Kate Nikitina: from administrator to project manager. And this is just the beginning.

When our Kate moved to Dnipro from Sloviansk, she was not planning a career change. She was looking for a safer place to live. Dnipro was the closest point to home that her family could afford.

“I didn’t want to lose contact with home completely. Dnipro was the closest option, both geographically and emotionally.”

Adaptation was not easy. A new city, new routes, no friends. She admits that in the first months she could even get lost. Over time, everything levelled out, and she developed a habit and familiar faces. And then Rise happened.

Kate joined the Fund as a HUB administrator. It was her first experience in the charitable sector. “At first, there were a lot of misunderstandings – about what goes where and how. But the team was very friendly and supportive. The atmosphere decides a lot. And it was right for me here.”

For her, the role of administrator was about more than organising processes. “I wanted to create a friendly atmosphere in the HUB. To make people feel comfortable. To make them feel welcome.”

Over time, she realised that she could do more. “I realised that I wanted and could give more. I wanted to contribute more to the development of the fund and Ukraine. And to acquire new skills for myself.”

She just worked. She took responsibility. She got involved. She was learning. And gradually grew to the position of project manager.

Were there any doubts? There are still some now.
“New projects mean new mistakes. And it’s difficult. But I always tell myself: it’s better to make mistakes than to do nothing. If I was appointed to this position, it means that people believe in me.”

Her first big project was VERTEP, which was emotional, large-scale, and her first real challenge. Now it’s Rise for Communities, a completely new story with different levels of responsibility. ‘I realised one thing about myself – I can do anything if I want to.’

Kate also talks about the team.
And here her voice becomes especially warm. “I would like to call the team like a family. Everyone is ready to help and support. I felt this especially after shelling impact near my house when the windows were smashed. The team immediately started looking for ways to help me. At such moments, you realise that you are not alone.”

She describes her journey at the fund in three words: success, innovation and challenges.

We would add one more – growth.

Kate’s story is about opportunities. It’s about how you can grow from an administrator to a project manager. It’s about how your efforts are noticed, trusted, and given a chance. And that sometimes a new city becomes a place not only for living, but also for a professional start.

Rise is a place where opportunities are given. And then it’s up to you 💙💛