Mariia was born in Mariupol. During her teenage years, she began engaging in community activities and took business courses from the ‘Khalabuda’, the Swedish camp UngDrive, and organized the city’s first roller speed skating competition. At the start of the full-scale invasion, she endured 21 days in the besieged city, after which she moved to the city of Dnipro. In 2022, she enrolled in the Ukrainian Leadership Academy. Over the course of a year, she initiated the ‘Svitlo/1778′ project, which raised funds for the needs of the Azovstal Fighters’ Family Association. Upon completing the Academy, she became an activist in the Ukrainian Student for Freedom and a volunteer trainer in the Ukrainian Volunteer Service. She took a gap year from my studies to explore my capabilities and relocated to Kyiv to be closer to project opportunities and teams.

‘In my family, I have two military members who defend our Freedom. Previously, I perceived Freedom as a value that the state should guarantee. Now, I am convinced that one must always fight for Freedom in all aspects of life. This way, Freedom becomes not something given but an achievement valued in proportion to the efforts made. Thanks to USF (Ukrainian Students for Freedom), I can deepen my knowledge on how I can secure my freedoms within a community of like-minded individuals.’