Meet the new winners of the second stage of the Talents for Ukraine grant program from the KSE Foundation — talented Ukrainians who, through their ideas and initiatives, contribute to addressing important social issues.
⭐️Valeriia Subotina is a Ukrainian writer, journalist, and activist who survived Russian captivity and is now working on the reintegration of former prisoners of war. She is the founder of Ukraine’s only hub for former captives, which provides a platform for experience sharing and emotional support for soldiers who have returned from captivity. Her book Captivity, published in both Ukrainian and English, details the conditions in russian prisons. The second book by Valeriia is titled Azovstal: The Steel Press Service and is dedicated to the heroism of the defenders of Mariupol. She also hosts podcasts and participates in international advocacy tours.
«Feeling happiness in simple things is already a great success», Valeria emphasizes.
⭐️Kseniya Berezn is the co-founder of the social ranch «Horse Paradise,” which she created with like-minded individual to rescue horses. Thanks to their collective efforts, they transformed an old stable into a safe haven for 40 rescued animals. In March 2022, Kseniya founded a charitable foundation that supports orphanages, nursing homes, and animal rescue initiatives. Additionally, she organized a women’s club that brings together 100 influential women and hosts educational events for shared growth and idea exchange.
«There is nothing more important or valuable than the people around us, especially our family and close ones. They are our mirror and greatest treasure», Ksenia comments.
⭐️Nazar Drugov is working on the development of AI education in Ukraine in collaboration with MIT RAISE and KSE. He is also the visionary behind the Ukrainian localization of Khan Academy. In 2023, Nazar worked on a project to combat disinformation with a team of peers and the KSE AI Lab, using ChatGPT. His goal is to help Ukraine become one of the leading countries in applying AI in education and to make the best self-education opportunities accessible to all Ukrainian students.
«One of the most valuable skills, in my opinion, is the ability to self-learn: to constantly seek out areas for growth and work on developing them», Nazar comments.
More about the Talents For Ukraine winners
