Anastasiya has opened up a cosy café in the city center. Now, she treats her visitors with homemade cakes.
Anastasiya Larkina always wanted to follow her family tradition and become a doctor. In Donetsk she got a degree in ophthalmology but wasn’t able to start her medical career in her home city due to the events in eastern Ukraine. After she moved, it was difficult for Anastasiya to get employed as a doctor, so she earned a living as a pastry cook, since she always has been interested in bakery. At first, she had some small private orders, but the UNHCR grant she got inspired her to take the matter more seriously. Her family supported Anastasiya and helped with repairs of the rented premises in order to open up a café in Kyiv. Even though, she hasn’t had any entrepreneurial experience before, her business is successful. Every day many people come to her place to enjoy homemade sweets. Anastasiya still remembers exactly what desert was ordered by the first client, who now like many more visitors, regularly comes to Anastasiya’s café.