Rusana Sharlai - participant of the regional contest "Woman of Donetsk Region" in 2025, nomination "The Power of Good and Unity"
Rusana Sharlai was born and raised in Avdiivka, a city that is now destroyed by war. In 2014, her family lost their home to Russian shelling.
As a teenager, Rusana started working with children, teaching math to primary school children. Later, she built a career in marketing, but she always searched for meanings that went beyond personal success.
After February 24, 2022, Rusana and her husband stayed in Kyiv to help people in their most difficult days. Their small apartment turned into the first volunteer headquarters: they packed food and medicine, packed parcels for the elderly and families left without support.
From this initiative, her life's work grew - creating a support system for IDPs and children in frontline cities. Rusana was the one who united people, meanings and resources, turning chaotic help into an organized movement.
Under her leadership, the team of like-minded people grew into a powerful association that is now known far beyond the Donetsk region. Thanks to her strategic vision, ROSUCH-SPACE integration spaces were opened in Kyiv, Kramatorsk, Izyum, and Pavlohrad. These locations support over 800 children and adolescents every month.
Rusana managed to attract international partners: UNHCR, SoftServe, RiverMall, ISN YOU and others. In 2024-2025 alone, her fundraising campaigns raised more than UAH 1.8 million for the development of educational programs, psychological assistance, IT courses, and career guidance for teenagers.
Today, Rusana unites more than 20 employees and over 100 volunteers, most of whom are also IDPs. For her team, she is not just a leader, but an example of resilience and responsibility. She builds a culture of transparency and trust where everyone feels valued.
Rusana Sharlai's story is a story of a Donetsk woman who, despite her losses, reborn and helps others. She has turned her own pain into a resource that works for the development of a generation. Her work proves that even in the darkest of times, it is possible to create an environment where children have a chance for education, a dream, and a new start.
Read the detailed story of the contestant here: https://surl.li/gshabu