Nataliya Churikova, a communications and media professional, relocated to the UK in the summer of 2022 due to the war in Ukraine. Upon her arrival, Nataliya focused on training as a teaching assistant and working at a school. However, she was also passionate about starting a small business in art and design, featuring products like cards, t-shirts, and hoodies created by her son, Roman.
Nataliya explained: “When we arrived in the UK, my son drew me a T-shirt with British–Ukrainian flags on it. My son is talented in art, but it was difficult to paint a couple of T-shirts at a time.”
Our Employability for Overseas Nationals (EON) programme played a crucial role by providing financial support to purchase a tablet equipped with graphic design programmes. It streamlined the creative process significantly enhancing productivity and lowering cost enabling the family to transform a hobby into a sustainable business.
Nataliya said: “We are very grateful to EON for the support we received, it is more than just help – it is a way to be independent and settled.”
The programme also empowered them to give back to their community as they donate 25-50% of their earnings to support Ukrainian children who lost their parents in the war. They are now working to establish a complete end-to-end design and delivery process, including acquiring their own fabric printer.
