Hanna Matsko - participant of the regional contest "Woman of Donetsk Region" in 2025, nomination "Creator of Changes and Opportunities"
Hanna Matsko is a tireless guardian of Ukrainian culture who creates not only rag dolls with her own hands, but also a new life full of hope, resilience, and beauty. She is a shining example of how willpower and talent can overcome any challenge.
For more than 20 years, Ms. Hanna has been dedicated to preserving and developing Ukrainian traditions. As the head of the Novohrodivka Club, she brought people a holiday by organizing concerts and cultural events that united the community. An active member of the folk vocal and instrumental ensembles Smerichka and Marynivski Dyvtsi, she brought culture to every heart, helping the younger generation to connect with the true origins of Ukrainian identity.
The war forced Ms. Hanna to leave her native Donetsk region, but it did not break her spirit. In July 2024, she moved to the Chernivtsi region, taking with her the most valuable things - her dolls and some of the works of other Donetsk craftsmen - to protect them from destruction. In Bukovyna, which has accepted her as a native, Ms. Matsko continues to bring the voice of Donetsk to the world.
In addition to her art, Hanna Matsko devotes herself to volunteering: she weaves nets for the front line and makes trench candles. She demonstrates how art can be combined with concrete help for those who defend our country.
Hanna Matsko is a woman who holds the thread that stitches together a country torn apart by war. Her life is an example of unbreakable will, discipline and endurance, and her work is a light that grows through the darkness of war, giving people hope and faith in a peaceful, free and successful Ukraine.
Read the detailed story of the contestant here: https://surl.lu/hghkyh