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!
Meet the Indomitable Volunteer with "Crystal Bones" – How to Overcome Obstacles and Achieving the Impossible!
Overcome obstacles and achieving the impossible is her daily job. They said she would never be able to walk—yet not only can she walk, but she also drives her own car and swims, defying the laws of physics! This woman, with her “crystal” bones (a condition that makes bones extremely fragile from birth), embodies endurance and strength, serving as an inspiration to many. She has made it into the Ukrainian Record Book not once, but twice. With the onset of the war, despite daily dangers, she not only stayed in her native city, but also established a hub for soldiers and displaced individuals, aiding thousands of families and continuously supporting our defenders.
Introducing the “crystal” volunteer with a steel resolve, Olha Pometun.
Overcome Obstacles – And Making it Twice into the Record Books!
“When the military personnel come to our warehouse and see me… When they learn that I have been here from the start and all the time, when they realize we have no heating in the warehouse – it was minus 5 degrees Celsius in the winter, the water in the kettle would freeze overnight… When they see all this, they say, ‘We have something worth fighting for – if we are supported by people like you…'”
She is a blogger and volunteer who shatters stereotypes about people with disabilities, and the leader of the charity foundation “United by Goodness.”
“I’m just a Ukrainian woman,” smiles Ms. Olya, when thanked for her incredible volunteer work and admired for her indomitable spirit. “A simple, ordinary Ukrainian woman… But for many years now, our Ukrainian women have proven that there’s nothing we can’t handle!”
She stands just a meter and five centimeters tall, but that’s a meter and five centimeters of energy, strength, and courage!
Due to a severe bone condition that causes innate fragility and “crystal-like” bones, she has suffered fractures dozens of times.
“Any careless movement could lead to a fracture – and so it happened, especially in the early 90s, during a period of total scarcity, when the medications I needed disappeared,” Olha Pometun recounts.
“I was in a cast for a long period, from ages 10 to 18 I practically didn’t walk, then I had to learn to walk again… It was incredibly tough, but giving up never crossed my mind.
Fortunately, my parents raised me with the mindset ‘you are just like everyone else,’ never singling me out for my condition – saying, ‘you are sick, you can’t do this…’ On the contrary! They said, ‘Yes, you’re a bit shorter than others, but you’re no worse. You need to live on par with everyone else, study on par, work on par… In some things, you might need help, but in many ways, you can help others too’ – and with this mindset, I continue to live.”
“‘You can do it’ – these are the words I repeat to myself every time I face a challenge. And there have been plenty of challenges… When I got the idea to drive a car, I remember people asking, ‘Who told you that you can drive?’ But I didn’t give up: ‘And who can tell me that I can’t?’ Having earned a degree in economics, I worked as a manicure artist and over six years, I saved enough money on my own to buy a car and passed my driving test!”
Olha has been behind the wheel for 11 years now. Eleven years ago, the thought of someone like her driving a car was almost fantastical. But the most incredible was yet to come…
“Swimming against the laws of physics” – that’s what the Ukrainian Record Book says about Olha Pometun.
“I first learned to swim, and then heard from doctors, considering my physical characteristics and the laws of physics, that it was… simply impossible,” she laughs. “As it turns out, a strong spirit and strong will can even break the laws of physics – and my swimming story proved it. Yes, it took a lot of time and effort – years of hard work on myself – but the result was worth it!
I often hear, ‘Everything you take on seems to succeed… What’s your secret?’ Well, my secret is that I simply never give up – if I set a goal, I’m ready to pursue it for a year, two, three, five – as long as it takes, but I won’t stop until I achieve what I’ve set out to do. I don’t have problems – I have tasks. And I work on them. My life motto – nothing is impossible, some things just require more effort.”
"A Tiny Giant with a Billion-Dollar Heart" and "Thank You" from the Military
“Our charity, ‘United by Goodness’, was born from a desire to help others. Why was the fund created? I always joke that I’m a big egoist — if the world around me is happier, kinder, brighter, then it’s more comfortable for me to live in it. Doing good is a very natural need for me. So as long as there are people who need help, I will be there to assist!
But with the onset of the full-scale Russian invasion, the number of such people has drastically increased…”
“The first three days of the ‘big war’ left me in shock. A friend called me out of this state, asking, ‘How are you? Because we have a lot of requests and pleas for help here’… And from that moment, there were no doubts, hesitations, or fears — only work.
Through our city of Kamianske, Dnipropetrovsk region, Ukraine, a huge flow of displaced people passed — many with small children, some with barely any belongings, all in need of help… So we got actively involved.
There was a time when the city was very loud and very scary, not too far from the front line… My parents were worried about me, pushing me to leave — they understood that in conditions where it would be tough to access medicine and food, where I would have to constantly run to the basement, it would be very difficult for me… But I knew that I couldn’t volunteer as effectively abroad as I could here, at home in Kamianske.”
So, no matter how hard and frightening it was, Olha did not leave and stayed with the thought: “This is our land. It’s up to us to take care of it.”
Olha’s team calculated — very roughly, as the actual number is much higher (initially, they couldn’t count properly due to the shortage of hands and people) — that they helped over ten thousand civilian families. This was before New Year’s; since then, another thousand or two have been added. The assistance provided to Ukrainian military personnel, who come to them daily, can be measured in tons — about a hundred tons!
“A friend once said: there’s a movie ‘Million Dollar Baby,’ but you, Olya, are our billion-dollar tiny giant!”
“The assistance provided by the fund primarily includes food products and hygiene items; we’ve also helped the military with generators and heating stoves. When our Defenders come to us, the emotions, the atmosphere… They come — they hug. They talk — they hug. When saying goodbye, we hug. And just as they’re leaving: ‘Can I hug you one more time?’ They often say, ‘We survive out there thanks to you.’ To which I reply, ‘No, guys. It’s thanks to you that we live here…’
And we remember that every day.
This war touches everyone — some have friends and family at war, many have lost loved ones, homes…”
“Many need help. After the deoccupation of Lyman (a Ukrainian city in Donetsk region, which was illegally occupied by Russian forces from May to October 2022), we went there with humanitarian aid — I saw firsthand the horrors left by the occupiers and the extremely difficult conditions in which people there live. Later we learned about a ‘hit’ on the place where our cars had been just half an hour earlier…
That trip changed a lot in me. The next day, I gathered everyone at our warehouse and said — people, we work with all our might, help as much as we can — we have no right to fatigue. I realized that no matter how hard it was, we had to continue our volunteer work. I don’t have my own business, my own affairs — moreover, over the past two-plus years of the full-scale invasion, I’ve spent all my savings. Last March, I took a job — and I combine it with working at the charity. I’m glad when people are ready to help us.”
Big Dreams of a Person with a Big Heart!
Her life could fill a book — and that’s exactly what Ms. Olya has done! She is the author of the motivational book “Discover Yourself for Life,” where she shares her own story and includes advice from a psychologist on how to open yourself up from different angles and overcome obstacles.
“People often wrote to me saying that I inspired them, motivating them to live and grow. I started visiting orphanages, meeting with youth, and sharing my experiences of self-improvement.”
“Before the full-scale invasion, we had a project with special needs children — and we primarily worked with their parents,” explains Olha Pometun.
Often, when a special needs child is born into a family, it is perceived as a severe trial, as a punishment… Yes, it’s not easy — it’s tough — but I know many families where despite various disabilities, the children are independent, accomplished, successful, and happy. And, unfortunately, there are people who, having all the possibilities, waste their lives… So, it’s up to us whether we perceive our uniqueness as a curse or as a gift.
What gives me the strength to work, help, and keep moving forward every day? I simply love life. I love interacting, I love people, I love driving my car, I love my job. I arrive at the warehouse of our foundation — I really love it there — it’s so full of emotions, so many events! We have an incredible team, wonderful people! I enjoy what I do and the incredible feelings people have when they leave us.”
“I love all of it! I love and believe that victory lies ahead of us, along with many bright moments. But there’s also a lot of work — and I’m ready to tackle it. I dream of new accomplishments and achievements — a big rehabilitation center for both military and civilians. Yes, it’s a lot of work — but it’s also a great help…
I’m just a small person with a big heart — so I dream big,” smiles our conversationalist.
And, looking at her, we realize just how truly great a Person she is!
