Liudmyla Savchenko is a participant of the 2025 Regional Competition "Woman of Donetsk Region" in the nomination "Creator of Changes and Opportunities"
Liudmyla Savchenko was born in the village of Zlatoustivka in the Khlibodarivska community in Donetsk Oblast and knew from childhood that her path would be closely connected with the song and culture of her native land.
Her life is a combination of stage and pedagogy. She has worked in the theater, taught at an art school, and created and led the Svyatadar folklore ensemble. It was with this ensemble that she repeatedly won awards at national and international competitions. "Our repertoire consisted of songs from Donetsk region. It was important for me that the children heard and loved them," says Liudmyla.
In addition to singing, the woman recreates the traditional costumes of Donetsk region: she sews shirts, weaves belts, and makes necklaces and wreaths according to old patterns. She has restored some of the women's costumes herself, reviving the thread of intergenerational communication.
After the full-scale invasion, she was forced to leave for Germany with her young son. There, she created the Voice of the Steppe studio, where immigrants from Ukraine and Germans sang songs from the Donetsk region together. "It was my way of not losing myself and showing the world that Donetsk region is not only about war, it is a singing land with a deep culture."
In 2024, Liudmyla started working at the Donetsk Regional Educational and Methodological Center of Culture. In 2025, she returned to Ukraine and continues her active work in local history, inspiring cultural workers throughout the Donetsk region by her example.
Today, Ms. Liudmyla confidently notes: "For me, preserving and popularizing the culture of Donetsk region is a duty to my native land. I want the world to know our songs and traditions, because they are the soul of Donetsk region."
Read the detailed story of the contestant here: https://surl.li/pkidar