Participant of the Regional Competition "Young Person of the Year – 2025" in the Nomination "Heart Given to Donetsk Region" Svitlana Lutsenko
Svitlana Lutsenko was born in 1999 in Oleksandrivka, Kramatorsk district. In 2021, after receiving her higher education diploma, she moved to Mariupol, where she began her professional journey as a public servant.
Starting in August 2021, she worked at the Mariupol District State Administration, progressing from a chief specialist to the head of the administration's staff. Despite the challenges brought by the full-scale invasion and subsequent relocation, Svitlana continues to work for the Donetsk region, ensuring the continuity of administrative processes and providing support for internally displaced persons (IDPs).
With the onset of the temporary occupation of the Mariupol district and the mass internal displacement of residents, Svitlana actively joined in organizing systematic support for IDPs. She coordinates the provision of humanitarian, legal, and psychological assistance, and also establishes cooperation with charitable foundations to ensure their basic needs are met. Her activity helps strengthen connections among people who were forced to leave their homes, supporting them in restoring a sense of unity and dignity.
Svitlana Lutsenko pays special attention to professional development and scientific improvement, systematically acquiring knowledge and skills necessary for the effective recovery of the Donetsk region. Her education includes psychology with a focus on crisis situations, a master's degree in public administration, and ongoing master's studies in the "Governance in Post-War Territories" program at Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv. Her participation in programs like the Reintegration Management Program and "Leadership for the Recovery of Donetsk Region" all contribute to a deep understanding of the region's needs for post-war reconstruction and lay the groundwork for effective future governance.
Since 2023, Svitlana Lutsenko has been coordinating the activities of the Mariupol District IDP Support Center "Heart of the East" in Dnipro. A crucial part of her work has been the implementation of educational and cultural initiatives for children and youth who, due to the war, lost their familiar environment, friends, and sense of security. Patriotic events, master classes, integration activities, and warm human encounters help preserve national identity, restore trust, and foster faith in the future.
Svitlana Lutsenko actively participates in the implementation of youth policy, dedicating significant attention to fostering civic consciousness, leadership qualities, and patriotic values among young people. In 2024, she became the responsible coordinator of the VII Regional Youth Forum-Tent Camp "Let's Change the Country Together. Free and Independent!"
Since June 2025, she has held the position of Deputy Head of the Manhush Village Military Administration of the Mariupol District, Donetsk Region.
Svitlana notes: "For me, the Donetsk region is not just my small homeland and a place on the map of Ukraine; it is the people who daily prove their strength, resilience, and ability to create new life despite pain and loss. Everything I do today is a contribution to the future development of Donetsk region. That Donetsk region which is being reborn: not from ruins, but from faith, memory, and dreams."