I am the author of the Goodacity blog, a journalist, and a translator. For 16 years, I have worked in professional journalism, contributing to regional and national publications, both in print and online media. I have written reports, conducted interviews, reviews, articles on cultural, social, and charitable topics, as well as materials in the style of "solution journalism" and communication materials.
My focus is on creating interesting and exclusive content. Journalism, to me, is primarily about human stories, to which I always find the key, empathize with the people I write about, and love all my heroes. Journalism, to me, means telling people about what truly matters to them, informing and inspiring them. It is not just a job, but a way of life, just like for all those who dream, create, and are inspired by it.
So, if you are looking for stories that inspire and motivate, that instill faith and help find meaning while believing in goodness, read my stories on the Goodacity website.
I am a manager of cultural affairs and a project manager with over 14 years of experience at United Thinkers. I have participated in the organization of numerous successful social and charitable projects and have implemented informational campaigns and communication cases.
As a marketing manager, I have been involved in organizing marketing and sociological research, working with media and partners, developing advertising and marketing strategies, as well as planning and implementing advertising campaigns.
I believe in the power of goodness and I am happy that as part of the Goodacity project, I can contribute to its expansion. I believe in the power of words and in the fact that communication can help make the world a better place. I know how, where and when to speak in order to be heard. And when you are heard, you can change the world!
Knitting with Love: A Displaced Woman from Kherson Weaves Mats for the Ukrainian Armed Forces!
In these trying times, “Mama Zoya” from Kherson, Ukraine, knows all too well how to find strength. Despite all the hardships she has faced, this remarkable woman hasn’t lost her inner light or her desire to help others. And it is this very spirit that fuels and inspires her. “I’m knitting mats for our boys to keep them dry, soft, and warm in the trenches,” says Mrs. Zoya.
“I do what I can to help, even if it’s just this. If I could, I would weave them armor to protect them from everything, from enemy bullets! May my mats serve as their talisman… To me, they are all my sons: my two sons are fighting, and all their comrades, all our soldiers, all our defenders, they are all my children…”
“Tell them it’s from Mama Zoya from Kherson,” the woman says as she hands a package to volunteers for the military. “Tell them I love them all like a mother, that I ask them to take care of themselves and to come back home victorious…”
Warm Talismans from "Mama Zoya of Kherson"
In Chernihiv, Ukraine, many already know Mrs. Zoya. Often, she can be seen sitting on a bench near her home, selling mats she has knitted herself. A portion of these mats and the proceeds from their sale Mrs. Zoya donates to the Ukrainian Armed Forces to help the Ukrainian military.
She is the mother of two sons who are defenders, having risked everything, she lived through the occupation of Kherson… Since January, Zoya Dmytrivna has been living in Chernihiv, having moved there to be with her son, who, while defending the region, sustained serious injuries.
“I lived nine months under occupation – without communication, without news of my family,” the woman shares. “And when I found out that my youngest was here, recovering from his wounds, I flew to him – practically in what I had on, arriving in January in shoes… So, we remained here in Chernihiv with my husband – because our Kherson is mercilessly shelled every day, and we wanted to be closer to our son…
We left all our things at home, our pension is small, so life is not sweet – but no, I’m not complaining, we have enough for the essentials, and people face much greater troubles… Thank God, in Chernihiv I’ve been lucky to meet kind-hearted people!
And Svitlana (Chernihiv volunteer Svitlana Dubok) – she’s been my guardian angel, I don’t know what I’d do without her – it’s such people who help and inspire, their care brings you back to life, gives you strength…
I took to weaving mats – it helps me, and it offers our boys a bit of care and warmth: I weave four to sell, and the fifth I set aside for them. I gather a bunch, then send it through volunteers – to keep our sons warm… I even wove during the occupation – to keep my hands busy and drive away gloomy thoughts, to relieve stress.
Every morning, as soon as I wake up, I immediately take up the fabric and crochet hook. Loop by loop – and the boys will be warm. I even wove in the summer – because the nights are cold in summer… God willing, I’ll have the health to weave more,” the woman says with a smile.
Living Under Occupation: Like a Nightmare
“Nowadays, I seldom go outside – I’m recuperating after a hospital stay,” shares Mrs. Zoya. “I’m thankful to the doctors, they patched me up a bit since I was in a bad way. I can only walk with the help of a walker now; my legs can’t carry me on their own…
The doctors tell me I had a heart attack on my feet, that I survived – I didn’t even know about it until they found it during my treatment here. It seems, the pain and worry of a mother’s heart day after day took its toll…
I’m 68 now, I’ve seen a lot in my life – but I could never have imagined living through something like this… My whole life was work: I was an accountant in my younger days, then a cook at a café in Kherson, and when I retired, I baked bread at home to sell…
The war found us at home. At four in the morning, a call – war had broken out. My older son, Sergiy – a military man, had been serving and protecting us even before the full-scale Russian invasion. My younger son on February 24 quickly packed up some things, hugged me – and left, volunteering to defend Ukraine.
Then followed nine long, terrifying months without any news from my sons – nine long, horrifying months of occupation. I already had health problems, but then my legs gave out completely from shock and stress.”
She cries when asked about life under occupation.
“It wasn’t life,” she says. “How to describe it… it was like living through a nightmare… I remember the constant fear: every day, every hour, every minute…
Every day we expected they would come and take us away – both sons were fighting, we hadn’t managed to evacuate or hide the older son’s documents… The occupiers terrorized the relatives of soldiers and veterans, conducted raids, took people for interrogations from which many didn’t return, set up torture chambers around the city – God, I can’t even speak of it, my heart aches… Thankfully, no one betrayed us – we have very good neighbors, we still keep in touch, call each other…”.
How to Find Strength by Sharing Warmth with Others!
“When Kherson was liberated – the emotions were overwhelming! We had been cut off, no internet, nothing, relying solely on the old grapevine for news… We only communicated with a few trusted neighbors and friends – knowing our forces were advancing, that the fight was ongoing. When, on the third day after the city’s liberation, our soldiers knocked on our door to check if we were okay, if we needed anything – seeing them, I just burst into tears! I told them, maybe my son is among you – he’s also fighting, oh to see him…
They hugged me, comforting me – don’t worry, they said, you’ll definitely see him, everything will be alright, now everything will start to get better…
You see, it turned out that my younger son was among those defending Chernihiv, liberating Chernihiv region from the occupiers. He sustained severe injuries: his right side riddled with shrapnel, still trying to get rid of it..
We came here to be closer to my son, and to escape the constant shelling. After the city was liberated, in their impotent rage, the Russians started shelling it almost daily. Our building has no shelter, and even if it did – where would I go with my walker, I wouldn’t make it in time. Neighboring houses were hit, close to us, there was so much destruction, so many deaths, it’s just horrific… But how I long to return home – words can’t describe… It’s as if I left a part of myself there and now I feel phantom pains every day – my home aches. My memory aches…
I’m eagerly waiting for the war to end – I’m confident we will win, and I will do as much as I can to help our heroes, our military!
I even wove mats in the hospital – because as long as you’re doing something, you’re alive – laughs Zoya Dmytrivna. – While I was in the hospital, my husband helped me: he’d go to thrift stores, buy me fabric – I always choose natural, not synthetic, iron it, cut it into strips, and bring it to me, and I would weave. Now I sit on the balcony – and the work goes on! I’ve knitted so many mats, I didn’t count specifically, but I think the number has gone not just into hundreds – but into thousands. I knit, putting my heart and soul into it – because how else to find strength if not by sharing warmth with others!”
