On July 1, 2024, the Ukrainian School of Elites signed a Memorandum of Partnership with the GoFriends NGO (GoFriends IT Academy), which provides IT education to orphaned children and implements rehabilitation and development programs for internally displaced persons, veterans and their families, and vulnerable groups.
The organization is based in Western Ukraine, in the city of Stryi. Near the town of Morshyn, the community has come together to establish a farm.
People who lost their homes due to Russian aggression are not sitting idle. Everyone works on the farm, growing vegetables, caring for livestock, and building social housing. The GoFriends community has also organized ponds for fish farming and created a small beach in one of them for swimming.
Thanks to the hard work and proactivity of its founders and participants, the organization not only “feeds itself” but also sends its harvest to other centers supporting refugees.
Yevhen Moiseiev, who himself grew up in an orphanage, later established a small IT company as an adult. Having achieved success, he wanted to help other orphans with a desire to grow, pursue IT careers, and become financially independent and responsible citizens.
This led to the creation of an IT academy, GoFriends NGO.
The “friends” initially set up operations in Kyiv near the Zhytomyrska metro station. The academy’s first graduates (a group of 20+ students) successfully found jobs and supported other orphans. The path to scaling and growth lay ahead.
However, in February 2022 — at the very beginning of the Russian occupation of the Kyiv region — GoFriends, which housed orphans living, studying, and receiving meals at the academy, had to leave the capital saving their lives.
The organization relocated to Western Ukraine. Since then, the IT training school has transformed into a rehabilitation center, encompassing education, farming, and care for internally displaced persons (IDPs) and all in need of rehabilitation.
In partnership with charitable organizations and volunteers, GoFriends remains committed to supporting those in need, including IDPs who lost their homes, elderly individuals, and people with disabilities affected by the war.
During Russia’s aggression, the center has also provided a space for veterans and their families, offering them psychological and physical rehabilitation.
While caring for those in need, the organization continues to build a generation of capable, self-sufficient individuals who are ready to extend a helping hand to others.
Recently, in the city of Stryi, GoFriends revived the GoFriends IT Academy, where they teach orphans and other interested individuals programming, digital design, and other modern skills (such as digital marketing) to help them transition into independent adult life and become financially independent, responsible members of society.
The GoFriends NGO caught our attention with their dedication to serving people and their ability to step beyond comfort zones. Our memorandum with GoFriends outlines collaboration in the fields of psychophysical rehabilitation and IT education.
The Ukrainian School of Elites (UASE) focuses on values-based integral leadership formation, psychological training, and innovations such as EdTech and new approaches to management (Agile, Management 3.0, Scrum, etc.) We address ethical standards, poverty reduction, carrer growth opportunities for youth, quality education, society formation, and public dialogue between businesses, the church, government, and professional community.
The most immediate challenge is Russia’s ongoing aggression, starting with the 2014 invasion and full-scale war in 2022. The conflict has displaced millions, created orphans, and left countless families and communities in need of psychological support. UASE focuses on helping veterans, their families, volunteers, and internally displaced people by providing mental, social, and similar support.
A second significant issue is redefining the idea of leadership in Ukraine. Historically, Soviet influence suppressed independent thought and private enterprise. Leaders were not seen as morally driven but as corrupt. Today, UASE aims to cultivate leaders with integrity, reliability, and a commitment to ethical standards. This new definition of “elite” places emphasis on moral character and competence rather than wealth or possessions.
Continuing to transform our socity is crucial because Soviet ideology left a legacy of corruption that has slowed Ukraine’s progress. After the USSR collapsed, the country saw a rise in organized crime that seeped into the government. By promoting a model of ethical, values-based leadership, Ukrainian School of Elites seeks to steer Ukraine away from these negative influences.
UASE recognizes that civil society in Ukraine has deep roots, despite decades of repression. From the spiritual revival in the 1990s (Christianity was officially accepted as a state religion in 988 A.C. in Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine, but in the XX century it was persecuted by the Soviet regime) to mass movements like the Orange Revolution and Euromaidan, Ukrainians have consistently pushed for freedom and justice. Thus, we believe in the need to foster our spiritual heritage as a foundation for healthy society, and support positive societal transformations.
Ukraine’s education system faces unprecedented challenges. The Soviet-era structure, compounded by the COVID-19 pandemic and now the war, has led to a drop in quality. Many teachers lack the tools and training for effective online and remote learning, especially for teaching Ukrainian as a official state language. We address this issue by developing accessible educational resources and training programs to support teachers and students nationwide. Additionally, we emphasizes the importance of digital literacy and modern approaches (Agile, Management 3.0, Scrum) to doing business.
The Ukrainian School of Elites is dedicated to tackle some of Ukraine’s most pressing issues:
Through such initiatives, the Ukrainian School of Elites seeks to help Ukraine rebuild and thrive with a foundation of integrity, resilience, and community-driven growth.
On February 16, 2018, leaders of the NGO Ukrainian School of Elites — Anzhela Danelian and Olena Polkhovska — joined a charitable initiative to support children with special needs who required transportation to access the rehabilitation center.
To believe in kindness, one must start by doing good! We are proud to announce that today, February 16, 2018, the keys to a bus for the Strong in Spirit Foundation were handed over!
This celebration was made possible thanks to the compassion and efforts of many individuals who took part in organizing and supporting two charity auctions, “Gift a Child a Fairy Tale.” The result is a newly purchased minibus that will enable children facing serious illnesses to reach the “Fairy Tale World” rehabilitation center on their own magical bus.
Our heartfelt gratitude goes to the organizers and all auction participants: the Kyiv Museum of History, Tetiana Kostenko, Anzhela Danelian, Olena Polkhovska, Varvara Sukhenko, Lesya Kornichenko, Rivil Kofman, Valentina Dzyganskaya, Svitlana Bondarenko, Irina Serbin, Iryna Baranovska, Alla Sokol, Serhii Husovskyi, Sergii Ovsiienko, Vasyl Koldra, Oleksii Polkhovskyi, Petro Suslensky, Sergii Kharchuk, Yevhen Vytochkin, and Mykola Zinchenko.
Special thanks to the artists whose works were sold at the auction: Albert Feldman, Volodymyr Podlevsky, Volodymyr Mykytenko, Matviy Vaisberg, Vladyslav Shereshevsky, Konstantin Kalynovych, Nataliia Roi, Roman Minin, Igor Abramovych, Vadim Bondero, Andrey Tsoy, Lika Spivakovska, Konstantin Kozemyaka, Olena Priduvialova, Misha Sydorenko, Tetiana Korol, Petro Smetana, Alla Alekseeva, Dina Rozen, Yura Shapoval, Vartan Markarian, and Liza Repko.
None of this would have been possible without your participation.
May your kindness and generosity return to you a hundredfold!
On November 16-18, 2018, the NGO Ukrainian School of Elites, represented by its director, Olena Polkhovska, joined a charitable initiative in partnership with the Museum of Kyiv, directed by Tetiana Kosenko, and the Strong in Spirit International Charity Foundation, which has rehabilitated over 1,700 children thanks to the inspiration of its founder, Rivil Kofman — the charity auction “Gift a Child a Fairy Tale.”
The event’s goal is to provide children with special needs with a vehicle to enable them to visit the rehabilitation center.
As announced by Tetiana Kosenko, Director of the Kyiv Museum, as of November 20, 2018, the following artists’ works were purchased during the exhibition for the Second Charity Auction “Gift a Child a Fairy Tale”:
The Kyiv Museum, the Strong in Spirit International Charity Foundation, and the NGO Ukrainian School of Elites extend their gratitude to each artist, buyer, and donor. Special thanks to the exceptional host, Yevhen Vytochkin! The organizers also expressed particular appreciation to the board of the NGO Ukrainian School of Elites — Anzhela Danelian and Olena Polkhovska — for their support.
On September 20, 2017, Olena Polkhovska, Director of the NGO Ukrainian School of Elites, joined the planning of a charity auction aimed at providing the children of the Strong in Spirit International Charity Foundation with a vehicle for visits to the rehabilitation center.
The initiative was inspired by Rivil Kofman, founder of Strong in Spirit, and was supported by members of the Ukrainian School of Elites, Tetiana Kosenko, Director of the Museum of Kyiv History, along with other patrons and volunteers.
The event is scheduled to take place in November 2017.
On April 21-22, 2017, the First Charity Auction “Give a Child a Fairy Tale” took place, co-organized by the NGO Ukrainian School of Elites, represented by its director, Olena Polkhovska.
The Museum and Exhibition Center “Museum of Kyiv History,” in collaboration with the NGO Ukrainian School of Elites, held the Charity Auction “Gift a Child a Fairy Tale.”
“A timely told fairy tale for a child means as much as a therapy session for an adult. The difference is that a child isn’t required to voice conclusions or analyze what’s happening to them; the work takes place on an internal, subconscious level.”
— Rivil Kofman
The main goal of the Auction is to raise funds to purchase a minibus for transporting children with cancer from hospital departments to the “Fairy Tale World” Rehabilitation Center, which operates under the international charity foundation “Strong in Spirit.”
The Auction items include works by renowned Ukrainian and international artists. The Strong in Spirit Foundation, for which the Auction is held, focuses on the rehabilitation of children with cancer, HIV, and multiple sclerosis.
The foundation’s founder, Rivil Kofman (awarded “Pride of the Country” in 2006), is a mother of four and a qualified psychologist. Rivil overcame her own “incurable disease” and now helps children in their fight against cancer.
Rivil works with children using fairy tale therapy and art therapy — creative modeling through imagination. These methods don’t replace traditional treatment but create a positive environment that aids a child’s recovery. Rivil has been practicing these techniques for over 15 years and believes that without a positive mindset and faith, overcoming illness is much harder.
For children in need of rehabilitation, Rivil (known to everyone as “the Fairy”) created the “Fairy Tale World” — a children’s center with themed rooms located at 25 Observatory Street in Kyiv. Children from all oncology departments in Kyiv come to visit, enjoying the chance to leave the hospital and, if only for a while, forget about their illness.
The Foundation currently needs a minibus for comfortable transportation of these children. At present, trips to the center are made by taxi, but the nature of the illness and the condition of the children require specially equipped transportation.
“Strong in Spirit” brings fairy tales, positivity, and faith in the best, helping children return to life!
On December 8-9, 2016, Director of the Ukrainian School of Elites Olena Polkhovska presented “Fit for Partnership with Germany” program at the International Business Forum “Odessa.Info.Biz – 2016” as part of a partnership with the German organization for international cooperation and development, GIZ.
As the coordinator of the Ukrainian Partnership Platform GIZ “The Bright Side of Ukraine” — an official partner of the GIZ project under the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy’s Managers Training Programme, Germany-Ukraine: “Fit for Partnership with Germany,” Olena Polkhovska participated as an expert at the event.
Olena Polkhovska introduced the GIZ project “Fit for Partnership with Germany” to 250 forum participants from 15 regions of Ukraine and 9 countries, highlighting it as an effective tool for Ukrainian manufacturers to enter the European market (specifically Germany) and presented the Ukrainian Partnership Platform GIZ as a modern platform for establishing international business connections.
During the “Business and Entrepreneurship” discussion, she outlined the program’s goals, objectives, structure, target groups, internship formats, participation conditions, candidate requirements, application procedures, and the benefits of joining the program. She also shared success stories of program alumni to illustrate the advantages participants can gain.
The “Fit for Partnership with Germany” program attracted significant interest among representatives of business associations and small and medium-sized enterprises from the Odessa region. Following the presentation, numerous business contacts were established with company leaders, and efforts are ongoing to develop international business partnerships between Ukraine, Germany, and other countries based on the GIZ initiative.
On April 26, 2016, The Ukrainian School of Elites co-organized the Partner Platform Conference “Fit for WIN-WIN Partnership,” initiated by GIZ.
GIZ (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit) — the German Corporation for International Cooperation, founded on January 1, 2011, in Bonn, Germany.
It is a non-profit organization that provides services in the field of international development cooperation. It operates under the mandate of several German ministries (such as the Ministry of Finance), the European Union, as well as the governments of the United Kingdom and Switzerland.
Today, GIZ is one of the largest development agencies in the world. In 2018, it employed over 20,000 staff across 120 countries, with a portfolio exceeding 2.4 billion euros.
In Ukraine, GIZ has been active since 2009, supporting positive reforms and providing assistance to regions with internally displaced persons, as well as innovative projects (for example, the “ProZorro” electronic public procurement system).
и особами та інноваційні проєкти (наприклад, електронну систему публічних закупівель “ProZorro”).
GIZ has approx. 20,000 employees across 120 countries.
— Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit —
Its portfolio exceeds 2.4 billion euros.
In 2015, the GIZ project “Fit for Partnership with Germany” introduced a new tool to activate post-program collaboration among program alumni—open partnership platforms.
The aim of these partnership platforms is to foster the development of Ukrainian-German and other international cooperative relations, support ongoing professional development for alumni, and facilitate the planning and implementation of joint business, educational, and social projects.
Currently, regional partnership platforms for the GIZ “Fit for Partnership with Germany” project have been established in 5 cities across Ukraine, with the process underway in 9 additional cities.
On April 26, 2016, a working meeting of program alumni took place in Kyiv, focusing on establishing the Kyiv Partnership Platform as the core of the Ukrainian Partnership Platform for the GIZ project “Fit for Partnership with Germany.”
Ukrainian School of Elites co-organized the event, and its director, Olena Polkhovska, served as a speaker at one of the program’s meetings.
The conference was held in a roundtable format: “Open Partnership Platforms of the GIZ Project ‘Fit for Partnership with Germany’: Philosophy, Principles, Prospects.” The agenda covered the following topics:
The working meeting included the participation of: