Importance of supporting teenagers: an Interview with communications manager Maryna

At just 24, Maryna already combines several roles — she works for an international corporation, takes part in charitable projects, and supports teenagers together with the Dobrodiy Club team.

Choosing her profession was a conscious decision: even as a teenager, Maryna knew she wanted to work with people and meaningful ideas.

“I graduated from the Kyiv-Mohyla Academy with a degree in Sociology and later earned my Master’s in Marketing in Paris,” — she shares.

Maryna explains that sociology and marketing are not as far apart as they might seem — both are centered around people, their behavior, habits, and patterns.

“My jobs have changed, but I’ve always been connected to marketing. Now I work as a Brand Activation Manager at L’Oréal.”

She admits that marketing isn’t as glamorous as it looks from the outside:

“Many people think marketing is just about beautiful visuals and ads. But in reality, it’s a very down-to-earth profession. It involves a lot of numbers, calculations, and strategy. A true marketer must be able to do everything — from building a budget to finding the right meanings.”

Balancing multiple projects at once, Maryna knows firsthand how important it is to rest and take care of herself.

She regularly does sports, attends theatre performances, and since September has been studying at the École du Louvre, attending weekly lectures on art history. Short trips to other cities help her clear her mind, while time with friends restores her energy.

Although she now has a close circle of friends abroad, it wasn’t always like that. The first months in a new country were challenging — adjusting to independence, a new environment, and being far from loved ones. In 2022, still a student at Kyiv-Mohyla Academy, she moved to Paris through an exchange program.

“Honestly, I didn’t want to go — my parents insisted. At twenty, I left my family in Ukraine during the war and became fully responsible for myself. I matured five years in six months. Without my friends, those first months would have been incredibly difficult.”

Even while living in Paris, Maryna stays deeply connected to home. She supports initiatives that help Ukrainian teenagers and finds ways to be useful — even from afar.

Her connection with Maria Todorchuk, the founder of Dobrodiy Club, began in 2021, when Maryna volunteered for a social project led by Andriy Fedoriv.

“I was nineteen and just starting out. I worked hard, and Maria noticed that. She believed in me and gave me a chance — that’s how I started as an SMM manager at the Daryna Zholdak Foundation,” — Maryna recalls.

After the full-scale invasion began, that project was put on hold. Maria then brought the Dobrodiy Club team together to focus on helping children and teenagers affected by the war.

“While studying in Paris, I stayed in touch with Maria and occasionally helped the foundation as a volunteer. When I came back to Ukraine for a few weeks, I asked to officially join the team — I deeply connected with their mission and approach.”

In 2023, she officially became part of Dobrodiy Club as a Communications Manager.

Among all the projects she’s been involved in, her favorite remains Place of Power:

“It seemed almost impossible — opening a safe space for teenagers in Kyiv during the war. We worked non-stop, and once you see how this space changes kids’ lives, you realize — it’s worth every effort!”

This year, Maryna also took part in several large-scale initiatives, including a partnership with Ensemble Ukraine.

“I was responsible for the communications side from Dobrodiy Club during a charity concert in Brussels. Thanks to this powerful collaboration with Ensemble Ukraine, we raised significant funds that turned into therapeutic and recovery programs for teenagers,” — she explains.

Living between Ukraine and Europe has given her a special sense of contrast.

“War in Ukraine is a daily reality, while in Europe it’s more like background noise — a headline you can close. That’s why it’s so important to explain, to show, to talk. I believe it’s the mission of every Ukrainian abroad.”

She admits that running charity projects abroad can be tough — low awareness, emotional distance, and a lack of empathy often make engagement difficult. Yet she continues, because she clearly sees her purpose: to help teenagers and ensure they have the chance for healing and a happy future.

Maryna remembers her own teenage years calmly — without rebellion, but with a strong national awareness shaped by the Maidan, the war in Donbas, and the annexation of Crimea:

“I had the support of my parents and friends — and that gave me confidence that I’d be okay. Many modern teenagers lack just that — a sense of inner support.”

Her personal experience only strengthens her belief that the support you receive as a teenager shapes your entire future.

“Teenagers are our future. In ten years, they will be the ones teaching, healing, and leading this country. That’s why it’s crucial they enter adulthood confident and brave,” — Maryna concludes.