Entrepreneur Grows Strawberry Business Through FemAgro

While working a demanding office job for an online clothing retailer, Ukrainian entrepreneur Olha Chertkova spent her free time cultivating vegetables and berries on her small family farm. As workplace stress mounted, eventually leading to severe burnout and panic attacks, she made the life-changing decision to leave her corporate career behind and devote herself to farming full time.

"Working on the ground is physically demanding, but being outdoors and caring for plants became my therapy," Olha says.

Today, Olha runs a growing strawberry business in Ukraine's Myrhorod region, supplying fresh berries and seedlings to local markets. With support from the Women’s Opportunity Fund of Ukraine’s FemAgro program, she purchased a professional greenhouse that has expanded her production and helped protect her crops from unpredictable weather. She now plans to add a second greenhouse while continuing to create seasonal jobs for women in nearby villages and champion sustainable farming practices.