Kvitka CIC helps Ukrainian, and not only, displaced women, young people and children in the UK with the tools to show strength within themselves through success and integration into society through training and employment in the UK and beyond.

Katerina Hayes, who has been living in Scotland for 14 years, started a social enterprise which will train and support refugees to establish themselves in the beauty industry.

Tony Birrell, Kieran Cannon and Katerina Hayes alongside programme attendee Tatiana Solodovnyk (Image: LR Comms)

Being of Ukrainian descent, the founders/directors of Kvitka CIC see and appreciate that the Scottish Government cares and devotes extra resources to facilitate the integration of Ukrainian refugees into the local community.

Part of this is achieved by establishing a host family, providing free accommodation and allowing Ukrainians to work and apply their skills for the benefit of their families as well as Scotland/ Great Britain as a country.

Kvitka CIC would like to support this movement and create the basis for a community project based on events, education and employment. This community project will be beneficial to both countries and beyond.

The beauty industry is growing and is a dynamic market. In the five years leading up to 2020, there has been a tremendous growth of 54% in the number of new hairdressing, hair and beauty businesses across the country. The manicure and beauty industry was one of the strongest in the UK before the Covid-19 pandemic, with the number of salons growing year on year.

Programme attendee Tatiana Solodovnyk alongside Katerina Hayes in the new salon (Image: LR Comms)

Despite growing demand, there is a problem in the beauty industry that needs to be addressed, and that is the sustainability of operations. Overall, the industry contributes immensely to the level of pollution in the environment.

Kvitka CIC aims to set a benchmark in the industry for sustainable practices and products, and to partner with local companies and communities that share the values of sustainability and clean zero, to ensure a transparent sustainable supply chain.  Kvitka CIC is working towards Bcorp and ISO14001 certification

Kvitka CIC is looking for partners, sponsors, investors and philanthropists to support the initial start-up and help replicate the sustainable model worldwide.

Currently they already have a functioning music and dance academy, a beauty academy, a Ukrainian school, an IT & Business youth club, a summer camp (in progress) and a business and skills centre.