From experience to impact: How education is helping rebuild Ukrainian communities
When Viktoriia Diuk left Germany to return to Ukraine, it was out of a strong sense of responsibility. Today, she uses her skills and experience in education and leadership training to help rebuild her country from the ground up.
Profile
- Name:
Viktoriia Diuk
- Education:
Master’s in Management of Enterprises and Organisations with an additional specialisation in Psychology
- Professional background:
Human resources management and trauma therapy support
- Place of Assignment:
Institute of Leadership and Management at the Ukrainian Catholic University
- Duration of assignment:
January 2024-present
I could not stay abroad while my country was going through such a difficult time. I wanted to be physically present in Ukraine – to live here, to pay taxes here, and to contribute to society directly through the knowledge and experience I had gained in Germany.
Viktoriia Diuk built her career around helping others. In Germany, she earned a Master’s degree in Management of Enterprises and Organisations with a specialisation in Psychology and gained professional experience in the non-profit sector. Beyond her day job as a human resources manager, she volunteered at a trauma therapy centre where she organised activities for children and women affected by trauma. With her country of origin facing war, Viktoria wanted to put her experience to use where it was most needed: to support the recovery and resilience of Ukraine’s communities.
The GIZ Returning Experts Programme helped her take that step by offering guidance and funding. “The financial support provided by the programme helped me to start my work in Ukraine with more confidence and to feel stability in this new stage of my life”, she says.
In January 2024, Viktoriia began working at the Institute of Leadership and Management at the Ukrainian Catholic University in Lviv. There, she coordinates educational programmes for civil society leaders and non-profit organisations, designing certification courses, preparing training materials and mentoring participants to strengthen their management, planning and implementation skills. Drawing on her experience in Germany, she has helped to restructure the programmes to make them more systematic and results-oriented. “The programmes help strengthen the expertise and capacity of Ukrainian civil society organisations and community representatives,” she explains. The impact is already visible: participants have gained practical tools and report that they collaborate more effectively and feel empowered to lead initiatives within their communities.
For Viktoriia, the most rewarding aspect is witnessing this growth firsthand. “the highlight is not a single moment but the overall process – seeing how participants develop in their knowledge and confidence. Each such encounter reassures me that my work makes a real difference.”
Over time, and thanks to the support of colleagues, I rebuilt my daily life, adapted successfully, and found more resources for professional growth.
Further information on the offers available to the Ukrainian diaspora can be found below.