Veronika Boloban, founder of the Kids Hub children’s centre and ILO grantee from Bila Tserkva, Ukraine has created a space where children feel comfortable, cosy and safe while their mothers can pursue their careers.
Veronika Boloban, founder and owner of Kids' Hub childcare facility in Bila Tserkva, Ukraine in 2024.
In 2024, through the ILO training and grant programme for women’s entrepreneurship in early childhood education, nine women opened family-type kindergartens and mini-kindergartens in Kyiv and Zhytomyr oblasts*, providing care for 132 children. This initiative has empowered women in business, expanded access to quality childcare services, and created around 40 jobs.
Veronika Boloban is one of the nine women who benefitted from ILO support. This is her story, in her own words.
“I have always dreamed of opening my own children’s centre. With my background in pedagogy and deep love for children, I felt that I could create a place where every child would feel special, be surrounded by care, develop holistically and be in harmony with nature. However, I hesitated to take this step for a long time.
Ironically, the right moment came when I was on maternity leave and my position was made redundant. Looking for a job that I could combine with caring for a small kid, I considered various options, including nanny work. One day, several friends sent me a link to a Facebook post about an ILO initiative to support the creation of home-based kindergartens for children of an early age. It felt like a sign! My friends convinced me this was an excellent opportunity to do something meaningful and much needed. After all, both private and public kindergartens in the city accept children from the age 2.5. But what about working mothers with younger children and no grandmothers nearby?
I applied, passed the competitive selection, and joined other participants in an intensive training course on entrepreneurship and setting up a home-based kindergarten.
The course explained many important issues clearly, from the legal requirements for starting and running a business to modern educational approaches. I now felt prepared to start my own business.
Fascinated by the Scandinavian approach to education, which focuses on fostering independence, creativity and love for nature, I aimed to create something similar: an open space filled with natural materials, where children spend 50 per cent of the time outdoors.
My business plan was among the five finalists and received $5,000 in funding. We spent it to cover the first months of rent, renovate the premises, and purchase furniture and sports equipment — everything needed to launch a children’s centre.
My mentors’ support was invaluable. I’m not sure if the project would have been possible without their help. This was my first attempt at running a business, and not everything went as smoothly as I had hoped. Challenges and setbacks arose at every step. But my mentors did more than just offer practical advice. They supported and reassured me that I could handle it and open a great children’s centre. their encouragement gave me strength and belief in myself.
We also received a one-year subscription to the Mr. Leader programme for early and preschool children, approved by the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine. This programme, which promotes leadership development, significantly eased our first year of operation.
Our Kids Hub centre celebrates its first anniversary in March 2025. We are located on the ground floor of a residential building and occupy a spacious 100-square-metre facility. Large, transparent windows flood the space with plenty of natural light and allow parents to see what is happening inside.
We have created a space where children feel comfortable, cosy, and safe. Our air raid shelter is located directly in the building.
© ILOAnother major advantage is the centre’s proximity to the main entrance of the “Oleksandria” Botanical Garden. We often spend time in the park, where children explore animals and plants. This close connection with nature is a cornerstone of our approach.
Our children’s centre is designed for eight children aged 1.5 years, and all spots are currently filled. Unfortunately, we cannot accept more children at this time. However, after regular hours from 8:00 to 17:00, the space hosts development groups for children of various ages, offering activities such as comprehensive development, school preparation, English, art studio, creative workshop and more. These programmes serve around 40 participants, including children of internally displaced persons and military personnel.
Another key activity is resource meetings for mothers, which are organised in two formats. The first, “mother + child”, allows children to play while their mothers engage in discussions or participate in creative activities, such as clay modelling, making New Year’s wreaths, oil painting, etc. The second format hosts professionals in different fields sharing their expertise in Social Media Marketing, photography, targeting, setting up Google Ads, and beauty.
Our space is open from 8:00 to 21:00 and offers weekend groups. This significantly eases parents’ lives, allowing them to choose a convenient schedule and leave their children for extra hours. We also provide flexibility for our employees whose children attend our centre.
In just six months of operation, we have achieved self-sufficiency and created six jobs, which is an excellent result for a start-up. Our team now includes two educators, one assistant educator and three teachers of development groups.
I am happy that I fulfilled my dream of owning a kindergarten and creating a thriving space. Demand for our centre exceeds our capacity, and we already have a waiting list. This encourages us to consider expanding."
When you have peace of mind, knowing your child is in a safe environment with excellent educators, well cared for and having a great time, you can focus on working for the benefit of Ukraine, earning a living and making this world a better place.
Anastasiia Riazhska, a working mother, user of the Kids Hub children’s centre, Bila Tserkva
High-quality and affordable childcare is essential for supporting working parents and promoting gender equality in the labour market. We are proud of our work and remain committed to expanding childcare services, empowering women to build their careers and start their own businesses. Kindergartens and alternative services must consider the needs of working mothers and fathers. We also strive to ensure that children grow and thrive in a nurturing environment, guided by qualified educators who have decent jobs.
Iryna Vintoniuk, National Coordinator of the ILO project “Enabling the participation of women in the labour market by expanding childcare services”
The children’s centre was opened as part of the ILO project “Enabling the participation of women in the labour market by expanding childcare services”. The initiative aims to support women’s entrepreneurship in childcare and preschool education in Ukraine.
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