Four Years of War Carried on Female Shoulders
In Ukraine, the war has not only reshaped the landscape but also the lives of millions of women who have become the primary caregivers, breadwinners, and community leaders over night.
ONA Foundation's mission is to provide these women with the psychological sanctuary and economic tools they need to lead Ukraine's eventual recovery.
Restoring the Inner World. Trauma Informed Healthcare.
Physical rebuilding is impossible without psychological healing. The war in Ukraine has inflicted a profound and gendered psychological toll, with Ukrainian women bearing the brunt of displacement, systemic violence, and the collapse of social safety nets.
1 in 5 people will develop PTSD, severe depression, and anxiety 1 in 5 people affected by the war in Ukraine will develop long-term mental health conditions, including PTSD, severe depression, and anxiety. Women, who make the majority of the displaced population, report significantly higher rate of these symptoms.
Threefold escalation in gender-based violence A 2025 UNFPA report indicates that cases of domestic and gender-based violence have tripled since the 2022 invasion. Economic instability, the return of traumatised combatants, and the erosion of local policing have left an estimated 2.4 million women and girls at risk of abuse
1.8 million women and girls internally displaced Approximately 1.8 million women and girls remain internally displaced . Research by UN Women shows that displaced women face a "double burden" - the trauma of losing their homes combined with the primary responsibility for children and elderly relatives in unstable environments.
ONA Foundation provides critical funding to clinics and grassroots organisations - predominantly run by women - who understand the specific nuances of war-caused trauma.
We fund organisations that stand between a survivor and a lifetime of trauma Impact: These centres offer a transition from "survival mode" to long-term healing. Your support enables intensive rehabilitation programs where women and children receive daily therapy. Results: By funding the expansion of these centres, you are helping reach the estimated 1 million women who need specialised PTSD treatments.
We fund Mobile Psychosocial Response Units that bring the clinic to the doorstep of those who need it most Impact: These units travel directly to remote villages, providing "Psychological First Aid" to women who have lived under occupation or near constant shelling. Results: This. prevents the "chronification" of trauma. By reaching a woman within weeks of a traumatic event, these teams significantly reduce the likelihood of permanent disability caused by severe stress.
We fund programs for survivors of Conflict-Related Sexual Violence (CRSV) which integrate legal aid with mental health care. Impact: Your funding ensures that every woman is paired with a trauma-informed lawyer and a specialised psychologist who accompany her the entire process - from documenting the crime for international tribunals to receiving long-term somatic therapy Results: This approach empowers survivors to move from "victim" to "advocate". In 2025-2026, these programs have been instrumental in securing the first in-absentia convictions of Russian soldiers, providing a powerful psychological "sense of closure" for the survivors.
Rebuilding Livelihoods. Economic Reintegration.
A woman's independence is her greatest protection. As the war has fundamentally reshaped Ukraine's workforce, women have emerged as the nation's primary economic assets, taking on leadership in new businesses and stepping into traditionally male-dominated sectors to fill the critical void left by mobilisation and loss.
ONA Foundation invests in the economic eco-system by supporting organisations that transition women from crisis-survival to long-term financial self-sufficiency by entering workforce and rebuilding the country's economy.
81% of registered unemployed individuals are women Women now account for a staggering 81% of all registered unemployed individuals in Ukraine. This is largely because the sectors where women traditionally work - such as education, retail, and healthcare - have been hit the hardest by persistent energy blackouts and funding cuts.
61% of all new businesses registered by women Despite many hardships, in 2025 women registered 61% of all new small businesses in Ukraine. These women-led enterprises are the most agile part of the wartime economy. Thousands of Ukrainian women have retrained as miners, truck drivers, construction workers, and energy technicians, ensuring that the country's critical infrastructure continues to function despite the systemic loss of male labor.
Closing the gender gap in Ukraine could boost its GDP by 21% According to the World Bank (2026), increasing women's labour force participation is no longer a social goal but a "macroeconomic necessity" - closing the gender gap could increase Ukraine's GDP by 21%, providing billion of dollars needed for national reconstruction.
We invest in vocational training programs that move women into high-demand, high-growth industries Impact: These programs provide free certification in sectors such as Green Energy, IT, and Heavy Infrastructure Results: In 2025 alone, our partners trained over 1000 women. By training women to operate excavators and manage logistics, we are providing the skilled labour necessary to rebuild Ukraine's physical infrastructure.
We bridge the gap between "survival mode" and "growth mode" by awarding micro-grants to female led small businesses (SMEs) Impact: By funding these entrepreneurs, you are directly tackling the 81% female unemployment rate and creating local jobs that the state currently cannot provide Results: A $15k grant to a manufacturing SME typically allows a female founder automate production, often leading to the hiring 3-5 additional displaced women within the first six months
We support a nationwide network of Career and Business Hubs that provide psychological and professional scaffolding needed to enter the workforce after trauma Impact: These online and offline centres offer career counselling, legal aid, and mental health support tailored to survivors of economic violence and displacement Results: In the last fiscal year, these hubs supported women in successfully launching new businesses or transitioning to formal employment. Programs like "CREATE" have shown that over 90% of female-led startups funded during the war remain operational a year later. This creates a sustainable tax base that will fund Ukraine's long-term recovery.
Women-led businesses are twice as likely to hire other women, meaning your donation creates a self-sustaining cycle of employment
The Return on Investment: 7:1 Ratio
Impact studies on women's economic empowerment show a staggering 7:1 ROI