“My journey towards change began quite literally with Nordic walking,” says Olena Rumyantseva, a teacher from Kharkiv

“In May, I was fortunate to attend a training session led by Olena Bieloliptseva, the coordinator of educational programs at the NGO ‘Responsible Citizens.’ These training sessions were designed for teachers to better understand children’s needs and prevent burnout at work. It was there that I first learned about the organization’s program for training Nordic walking instructors. Since I’ve been involved in sports all my life, I decided to seize this opportunity. Now, I’m grateful every day for this wonderful chance to make a difference,” shares Olena Rumyantseva.

In Kharkiv, Olena works as an English teacher at a school. She conducts classes exclusively online, as the school is located in the most heavily affected area of the city—Saltivka. She notes that after three years of online teaching, the sedentary lifestyle has taken its toll, and teachers often lack social interaction due to the heavy workload.

By the end of July, Olena Rumyantseva had already received a certificate for successfully completing the courses conducted by ‘Responsible Citizens’ in partnership with World Vision International. The certificates are accredited by the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine and give all recipients the official ability to train others in this sport.

“These courses inspired me to gather people together, and I started with my colleagues who desperately needed such relaxing activities. I currently work with 15 people on a regular basis. However, I plan to extend this practice to children as well, provided that safety conditions allow,” Olena says.

According to the teacher, this type of sport that she has mastered is an effective way to expand social circles and help her fellow teachers relieve stress. Moreover, the Nordic walking community has been rapidly growing over just a few weeks.

“Joining the community of people involved in Nordic walking has brought positive changes to my life. It inspires me to make plans, expand our community, and be a part of change for others,” says Olena.

Learning Nordic walking is part of our educational project, which ‘Responsible Citizens’ conducted in partnership with World Vision International.

“Our goal was to create opportunities for people who want to acquire new skills and specialties that would allow them to earn additional income. This initiative was aimed at people in four regions of Eastern Ukraine, where we reached over 17,000 people through various educational project activities and received positive feedback on its implementation. By acquiring new professions that people could choose themselves, they have already found new jobs. The implementation of this project also had a very powerful impact on improving the psycho-emotional state in frontline areas, where people particularly need support and the discovery of new opportunities,” emphasizes Olena Bieloliptseva, coordinator of educational projects and programs at ‘Responsible Citizens.’