On November 15, 2025, a solemn award ceremony for winners and nominees of the regional competition “Woman of Donetsk Region – 2025” was held at the Parkovy Exhibition and Convention Center. The event was organized by the Donetsk Regional State Administration and the Slavic Heart Charitable Foundation with the support of UN Women in Ukraine.
The competition brought together about 130 women whose professionalism, leadership, and care became the pillar of Donetsk Region’s viability during wartime. Among them are servicewomen, rescuers, doctors, teachers, volunteers, heads of humanitarian projects, businesswomen, as well as adoptive mothers and foster mothers.
Head of Donetsk Regional State Administration Vadym Filashkin emphasized that the stories of the participants reflect the indomitable character of the region, and presented the UN Women Representative in Ukraine Sabine Fraser Gunesh with the “Badge of Honor” badge. She emphasized that the leadership and strength of Ukraine’s reconstruction have a female face. Natalia Kyrkach, Head of the Slavic Heart Foundation, reported on the preparation of the Almanac with the stories of the winners of previous years.
Winners of the competition:
- “Leadership in Action” – Tetyana Marena, Acting Rector of Mariupol State University.
- “Master of her craft” – Viktoria Zgardan, DTEK electrician with 30 years of experience.
- “Heart in Armor” – Halyna Vasylchenko, military medic, and Anastasia Trubnikova, policewoman of the “White Angels”.
- “Caring Heart” – Lina Dub, emergency medical assistant.
- “Creator of Change and Opportunities” – Lyudmila Huseynova, human rights activist, head of the NGO “Numo, Sisters!”.
- “The Power of Good and Unity” – Angelina Skachko, manager of programs to support IDPs, children and veterans.
- “A Heart That Gives a Family” – Viktoriya Halavanova, mother-educator of the DBST, who evacuated her family from Mariupol.
The ceremony featured a photo exhibition “Stories of Women “Before” and “After”” and a presentation area of public organizations of the Coalition 1325 Donetsk Region. Partner awards were awarded to Nataliya Kyrkach and Liliya Zolkina, the initiator of the competition tradition since 2010.
The event ended with a joint photo and a festive cake, and the next day, a psychosocial and networking event was held for the participants, aimed at restoring resources and preventing burnout.
The women of Donetsk are the hearts that hold our region together and prove every day: indomitability has a face.