Sometimes, a single decision is all it takes for a long-held dream to become a career. That is exactly how the story of Madlena Bogdanova – a graduate of the third cycle of the “Dream. Realise. Achieve” project – began.
Even before taking part in the project, Madlena had heard a lot about it from fellow villagers in Shelestove who had already completed the programme. It was their stories and positive feedback that encouraged her to apply.
“For me personally, the project was a catalyst for my professional development. I didn’t have a clear idea of what I wanted to do at the start. Although I’d had one dream since my youth – to master the art of barbering. I love beauty and I love creating it with my own hands,” says Madlena.
She joined the project alongside her mother-in-law. The family grows fruit and vegetables, so Madlena initially planned to gain knowledge that would help her support and develop the family business. However, after just the first session, she realised that, above all, she wanted to fulfil her own dream.
“I realised that I needed to live my life to the full and make my dreams come true.”
Madlena was born and raised in her local community. After school, she qualified as a travel agent, but never got to work in that profession. She later went abroad to work, but realised she wanted to live at home, on her native soil. On her return, she worked as a cashier at the Aurora supermarket and later as a sales assistant for private traders.
When she saw an advert on social media recruiting for the project, she decided to take the opportunity to try her hand at something new. New knowledge, new connections and new experiences became another step towards change for her.
During the course, Madlena actively participated in discussions and regularly completed her homework. As early as the second session, she shared that she actually wanted to become a barber. At the same time, as she herself admits, her biggest obstacle was fear: “What if it doesn’t work out?”
It was the exercises designed to build self-confidence, combined with the support of the coordinator, that helped her pluck up the courage to take that first step.
“I realised that if you want to achieve something, you have to take action. Even if it’s just small steps. It’s time to stop putting my dream on hold.”
Alongside her participation in the Workshop of Opportunities, Madlena enrolled at a barber school in Kharkiv. After completing her training, she received an international barber’s diploma and mastered modern techniques for haircuts, beard care and eyebrow shaping.
Today, she is undertaking an internship at the Lord barbershop in Poltava, honing her professional skills and creating modern hairstyles for men and boys.
“The project gave me a tremendous amount of self-confidence. If I hadn’t come here, I probably would never have plucked up the courage to make my dream a reality. It inspired me. The knowledge the trainers shared during the training on the basics of starting and developing your own business was also vital. I’m truly happy now, as I’m doing what I love and developing as a stylist. I’m sincerely grateful to everyone who helped implement the project in the Kolomatska community,” says Madlena.
Madlena’s story proves once again that sometimes all it takes is support, new knowledge and belief in one’s own abilities for a dream that has been put off for years to become a life’s work.
The “Dream. Realise. Achieve.” project is being implemented by the All-Ukrainian Charitable Organisation Convictus Ukraine in partnership with and with the support of Norwegian People’s Aid Ukraine, and aims to strengthen the economic empowerment of women in communities.