By Tatiana Stafford
Vice President and Director for Western Europe and CIS, Kidsave
Co-Founder and Board Member, Ukrainian Mentoring Association for Children and Youth
What started with a small team, almost no funding, and a big dream has grown into a national movement joined by 15 nonprofit partners from across Ukraine.
This Association was born from my belief that every child, no matter their past, deserves someone who believes in them: a mentor, a guide, a trusted adult.
I envisioned a space where business, government, NGOs, and community leaders come together to open doors — and hearts — to Ukraine’s most vulnerable children and youth.
Through our programs — including corporate mentoring, individual mentoring, family mentoring, and support for teen mothers — we’ve matched thousands of young people with mentors who walk beside them as they grow, heal, and build their futures.
Especially through our Pathway to Success Corporate Mentoring Program, we give teens a rare and powerful opportunity: to step into the world of work, explore new interests, and imagine a future they never thought possible. To try on a profession, find a purpose, and begin their journey toward independence with confidence and support.
Pathway to Success is a corporate mentoring program that connects vulnerable youth in Ukraine—many of whom have grown up without stable family support—with professionals from leading Ukrainian and international companies. Through a series of structured activities including workplace visits, skills workshops, one-on-one mentoring, and career exploration sessions, young people gain practical knowledge about different industries, build critical life and employment skills, and develop relationships with adult mentors who guide and inspire them. The program gives participants a unique opportunity to “try on” real careers before making life-defining decisions, helping them identify their strengths, set goals, and build confidence as they prepare for independent adult life.
This work is deeply personal to me — it’s not just what I do, it’s who I am.
And I’m so proud of how far we’ve come — and grateful to every partner, mentor, and changemaker who shares this mission. Together we are turning a generation of risk into a generation of opportunity.
Let’s continue building a Ukraine where no child walks alone and every child has an opportunity to thrive.
Businesses ready to make a real impact in young lives and become a corporate mentoring partner are invited to join us.
Please contact tatiana@kidsave.org or natalia@kidsave.org to learn how you can get involved.
