Our Story
We are a social educational and healing hub in Poltava, Ukraine, created for people whose lives have been disrupted by war: children, teenagers, women, internally displaced families, veterans, and military families.
Lena Mykhailova is an educator by calling with over 20 years of experience. After coordinating the Ukrainian Community at the Kraków Community Center in 2022, she returned to Poltava in mid-2025 to create this hub.
Who We Are
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We combine high quality education, vocational skills, life skills development, professional reorientation and social healing in one safe space. For us, education is more than knowledge. It is a tool for restoring confidence, dignity, agency and quality of life.
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Human dignity and compassion
Safety and trust
Accessibility and fairness
Quality and professionalism
Community and mutual support
Sustainable, long-term changes
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Educational losses among children and teenagers are not temporary and threaten future opportunities.
Teenagers live in uncertainty without tools to speak about themselves, make choices, or imagine the future.
Women often carry economic responsibility for all family members, while having no time nor space for recovery themselves.
Formal services are insufficient, while informal ones are fragmented or inaccessible.
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We track quantitative and qualitative indicators, including participant retention, academic progress, and pre/post-program well-being surveys.
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We are committed to catalysing change at the most fundamental level: the individual. We believe that in focusing on nurturing the individual Ukrainian, that individual will be well-equipped to be a stronger, healthier and more resilient force in supporting and leading their family. Further, that individual, and family, will then be better positioned to serve and rebuild their community.
Short-term impact (6–12 months)
Children and teenagers learn more effectively, are less afraid of making mistakes, and—most importantly—experience stable, low-stress learning.
Young people develop the ability to speak, listen, and work in teams, and gain safe spaces for self-expression.
Women return to active social and personal life.
Anxiety decreases as regularity and predictability re-enter daily routines.
Vibrant, sustainable groups are formed, giving rise to new and meaningful social connections.
Mid-term impact (1–2 years)
Teenagers make more conscious and informed educational choices.
Adults discover new opportunities for employment and personal growth.
Women reclaim active and visible social roles.
The Hub becomes a point of stability and support for the local community.
A culture of mutual support takes root.
Social isolation decreases.
Local leadership grows stronger.
The community becomes more cohesive and resilient.
Long-term impact (3+ years)
Human capital in the region is increased.
A strong culture of solidarity and mutual care is sustained.
A community emerges that is capable of supporting itself even in times of crisis.
A model is fully constructed and tested for replication and scaling to other cities.
OUR TEAM
Lena Mykhailova - Executive Director
“I am Lena Mykhailova. A teacher by calling, community builder by choice. With over 20 years of experience teaching English and German in Ukrainian schools and universities, I've always seen education as a way to empower and connect people. In 2022, fleeing the war with my two sons, I moved to Kraków and became the coordinator of the Ukrainian Community at the Kraków Community Center - a safe space for thousands of displaced women and children. There, I discovered the power of community rooted in empathy and care. I worked with volunteers, diplomats, and most importantly - women ready to rebuild their lives. I returned to Poltava to create a social learning & healing hub - a place to learn, grow, and support each other through courses, tutoring, skill building and community.”
Educator and facilitator of change.
Cindy Henson - Board Chair
Retired executive, business consultant, author, and humanitarian with four decades of leadership experience across the defense industry, international peace-building, and nonprofit consulting.
Amy Kemp - Board Member
An entrepreneur with a track record of developing and leading high performing teams in global sports marketing and non-profit initiatives.
Phil Peterson - Board Member
Retired actuary and strategic consultant in human resources and risk now dedicated to initiatives in the not-for-profit sector.