Sayenko Kharenko Supports Veteran Entrepreneurs at DoLadu School

For the second year running, Sayenko Kharenko lawyers are mentoring DoLadu School participants on a pro bono basis. DoLadu School is a free business programme that helps Ukrainian veterans take their first steps in entrepreneurship.

Sayenko Kharenko joins at the programme’s second stage, once participants have passed selection and are ready for hands-on learning. Some already know what they want to build: jewellery and fashion brands, car repair shops, bakeries. Others are still looking for their direction. What they share is the drive to move forward.

Each session is a full day of in-person lectures and one-on-one consultations. Tetiana Hudyma covers business taxation and the licences and permits required to operate. Olga Kyriusha walks participants through the legal side of launching a business and hiring their first employees. The consultations go well beyond the curriculum. Participants bring their own legal questions, and every question gets an answer.

The audience is consistently engaged and focused on results, and their backgrounds vary widely. Some are returning to business after years of military service. Some have survived captivity and are taking their first steps back into civilian life. Some are starting a business for the first time. Others are not yet sure what they want, and helping them decide whether this step is right for them is part of the work too.

The lawyers explain the legal fundamentals and give practical guidance on where the real risks lie and where it is safe to move ahead. Every participant comes from a different industry with different questions, and every idea gets its own approach.

"It matters a great deal to us that we are laying the foundation for their new careers. This isn’t theory for the sake of theory. We work through each situation in detail and answer real questions. And when you see someone leave believing in themselves, you understand why it’s all worth it,” says Tetiana Hudyma, Senior Associate at Sayenko Kharenko.

"Most participants have never dealt with the legal or business side of things before. But by the time they leave, they know what to do and what to avoid. They are confident they can do it, and they are not afraid of this new chapter. Their openness and determination inspire us to keep doing this work,” says Olga Kyriusha, Senior Associate at Sayenko Kharenko.

DoLadu is a psychological support project that helps veterans adapt to civilian life. DoLadu School is its educational track, where veterans gain practical knowledge to start their own businesses. Over the past two years, the school has taken in more participants and strengthened its programme. Sayenko Kharenko has worked with the project since 2023 and, together with the "Breathe” Charity Fund, has contributed more than UAH 15 million to its development.