and intensive networking among women facing similar challenges.
Ukrainian women's entrepreneurship has suffered significant losses due to the war: 95% of women's businesses have been affected, and the majority of the 7.9 million Ukrainian refugees are women with children, making their professional development much more difficult. Despite the difficulties, women in Ukraine are actively developing entrepreneurship: 59% of new small enterprises in 2024 were registered by women, and the number of women in business increased by 43% between 2021 and 2023. Women-owned businesses are flexible, detail-oriented, and responsible, with a focus on employees and their families. That's why U&WE Hub develops special entrepreneurship programs to develop women's entrepreneurship and strengthen the mental health of the participants in 5 regions. We have already covered 6600+ women entrepreneurs.
The U&WE Hub (Ukrainian Women Entrepreneurs) is a community of conscious women entrepreneurs and stakeholders who support the development of women's businesses. The mission of U&WE Hub is to comprehensively support current and future women entrepreneurs by providing them with the opportunity to learn, share experiences, and interact to create sustainable businesses with social impact.
1
