From bridal salons to children’s dresses: the story of a seamstress who didn’t give up and found a new creative path

Anna Havrenko has been an entrepreneur since 2001. She loved sewing from a young age, and her mother often said, “Anna, sew — you can make a living from it.” Gradually, Anna began creating small items such as sundresses, dresses, and shirts.

Later, she started working in a bridal salon, where she quickly developed a passion for the work. Eventually, she opened her own salon, taking orders and making wedding dresses. Over time, she expanded further, opening additional salons in Siverskodonetsk and Lysychansk. By then, other seamstresses were assisting her, as she could no longer manage everything on her own.

When the war began, Anna was forced to relocate to Kyiv. There, she continued her entrepreneurial work and began expanding once again, even though she had to buy all her equipment from scratch. When applying for a grant, Anna aimed to broaden her size range. Previously, she had made dresses for girls up to seven years old, then up to ten, and now, thanks to the grant, she plans to extend the range to twelve.

Anna speaks warmly about the Reboot programme and its sponsors:

“Money is important, of course, but this kind of support is truly invaluable.”

Today, she creates festive and elegant dresses for girls — dresses that make them look as if they have stepped out of a fairytale and let them bring a little magic to those around them.

Programmes like this help people regain resources, confidence, and even the strength to share warmth and joy with others. The Reboot programme is implemented in Kyiv by the Ukrainian Red Cross in cooperation with the Spanish Red Cross.