Latest news with #Maryna
Sydney Morning Herald
02-07-2025
- General
- Sydney Morning Herald
As missiles and drones fly overhead, Tatyana refuses to stop planting
On a plot of land in the northern Kyiv region, she grows organic grapes and garlic with her husband, who suffered life-changing injuries as a soldier during an anti-terrorism operation in 2014. 'My goal is to produce environmentally friendly grapes, so our children can drink clean juice and eat healthy food,' Olena, 46, says. 'One of humanity's most precious assets is our children. We strive to become better for their sake.' Traditionally, Ukrainian women have played central – but often unrecognised – roles in agriculture. Now, with men conscripted, injured, or lost to war, women are stepping into roles once reserved for men, managing and commercialising farms and allotments and rebuilding infrastructure. According to a 2024 study by Organic Initiative, women now lead 27 per cent of organic farms, up from 20.8 per cent in 2021. Organic agriculture – less entrenched in generational gender norms – has become a space for innovation and female leadership. A recent UN Women report underscores the toll of war on women: of the 3.7 million people officially displaced within Ukraine, 56 per cent are women. More tellingly, women make up 93 per cent of the 4.6 million returnees – many of whom come back to ruined homes, no support networks, and no clear means of livelihood. It is in this gap – between displacement and recovery – that charities such as World Vision Australia are offering financial support for courses in sustainable agriculture, greenhouse management, and small business skills tailored to women navigating the aftermath of war. These livelihood trainings – in partnership with local institutions – not only build agricultural skills, but also foster confidence, networks, and economic independence. For many women, the land becomes both therapy and opportunity. Maryna, a nurse and mother of three, joined the program after fleeing Donetsk following her husband's sudden death in late 2023. She eventually resettled in the Taraviska community in the Kyiv region. 'I needed to find strength again – not just for myself, but for my kids,' she says. 'Learning to work the land gives me that. It gives us a future.' Though new to formal training, Maryna grew up farming with her parents on a two-hectare plot – now under occupation. They grew vegetables like cucumbers, tomatoes, potatoes, pumpkin – all the ingredients to make borsch, an eastern European staple. In the larger fields, they grew corn, sunflowers, and wheat. 'Of course it's painful. But we still have hope. Maybe we can come back. Or maybe we create something here.' Her eldest son, 16, now works beside her. 'We grow together,' she says. One of the key implementing partners on the ground is the Boyarka College of Ecology and Natural Resources, where Larisa Yashchenko heads the practical training, especially in greenhouse cultivation and open-field farming. She says the partnership has transformed the college, which normally teaches teenagers. 'Now, we work with adults – many of them mothers and widows. It's not just education. It's experience-sharing. These women bring knowledge, strength, and purpose.' The benefits are mutual. 'We've improved our greenhouse, updated our equipment, and even adjusted our programming,' she says. 'This support allows us to grow – not just plants, but possibilities.' In total, 61 women enrolled, attending sessions, building business plans, and tending their land with new confidence. Some are displaced. Some live in war-damaged homes. All are cultivating more than food. 'Ukrainians can do anything,' Yashchenko says. 'We don't just need aid – we need opportunities. Let us work, and we'll rebuild ourselves.' In a country where 76 per cent of organic farms report labour shortages and 62 per cent lack skilled technical workers, women are stepping in to fill critical gaps. Yet many lack access to tools, markets, and training – especially in areas traditionally designed for men. World Vision's Ukraine Crisis Response Director Arman Grigoryan says training women on how to be successful in agriculture is quintessentially Ukrainian and helps them find their feet. 'This is just one example of how we can create a 'new normal' for families whose lives have been upended by this war,' he says. Indeed, these women are not just growing food for survival – they're creating market-ready products. Tatyana, for example, who also cares for her elderly mother, is developing a plan to grow edible flowers for use on cake decorations and in salads. 'They're expensive, they're in demand, and no one's supplying them locally,' she says. 'I already spoke with cafes–they said yes. They're ready.' Time is her only barrier. 'The training was fast – just two months instead of three. When you're not 18, it's harder to learn everything quickly,' she says with a smile. Loading Despite all her community has lost, Tatyana refuses to stop planting. She remembers the blast wave that hit her street, knocking flowers from her windows. She still hasn't repaired a window shattered by a recent hailstorm. 'Why bother?' she shrugs. 'What if a missile hits tomorrow?' But her actions speak louder than her doubts, with vegetables and flowers stretching across her modest yard. 'If we survive the night, we go to work. If not – well, we don't,' she half-jokes. 'That's our flexible schedule now.' Maryna, too, sees land as therapy. 'Before, nursing was everything,' she says. 'But now I want to create something alive.' Olena dreams of expanding their vineyard into a guest farm, where visitors from other communities – and even other countries – can taste the land's bounty and learn from their resilience. 'That's how we grow as a country,' she says. What these women are doing extends far beyond gardens or greenhouses. They are building a new social fabric – community-led, self-sufficient, and rooted in both tradition and innovation. Loading And in doing so, they are sketching a road map for Ukraine's recovery: not one of mere survival, but of flourishing through vineyards, backyard beds, and communal plots. That hope is already taking root – tended by women who, even in the shadow of war, choose to plant peace. 'We are growing not just food,' Olena says. 'We are growing hope.' The author travelled to Ukraine with the support of World Vision Australia.
The Age
02-07-2025
- General
- The Age
As missiles and drones fly overhead, Tatyana refuses to stop planting
On a plot of land in the northern Kyiv region, she grows organic grapes and garlic with her husband, who suffered life-changing injuries as a soldier during an anti-terrorism operation in 2014. 'My goal is to produce environmentally friendly grapes, so our children can drink clean juice and eat healthy food,' Olena, 46, says. 'One of humanity's most precious assets is our children. We strive to become better for their sake.' Traditionally, Ukrainian women have played central – but often unrecognised – roles in agriculture. Now, with men conscripted, injured, or lost to war, women are stepping into roles once reserved for men, managing and commercialising farms and allotments and rebuilding infrastructure. According to a 2024 study by Organic Initiative, women now lead 27 per cent of organic farms, up from 20.8 per cent in 2021. Organic agriculture – less entrenched in generational gender norms – has become a space for innovation and female leadership. A recent UN Women report underscores the toll of war on women: of the 3.7 million people officially displaced within Ukraine, 56 per cent are women. More tellingly, women make up 93 per cent of the 4.6 million returnees – many of whom come back to ruined homes, no support networks, and no clear means of livelihood. It is in this gap – between displacement and recovery – that charities such as World Vision Australia are offering financial support for courses in sustainable agriculture, greenhouse management, and small business skills tailored to women navigating the aftermath of war. These livelihood trainings – in partnership with local institutions – not only build agricultural skills, but also foster confidence, networks, and economic independence. For many women, the land becomes both therapy and opportunity. Maryna, a nurse and mother of three, joined the program after fleeing Donetsk following her husband's sudden death in late 2023. She eventually resettled in the Taraviska community in the Kyiv region. 'I needed to find strength again – not just for myself, but for my kids,' she says. 'Learning to work the land gives me that. It gives us a future.' Though new to formal training, Maryna grew up farming with her parents on a two-hectare plot – now under occupation. They grew vegetables like cucumbers, tomatoes, potatoes, pumpkin – all the ingredients to make borsch, an eastern European staple. In the larger fields, they grew corn, sunflowers, and wheat. 'Of course it's painful. But we still have hope. Maybe we can come back. Or maybe we create something here.' Her eldest son, 16, now works beside her. 'We grow together,' she says. One of the key implementing partners on the ground is the Boyarka College of Ecology and Natural Resources, where Larisa Yashchenko heads the practical training, especially in greenhouse cultivation and open-field farming. She says the partnership has transformed the college, which normally teaches teenagers. 'Now, we work with adults – many of them mothers and widows. It's not just education. It's experience-sharing. These women bring knowledge, strength, and purpose.' The benefits are mutual. 'We've improved our greenhouse, updated our equipment, and even adjusted our programming,' she says. 'This support allows us to grow – not just plants, but possibilities.' In total, 61 women enrolled, attending sessions, building business plans, and tending their land with new confidence. Some are displaced. Some live in war-damaged homes. All are cultivating more than food. 'Ukrainians can do anything,' Yashchenko says. 'We don't just need aid – we need opportunities. Let us work, and we'll rebuild ourselves.' In a country where 76 per cent of organic farms report labour shortages and 62 per cent lack skilled technical workers, women are stepping in to fill critical gaps. Yet many lack access to tools, markets, and training – especially in areas traditionally designed for men. World Vision's Ukraine Crisis Response Director Arman Grigoryan says training women on how to be successful in agriculture is quintessentially Ukrainian and helps them find their feet. 'This is just one example of how we can create a 'new normal' for families whose lives have been upended by this war,' he says. Indeed, these women are not just growing food for survival – they're creating market-ready products. Tatyana, for example, who also cares for her elderly mother, is developing a plan to grow edible flowers for use on cake decorations and in salads. 'They're expensive, they're in demand, and no one's supplying them locally,' she says. 'I already spoke with cafes–they said yes. They're ready.' Time is her only barrier. 'The training was fast – just two months instead of three. When you're not 18, it's harder to learn everything quickly,' she says with a smile. Loading Despite all her community has lost, Tatyana refuses to stop planting. She remembers the blast wave that hit her street, knocking flowers from her windows. She still hasn't repaired a window shattered by a recent hailstorm. 'Why bother?' she shrugs. 'What if a missile hits tomorrow?' But her actions speak louder than her doubts, with vegetables and flowers stretching across her modest yard. 'If we survive the night, we go to work. If not – well, we don't,' she half-jokes. 'That's our flexible schedule now.' Maryna, too, sees land as therapy. 'Before, nursing was everything,' she says. 'But now I want to create something alive.' Olena dreams of expanding their vineyard into a guest farm, where visitors from other communities – and even other countries – can taste the land's bounty and learn from their resilience. 'That's how we grow as a country,' she says. What these women are doing extends far beyond gardens or greenhouses. They are building a new social fabric – community-led, self-sufficient, and rooted in both tradition and innovation. Loading And in doing so, they are sketching a road map for Ukraine's recovery: not one of mere survival, but of flourishing through vineyards, backyard beds, and communal plots. That hope is already taking root – tended by women who, even in the shadow of war, choose to plant peace. 'We are growing not just food,' Olena says. 'We are growing hope.' The author travelled to Ukraine with the support of World Vision Australia.
Yahoo
03-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
‘Tattoos of war' — haunting portraits of Ukrainians' most painful wartime memories (PHOTOS)
In everyday life, these people might appear normal: they have no physical wounds, their loved ones and children are alive by their side. But Ukrainian photographer Sergey Melnitchenko's black-and-white portraits reveal the chilling depths that stand between his subjects and normalcy. They gaze outward with calm, matter-of-fact expressions, while the massive superimposed projection of their most haunting war memories distorts their features. The subjects choose the photos themselves, said Melnitchenko, who features his friends, fiancée, and son in a conceptual photography project, "Tattoos of war." The photo — either taken by the subjects or sourced on news websites — represents the most painful memory they associate with Russia's invasion of Ukraine that began in February 2022. After more than three years of relentless Russian attacks on the country that have killed tens of thousands of people, Ukrainians face no shortage of such memories. "It is an impossible task, in fact," Melnitchenko told the Kyiv Independent. "Because everyone has hundreds of these memories. You have to choose one, as if to convince yourself that this event was the most difficult, the most tragic. Although every event that concerns our country during the war is the worst." For Melnitchenko, each photo from the project carries the weight of events that he and his subjects can still hardly comprehend. One of the most challenging portraits for him was a photo of his friends Maryna and Serhii against the backdrop of the Mykolaiv Regional State Administration in their native city, destroyed by a Russian missile on March 29, 2022. As a result of the attack, the central section of the building collapsed from the ninth to the first floor, killing 37 people. Maryna and Serhii fled the city a year ago, but the memory — a 'tattoo' — will stay with them forever, Melnitchenko says in his photo book about the project. But during the last shoot from the series at the end of 2024 with the family of Andrii, Viktoria, and their daughter Kira, Melnitchenko witnessed for the first time how one could transform their tragic memories into a source of strength. The family chose a photo of a beach with pine trees on a riverbank of the Dnipro River, where they loved spending time before the full-scale invasion began. Russia currently occupies this beach in Kakhovka, Kherson region. But even under occupation, the vision from the photograph is probably long gone, as Russia's destruction of the Kakhovka hydroelectric power plant's dam reshaped the water terrain in the oblast. According to the photographer, the family found it therapeutic to process the loss of their favorite place by visually exposing its impact. "When Russians destroy our favorite places, or places of our memories, they are trying to take away not only this place physically, but also our good memories of them," Melnitchenko said. "This family was the first of all the heroes to choose not a photo of devastation as a background, but a photo with a place of their strength and pleasant memories," he added. "My son's 'war tattoo' will remain anyway, because he is a child of war, he knows what is happening now and (will) realize it all as an adult," Sergey said. "We seem to choose for ourselves the picture and the memory that hurt us the most ... But, in fact, we have had thousands of such moments in the last year alone." Read also: Growing up under missiles — Ukrainian childhoods shaped by war (Photos) We've been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Irish Examiner
31-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Examiner
Wedding of the Week: Ukrainian and Irish traditions blended in humanist ceremony
Love overcame language barriers as guests congratulated Maryna Pidhorna and David Connolly after a humanist ceremony that blended Ukrainian and Irish traditions. The traditional 'rushnyk' [ritual cloth] from the bride's homeland featured as the couple exchanged vows in the Greenhills Hotel in Limerick city. Maryna, from Kyiv, and David, from Limerick, were wed by celebrant Billy Mag Fhloinn and held their reception in the same venue. Maryna Pidhorna and David Connolly. Pictures: Joe Diggins Photography 'It was absolutely fabulous, the unity of our cultures integrated within the ceremony was very special,' says the bride, a childcare assistant. Maryna and David, a carer, professional football coach and intermediary, first met on a night out in Tipperary town in February 2023. Maryna Pidhorna and David Connolly. Pictures: Joe Diggins Photography 'Things progressed to our dating regularly from there — cinema, a Ukrainian performance of 'Swan Lake' at the University of Limerick, dinner and dancing, travelling to beaches, wine and falling in love,' she says. David popped the question before the year's end. 'We got engaged on December 5, 2023, in the very first restaurant we dined out together, La Candela, in Tipperary town,' he says. Maryna Pidhorna and David Connolly. Pictures: Joe Diggins Photography Maryna had first visited Ireland as a Chernobyl child in the 1980s, staying in Co Cork. Fleeing war in Ukraine she returned to Blarney in 2022 with her sister and their young children, where she made many more friends, among them Kate Durrant and Val Kirby, before Maryna had to relocate to Limerick. Kate and Val were overjoyed when invitations to Maryna and David's wedding dropped through their letterboxes. Val Kirby and Kate Durrant with bride Maryna Pidhorna. 'As 'Chernobyl children', Maryna had been part of the Rest and Recuperation summer programme that brought Ukrainian children to Ireland to give them respite from the toxic fallout of the nuclear disaster,' says Kate. Three years ago, when Kate encountered Maryna, she saw a woman who swiftly 'put her own needs aside to offer her services in the local hospital as a translator, easing the burden on her fellow countrymen and women receiving treatment'. Maryna Pidhorna and David Connolly with Deanna, Zhenia and Tristan. Pictures: Joe Diggins Photography Maryna and her sister, she adds, 'enrolled their children in our local schools and clubs, helping out in any way they could', before housing constraints forced another move. 'It was a tough transition, not that they complained, but relocating their families to yet another school, and a new soccer club for Maryna's talented, and football-mad, teenage son, was another bump on their already rocky road,' says Kate. Maryna Pidhorna and Deanna Connolly. Pictures: Joe Diggins Photography 'We stayed in touch and were thrilled when she told us she had fallen in love, even more so when we received photographs of her new baby.' On her big day, the bride wore a glamorous Missacc gown and did her own makeup, with her hair styled by Limerick hairstylist Jess McGrath. The groom and his party bought their suits at Dave Mc's Menswear, Tipperary. David Connolly made his entrance with their sons Zhenia and Tristan. Pictures: Joe Diggins Photography For his entrance music, David chose the theme song of Ukrainian world boxing champion Oleksandr Usyk. 'David was accompanied by our two sons, Zhenia and Tristan,' says Maryna. Maryna Pidhorna and David Connolly. Pictures: Joe Diggins Photography 'My entrance music was the Ukrainian song Pal lal lal and I was accompanied by our daughter Deanna and my sister Larissa.' Maryna's mother, Galina, and David's dad, Andrew, were present, and the professional duo Niall and Louise, also relatives of the groom, provided the music. Maryna Pidhorna and David Connolly. Pictures: Joe Diggins Photography 'We had a fantastic mime performance by Mike and Richie with three female backup dancers that lit up the crowd,' says Maryna. Joe Diggins ( was behind the lens. Maryna Pidhorna and David Connolly. Pictures: Joe Diggins Photography The couple, who will live in Knocklong, Co Limerick, honeymooned in Portugal. If you would like your wedding featured in Weekend email
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Award-Winning Designer Maryna Karpenko Honored for Shaping Consumer and B2B Experiences at Meta, Mattermost, Hily, and Wavechat
Award-winning product designer Maryna Karpenko is recognized for her leadership in shaping messaging and live-streaming experiences at Meta, Mattermost, Hily, and Wavechat. She has earned top industry honors for her work connecting millions of users worldwide. Image Courtesy of Maryna Karpenko SAN FRANCISCO, May 21, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Maryna Karpenko, an award-winning product designer and digital product leader whose previous work has reached millions of people worldwide, has joined Meta, where she helps shape the future of digital communication on a global scale. Some of Maryna's top honors include the MUSE Creative Award, the Vega Digital Award, and the Davey Award. Previously, Maryna led the mobile messaging experience at Mattermost, an open-source platform for secure collaboration and workflow orchestration, and Y Combinator's largest-ever Series B investment. There, she redefined how teams connect in high-trust environments like government, finance, and tech. Maryna first made her mark at Hily, a fast-growing dating app, where she launched live-streaming features that helped users connect in more meaningful ways and stand out in a crowded market. She was also the Lead Product Designer at Wavechat, where she built the app from the ground up. Her work led to a win at Product Hunt's Maker Festival (Snapchat Edition) and a feature on the Apple App Store. How it Started Maryna Karpenko's passion for design began early. As a child, she balanced competitive gymnastics with hours spent exploring the online world. She taught herself Photoshop through YouTube tutorials and quickly became captivated by the creative possibilities of digital tools. 'I was always drawn to making things on a screen,' she says. A defining moment came when a classmate brought a first-generation iPod to school. 'I remember how natural it felt to use—so intuitive and thoughtfully made. That was the moment I realized great products don't just solve problems; they feel like magic. I knew then that I wanted to build things like that,' Karpenko recalls. Gifted in math, she pursued a degree in applied mathematics while continuing to develop her creative skills. Over time, her curiosity shifted toward understanding how people think and feel, leading her to study psychology. By the time she graduated, product design had emerged as a defined career path, with inspiring role models like Julie Zhuo and Luke Wroblewski leading the way. 'It finally clicked for me: this was the path that blended creativity, technology, and human insight,' she says. Her path to a third degree in design was not easy. But looking back, Karpenko credits her diverse academic background and creative drive with shaping her into the designer she is today. Operating at the Intersection of Disciplines Steve Jobs famously championed the idea that great innovation happens when technology meets the humanities. At the launch of the iPad 2, he summed up Apple's approach:"It's in Apple's DNA that technology alone is not enough — it's technology married with liberal arts, married with the humanities, that yields us the results that make our heart sing." Maryna Karpenko, a dedicated student of Apple's design philosophy, echoes this belief. She credits her cross-disciplinary background as a core driver of her work: "Psychology helps me understand people—their context, motivations, and mental models. Math gave me the structured thinking to collaborate deeply with engineers. And design school taught me how to bring it all together to solve real human problems." Giving Back to the Community As a respected voice in the design community, Maryna Karpeno serves as a jury panelist for the Communicator Awards and is an active member of the Academy of Interactive and Visual Arts (AIVA), where she helps spotlight the work of the next generation of designers. She shares that, 'I've been incredibly lucky to have people take a chance on me. Now it's my turn to help emerging talent get seen.' Contact info: San Francisco, CAContact Name: Maryna KarpenkoEmail address: A photo accompanying this announcement is available at in to access your portfolio
