A regional mission to drive social entrepreneurship: the story of Ksenia Kosukha

Ksenia Kosukha, a young professional from Kyiv, started her journey as an activist and project coordinator at the School of Mindful Entrepreneurship (School of ME), guiding young people towards employment and promoting the idea of an economy with social impact. Passionate about social entrepreneurship since her university days, Ksenia recently came to Moldova to participate in the ‘Spring School for Young Trainers and Entrepreneurs’, an intensive four-day learning experience that brought together 25 young changemakers from Moldova, Ukraine, Georgia, and Armenia.

Organised by EcoVisio at EcoVillage Moldova and funded by the ‘EU4Youth Programme Phase III: Youth Employment and Entrepreneurship’, the Spring School became a turning point for Ksenia, helping her to discover how social entrepreneurship can create real and sustainable community solutions focused on digital transition and the green economy.

From activism to a personal mission

“When I first heard about social entrepreneurship, I was just an activist. Until then, I didn’t know I could combine social involvement with sustainable community solutions, and this discovery deeply inspired me and motivated me to participate,” said Ksenia.

Together with her team from the School of ME, Ksenia supports Ukrainian students in securing their first jobs and collaborates with social enterprises struggling with workforce shortages. Driven by her wish for a more sustainable world for her family and future generations, she believes “it is important that what we advocate is also reflected in our way of life”.

“Ninety-nine per cent of those present here want a greener world for themselves and their children. If we help each other and encourage more people to get involved, I am sure the world will become a better place. I will do everything I can to contribute to this!”

Four days of inspiration and discovery

For four days, Ksenia joined young people from Armenia, Georgia, Ukraine, and the districts of Moldova, exploring sustainable community solutions through practical learning and experience sharing. Participants learned to use digital technologies to support their training and entrepreneurial activities, all within an inspirational, nature-friendly environment.

“Starting from energising exercises combined with AI tools and spaces for experience sharing, we aim to integrate sustainable business models and ecological practices specific to the green economy into our activities,” Ksenia explained. “We explored novel and sometimes unfamiliar experiments, but it was precisely this curiosity to understand how things work that motivated me. We work with children, youth, and adults and discuss these practices, and I wanted to have real experiences, not just theoretical knowledge, to better understand how these solutions can be implemented in our field.”

Building a regional network of social entrepreneurs

The exchange of good practices from workshops and interactions with participants from four countries provided Ksenia with a solid foundation for developing regional partnerships. She aims to extend educational programmes in this field to Ukraine as well.

“The people here are wonderful! I’m passionate about learning, and their stories inspire me deeply, encouraging me to learn more about Moldova, its citizens, and their ideas for a balanced and green ecosystem. I hope we can cooperate even more in the future and promote the same values in Ukraine and Moldova: social responsibility, sustainable innovation, and inclusive education.”

EU4Youth Programme – the path to change

Ksenia believes that the outcomes of this experience will be expressed in future joint events and the expansion of the project to other countries. In her view, the knowledge and experience she has gained present an opportunity to contribute to social change, eventually reaching a global scale.

“New experiences, valuable insights gained through different perspectives, interaction with other cultures – all these lead to change that can be reflected in society and, subsequently, globally. It’s a form of empowerment and inspiration where people can compare alternatives and choose the right path.”

A simple message for those still hesitating

Ksenia has straightforward advice for young people considering social entrepreneurship but unsure if it is right for them: “They should try, and then decide if it suits them or not. It might change their lives – as it did mine.”

The EU4Youth Phase III Youth Employment and Entrepreneurship programme, funded by the European Union and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania, is implemented by the Central Project Management Agency (CPVA) in the Eastern Partnership countries, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine. The programme will run until mid-2025 and aims to provide technical assistance to governmental and non-governmental organisations to tackle youth unemployment and improve employability.