In Chernivtsi, the key stage of the Business School for veterans and their family members, organized by the “Public Resources and Initiatives” Charity Foundation within the project Reintegration of War Veterans through the Creation of Educational Opportunities: Ours for Ours, is coming to an end. Over the course of several months, participants underwent training, worked with mentors, and developed their own business ideas. Today, they have prepared business plans, which have already been submitted for evaluation by an independent jury.
The jury includes:
- Olena Tanasiichuk — President of the “Public Resources and Initiatives” Charity Foundation;
- Liubov Kozholianko — Director of the Chernivtsi Regional Employment Center;
- Alina Lytvynchuk — entrepreneur from Chernivtsi;
- Yuliia Bartle — military volunteer;
- Oleksii Popovych — entrepreneur from Chernivtsi and serviceman.
The final defense of business plans will take place on September 29, where each participant will have the opportunity to present their idea. Following the defense, six of the best business plans will receive grants of up to 400,000 UAH for the purchase of equipment to develop their own businesses.
How the Evaluation Takes Place
Business plans are evaluated according to a number of criteria, including:
- relevance of the idea and its correspondence to the needs of the market and community;
- experience and competence of the applicant;
- originality and competitive advantages;
- quality of the financial plan and realism of calculations;
- sustainability and risk management;
- profitability and growth potential;
- social usefulness and social impact (job creation, inclusivity, community benefit);
- presentation of the business idea.
Points are awarded for each criterion, and the winners will be those participants who receive the highest overall score.
President of the Foundation, Olena Tanasiichuk, emphasized:
“This business school is not only about financial support, but also about believing in oneself. Veterans and their families prove that even after the hardest trials, one can find a new path and create a business that will work for the community and the country.”
Oksana Palagecha, mentor of the business school:
“I know how important it is not only to have a dream, but also a clear plan of action. My task is to help veterans build their own business based on the experience, strength, and determination they already have. For me, supporting veterans is not only about teaching business; it is about creating a new space of opportunities for them, where their experience becomes a foundation for growth, and the community gains new energy and leaders.”
The project “Reintegration of War Veterans through the Creation of Educational Opportunities: Ours for Ours”, implemented by the “Public Resources and Initiatives” Charity Foundation in partnership with DVV International in Ukraine with the support of the Federal Foreign Office of Germany.