Women affected by the war are learning to drive free of charge in Mykolaiv region

Women from Mykolaiv region take free driving lessons. Photo: NikVesti provided by the NGO "Desiate Kvitnia"

In the Mykolaiv region, women affected by the war are learning to drive for free. Thirty women are learning to drive cars, and another ten are learning to drive tractors.

This was reported by Olena Pashchenko, head of the Desiate Kvitnia NGO project, in a comment to NikVesti.

According to her, women who have suffered as a result of the war or find themselves in difficult life circumstances can participate in the programme. In particular, these are women with disabilities and from large families.

«Women with disabilities, women from large families, as well as women from households headed by women or elderly people. Single mothers, women whose homes have been damaged or destroyed as a result of hostilities, and women who have lost their jobs or stable source of income due to the war are also invited to participate. This approach allows us to focus on supporting those women who today most need opportunities to restore their economic independence and resilience,» said Olena Pashchenko.

Women from Mykolaiv region are taking free driving lessons. Photo: NikVesti provided by the NGO "Tenth of April"

Women from Mykolaiv region are taking free driving lessons. Photo: NikVesti provided by the NGO "Tenth of April"

According to Olena Pashchenko, participation is open to anyone aged 18 and over.

«The ages of the participants vary greatly — there are both young women and older women among them. For example, one of the course participants is 63 years old, and she is successfully completing the training. The project is mainly aimed at women, because as a result of the war, many of them lost their jobs or were forced to change professions, and often became the main breadwinners in their families,» said Olena Pashchenko.

Training car, illustrative photo: NikVesti

She added that the key selection criteria are motivation to learn and a willingness to acquire professional skills.

«This approach allows us to support women at different stages of their lives and promotes their economic independence and resilience. At the same time, participation in training is not exclusively «female» — the programme also includes several men who are in vulnerable life circumstances and meet the selection criteria. This approach allows us to maintain a balance between the focus on supporting women and the principle of non-discrimination, ensuring access to vocational training for those who need it most,» said Olena Pashchenko.

Hello! I am Anna Hakman, the author of this article.

Thank you for your attention to our texts — it means a lot to the NikVesti team.

We regularly publish in-depth materials for those who want to understand the topic and get to the heart of the matter.

We have dozens of examples when our journalism, together with our readers, has influenced situations and changed them.

Join the NikVesti Readers’ Club — support independent journalism that matters.

Support us by joining the NikVesti Club

According to Olena Pashchenko, the programme provides women with new employment opportunities.

«This initiative is important because it gives women access to new opportunities for employment, mobility and financial independence. In the context of war, many women have been forced to take on the role of primary breadwinners for their families, and, for example, driving skills significantly increase their chances of finding work, both in the city and in communities. At the same time, training gives women confidence in their own abilities and the opportunity to plan their own future, even in difficult circumstances,» said Olena Pashchenko.

It should be noted that driving lessons are part of the project «Socio-economic rehabilitation through increasing the resilience of women in the war-affected Mykolaiv region», which is being implemented by the NGO «Desiate Kvitnia» with the support of Good Neighbors Japan and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan.

We would like to remind you that in Mykolaiv, a 57-year-old driving instructor promised a driving school student that for 14,000 hryvnias, he would influence a positive decision regarding the passing of exams to obtain a driving licence.