January 13, 2026
News
In the weeks before Christmas, Caritas Czech Republic visited Lviv. We also stopped by a shop called „Something Interesting“, which sells blown glass products typical of the town. Oleksandra works as the shop’s accountant. She moved to Lviv from Zaporizhzhia before the war began. She did not plan to settle down, but the conflict has extended her stay indefinitely. Thanks to support from Caritas Czech Republic, she attended two courses that helped her strengthen the company’s growth.
Photo: Oleksandra works as an accountant in the shop in Lviv
Easy beginnings in Lviv
Thirty-five-year-old Oleksandra spent most of her life in Zaporizhzhia, where she worked as an assistant to a financial director for twelve years. In 2019, she moved temporarily to western Ukraine. “I already had a relationship in Lviv, so it was not as stressful as for other people. I had a place to move to at the time,” explains Oleksandra, who understands that, compared to other immigrants, she was very fortunate in all circumstances. Moreover, she could speak Ukrainian, although Russian is common in Zaporizhzhia. That is also why she was able to find a job in Lviv so quickly.
Oleksandra had known the shop even before she got the job. “When I decided to come here, almost the same day, I saw they were advertising a vacancy for a sales manager,” says Oleksandra. However, after two weeks in the new job, she took over the accounting role. She manages all the merchandise, logs them into the system, and assigns prices.
Photo: The shop is called "Something Interesting"
A thriving shop in the heart of Lviv
The shop began selling glassware fourteen years ago. Today, it operates as a thriving business. Customers can purchase ceramics and porcelain products. They also sell jewellery and household accessories, including candles, mirrors, and sculptures. In the past, the shop was accompanied by a café. When the pandemic started in 2020, the shop’s website was launched. The website currently offers more than two thousand items for sale. The shop collaborates with artists from across Ukraine, employs twelve people, and has reopened its brick-and-mortar store in Lviv. As the company grows, Oleksandra has taken on more responsibilities.
I analyse how much we have earned, what we need to do to earn more, where we can reduce costs, and collect data so that our accounting department can submit reports,
says Oleksandra.
Photo: Customers can purchase glass, ceramics and porcelain products
Oleksandra attended courses thanks to Caritas
Over time, Oleksandra began to recognise gaps in her education.
I needed more knowledge to be able to control the contractor. Sometimes they made mistakes, which resulted in us paying fines. But it was difficult to argue with the contractors that it was their mistake, because no one on our team had the knowledge to prove it,
clarifies Oleksandra.
Photo: The shop is thriving and Oleksandra has more responsibilities
Therefore, Oleksandra, who had not completed higher education, decided to expand her knowledge. She applied to participate in a one-month course in accounting for sole proprietors and another in management accounting. Both courses were funded by Caritas Czech Republic. “Our shop operates as a sole proprietorship, so that was my main training. I needed this module at least to understand how to read the reports the contractor submits to state authorities,” says Oleksandra.
The second course lasted three months and fully developed Oleksandra’s accounting skills. “Before the course, I was missing some important points in my calculations, but now I have a better understanding, and I am restructuring my tables to clearly show management where the business is going,” adds Oleksandra.
Thanks to the initiative of Caritas Czech Republic, I completed training in two modules. My work has become more interesting and at the same time more challenging, as I am now more aware of the pitfalls of legislation and the proper way to operate. It has definitely been beneficial,
concludes Oleksandra.
Photo: In Ukraine, we help people gain new skills
Our activities in Ukraine
For the past two years, Caritas Czech Republic has been providing study grants to people affected by the war in Ukraine, enabling them to gain new skills. Thanks to this, refugees from eastern Ukraine are able to find new jobs and much-needed stability in the western part of the country.
Last year, we focused our work in Ukraine mainly on the health sector. We improved rehabilitation care in six hospitals near the front line in the Dnipropetrovsk region. We equipped the hospitals with high-tech equipment, including virtual reality, which facilitates people’s return to everyday life. We also helped establish a network of mental health centres.
Moreover, we provide tutoring lessons to children who have missed out on school due to the war. In winter, we supply solid fuel to families living near the front line, where infrastructure is damaged. For example, we helped young Evelina, whose family had to move from the city to the countryside. We delivered 3.2 tonnes of fuel briquettes to each yard.
We also support people in Ukraine through fundraising campaign Caritas for Ukraine. Thank you for helping with us.
