In 2021, inspired and full of hope, the young startup founder opens her project. It was a time of dreams and ambitions, when everything seemed possible. However, the beginning of the war in Ukraine becomes a test for her dreams. Forced to emigrate, she finds herself in Valencia, where, despite the lack of finances and the suspension of work on the startup, she does not lose her passion and motivation. She faced challenges that put her startup in jeopardy.
OKTOWN is an e-commerce platform that optimizes volunteering opportunities in Ukraine, enhancing engagement and cultural exchange. The platform allows travelers to immerse themselves in Ukrainian culture through volunteering, giving locals the opportunity to showcase their traditions and cultural heritage.
In this difficult time, she decides to do something unusual - exchange her business card for a job or an object that could inspire her to work further.
Announcing the rules of the "OKTOWN Challenge," she invites others to join the exchange, promising to exchange the item for something equally or more interesting and meaningful in value.
Exchange wishes can be sent in private messages to her page: https://www.instagram.com/kasianolena/.
At one of the meetings of the Ukrainian community in Valencia, with which people gather for rallies in support of Ukraine, Olena meets Inna here. First, she trades her business card for a packet of cookies. This small gesture becomes a symbol of hope and the opportunity for a new beginning.
Deciding to continue the exchange, she announces on social media that she wants to exchange the cookies for something else of equal or greater value. After that, she meets Pavel Bekezin, a Ukrainian producer, who trades cookies for a Ukrainian magnet, a symbol of Ukrainian people's resilience and victory. This magnet carries the hope that the next person who receives it will also find inspiration from it. To familiarize yourself with the works of Pavel Bekezin, visit his YouTube channel: https://youtube.com/@paulbekezin?si=LnKQDBSwhs_RSibB.
As an experienced media producer, Pavlo Bekezin has an impressive background in media and entertainment. He was the head of the organizational and mass work sector in the youth and sports department of the Bila Tserkva city council, where he was responsible for large-scale sports events.
However, his creativity and experience are not limited to sports. He worked as a creative director, director and producer on a freelance basis, where he was involved in the development and implementation of various projects. Among his main projects are Ivan Dorn's music video "Master's Flame", which has more than 500,000 views on YouTube, as well as the development and implementation of a virtual election campaign for the mayor of Kyiv by Garik Korogodskyi, which was awarded for the best viral digital campaign.
Pavlo also worked on video support at the Courage Bazaar festival, helping to increase the audience from 5 to 80 thousand visitors, and was involved in a TV commercial for Nadra Ukraine, which reached almost 8 million viewers. His experience in media and advertising demonstrates not only creativity, but also the ability to achieve impressive results.
But the story does not end there...
OKTOWN is also launching a GoFundMe fundraising campaign to support its startup OKTOWN. You can get involved and support this initiative by visiting the FUNDRAISING PAGE. Her startup becomes not just a business, but a mission and aspiration for the revival and development of Ukrainian culture and tourism.
This story is a testament to how willpower, creativity and community support can help you survive the most difficult times and find a path to recovery and success. So, every exchange, every lot in this trip is not only a subject of exchange, but also about a contribution to the development of small and medium-sized tourism business in Ukraine and the spread of Ukrainian culture and cultural heritage abroad - the revival and prosperity of Ukraine with OKTOWN.
Each exchange within the framework of the OKTOWN project is not just an exchange of objects, it is an exchange of ideas, experiences and opportunities. It demonstrates how small steps, such as exchanging a cookie for a magnet, can lead to big changes and meaningful connections that support the development of Ukrainian culture and business.
