Supporting Youth Entrepreneurship in Frontline and Border Hromadas
Entrepreneurial skills and practical business experience help young people see opportunities for growth even in the difficult circumstances of war. For students in vocational and professional pre-higher education, they also offer a chance to try building a business of their own, understand how the market works, and gain experience of working in a team. Developing these skills helps young people see a future for themselves in their own communities, which is important for preserving the human potential of Ukraine’s frontline and border regions.
Ukraine’s international partners, through the Partnership Fund for a Resilient Ukraine (PFRU), support initiatives that help young people develop entrepreneurial skills and gain hands-on experience of starting and running their own businesses, while strengthening resilience and social cohesion.
On 14–15 March, Kyiv hosted the two-day Junior EXPO 2026, organised by Junior Achievement Ukraine with support from PFRU. The event brought together students from vocational and professional pre-higher education institutions in Ukraine’s frontline and border oblasts.
As part of the entrepreneurship course delivered by Junior Achievement Ukraine in vocational schools, students set up their own mini-companies – from developing an idea and making products to promoting and selling them. Junior EXPO gave them the opportunity to present the results of this work to a wider audience.
A total of 196 students took part in the event, presenting products from 23 mini-companies representing 8 frontline and border oblasts of Ukraine. Over the course of two days, participants showcased their products, engaged with visitors, and gained practical sales experience. By the end of the event, more than 60% of the mini-companies had sold most of their products, while several teams sold out completely.
Events like this help students not only put their learning into practice, but also develop an entrepreneurial mindset that can support their future professional paths and economic participation in their own hromadas.
