Liudmila: supporting Ukrainian small business set-ups
Image: A magenta border, with a fully lit Hanukía in cyans, in white: "Eight Refugee Stories for Chanukah" and the Birmingham Progressive Synagogue logo, "celebrating Birmingham as a City of Sanctuary". Centrally on white, in cyan: Liudmila Supporting Ukrainian small business set-ups. "Lots of Ukrainian women are wonderful cooks and bakers. They are keen to open their own bakeries or cafes."
Liudmila and her two young daughters came to the UK from Ukraine when Russia invaded in 2022. Her husband Aleksandr joined them a year later. While he learned English, Aleksandr worked as a handyman and repairing laptops. Now he is a customer manager in a local business. Liudmila’s younger daughter is settled at school, and her older daughter is studying at university.
Liudmila is employed by Kryla (Wings), a community organisation offering all kinds of help for refugees, including support to set up small businesses. ‘Lots of Ukrainian women are wonderful cooks and bakers. They are keen to open bakeries or cafés to sell their delicious sweets, cakes and puddings,’ she says.