The 1st edition of the Intercultural Academy of Women's Initiatives has concluded. Remarkable women with migration experiences participated in it – creating, designing, cooking delightful things, and running their own businesses. Let's get to know them better!
Different stories, cultures, passions, and dreams. What connects them is their migration experience, talent, and determination to do what they love, as well as their participation in our Academy. Some of them are just starting, while others have already developed their brands and are thriving.
Natalia Chehlova
Natalia comes from Kharkiv, Ukraine. She moved to Warsaw after the war began. She is a designer who creates original women’s clothing and intricate accessories, all showcasing great imagination! Some of her designs can be described as haute couture. Natalia’s latest works, presented as part of Sustainable Fashion Design, deserve special recognition. However, if the runway style isn’t for you, don’t worry – Natalia offers a wide variety of cuts. As she says, she doesn’t limit herself to one theme, and this is what truly sets her apart!
“I started dreaming of becoming a designer in childhood, when I used to sew for my dolls. After studying design and working for several companies, I decided I wanted to create my own pieces. Fashion is my passion; I feel at home in this industry – it inspires me. Creating my own designs allows me to express myself and bring a little happiness to women.”
Be sure to check out Natalia’s brooches, chokers, scarves, collars, bags, and her limited clothing collections, including upcycled pieces. Her brand is called Chehlova
See more: @chehlova_natalia
Contact: +48 725 335 877, chehlovafashion@gmail.com
Irina Kurilovich
Irina came to Warsaw from Minsk in 2022. She spent many years embroidering in Belarus and plans to continue her passion. She creates stunning quilted vests, embroidered cuffs, towels, phone bags, and denim wallets. Her designs are impressive, and not just to us! Irina embroiders by hand and is also a professional computer embroidery designer. Her ability to embellish various items with colorful threads demonstrates how art can not only bring joy, but also serve as a tool for self-expression. She dreams of seeing more traditional embroidery on the streets of Polish cities, as she notes that it’s almost absent today.
“Embroidery has never gone out of fashion. By blending different techniques, you can achieve amazing effects – transforming ordinary things into something extraordinary and eye-catching. Embroidery can highlight both fragility and romance, as well as grandeur and strength. It can be applied to anything: from wedding and evening dresses to suits, jeans, and T-shirts, as well as cards, souvenirs, and interior decor. You can embroider anything. The only limit is our imagination.”
What Irina enjoys most is the creative process – how an idea grows from a feeling and then takes shape as a beautiful piece. She loves watching her work gradually evolve into its intended form.
See more: @irinakurilovichstream
Contact: +48 452 763 935
Lina Siltan
HELLO = ሰላም (selam)
Lina comes from Ethiopia and has been living in Poland since 2003. Her designs are truly remarkable! She sews using Ethiopian fabrics with Polish folk patterns, and she prepares and dyes some of the materials herself. Her fascination with fashion and her love for textiles started in childhood, a passion she inherited from her grandmother, who is a weaver.
“When I was little, I watched my grandmother weave traditional clothes. I also studied textile engineering and later pursued fashion studies. I dream of opening my own company – a textile finishing and fashion design institute – and expanding my brand worldwide.”
Interestingly, Lina noticed that Polish and Ethiopian patterns on traditional clothing are very similar, which inspired her latest collection. She says she does this to strengthen Ethiopian-Polish relations. All the materials she uses are made by Ethiopian weavers, which is truly special!
See more: @linawear_official
Contact: +48 503 625 905
Natalia Dasko
Natalia came to Poland from Belarus earlier this year. She runs her own brand, Lokonkokon, and sews timeless vintage-style clothing made from natural fabrics, primarily linen. The hallmarks of her designs are puffed sleeves, hand-embroidered collars, ruffles, and delicate colors. It’s also worth mentioning that she creates everything in an eco-friendly way.
“I’ve always been interested in ethical fashion. At first, I made shopping bags and cosmetic pouches from old fabrics I found in my grandmother’s wardrobe. Later, I began sewing clothes for myself using natural fabrics. After a while, friends started ordering designs from me because they liked what I was making. Eventually, I began promoting my linen products on social media. Linen is the best choice for the environment – it grows in Belarus and is processed and made into fabric locally. I really liked the idea of a complete production cycle in one place. Additionally, linen fabric is certified as eco-friendly in Europe, it’s hypoallergenic, and contains no synthetic fibers.”
Natalia doesn’t chase trends. She focuses on high quality and timelessness. Her Etsy shop has already received 522 five-star reviews! We highly recommend visiting this unique place.
See more: @lokonkokon
Nargiza Usenalieva
Nargiza comes from Kyrgyzstan and has been living in Poland with her mother and younger sister for over five years. During the pandemic, when they lost their jobs, they came up with the idea of sewing bags. At first, it was just a hobby, but when they made bags for an auction organized by CHLEBEM I SOLĄ, they started receiving orders. This led them to create a home-based workshop under the name Zhanat Bags. The name ZHANAT is a combination of the first letters of the family members’ names.
“Sewing bags, backpacks, and fanny packs, and running our brand together with my mom is what I’m most passionate about right now, and it takes up most of my time. I enjoy what I do – it brings me joy, but I’m also constantly learning new things.”
What makes Zhanat bags unique is the personalized approach to each customer – clients can choose any color or pattern they like. The products are carefully crafted and multifunctional! And they are made to last (several people from our team can confirm this:).
See more: @zhanatbags
Contact: +48 572 674 550
Nadia Fil
Nadia comes from Ukraine and moved to Poland in 2017. She worked for many years as a seamstress and designer of clothing and home textiles. Four years ago, she began painting on glass as a hobby. She also wanted to try creating ceramic items but thought it would be too difficult. However, fate had other plans, and ceramics became her calling, now firmly part of her professional life.
“One and a half years ago, I made a radical career change: I became a job trainer at a Vocational Activation Facility for people on the autism spectrum. A month later, a position opened up in the ceramics workshop, and without much thought, I decided to take on the challenge! I started my journey with ceramics from scratch and quickly fell in love with it.”
Nadia creates handmade ceramics, including platters, decorative plates, coasters for mugs, incense holders, and jewelry. She also runs glass painting workshops, sharing her experience, knowledge, and inspiring others to develop their creativity. Her greatest dream is to have her own studio, where various art workshops – mainly ceramics but also sewing – would take place.
See more: @arty_party_pracownia
Contact: +48 796 664 065, nadiiafil76@gmail.com
Aksana Zaitsava
Aksana is from Belarus. She is a stylist. She helps women choose clothing that enhances their natural beauty, improves their well-being, and boosts their self-confidence, allowing them to discover potential they may not even be aware of.
See more: @aksana_stylist
Contact: ak.zaitsava@gmail.com
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Fatima Ahmadi
Fatima comes from Afghanistan and has been living in Poland since 2021. She prepares traditional Afghan dishes, often with a modern twist, including plant-based versions. She is interested in healthy cuisine and strives to meet various dietary requirements in her cooking. She dreams of opening a snack bar featuring Middle Eastern dishes, with a particular focus on Afghan cuisine.
“Ever since I moved to Poland, I’ve always dreamed of having my own small business. I cooked for my friends and acquaintances, and everyone loved the taste of Afghan cuisine. I wanted to create a small place where I could serve my own dishes.”
Cooking is something Fatima truly loves, and she sees food as an essential part of culture. She enjoys bringing joy to others through her dishes.
See more: @kuchnia_afganska
Contact: +48 507 835 273, kuchnia.afganska@gmail.com
Gulbarg Sayfova
Gulbarg comes from Tajikistan and has been living in Poland for the past nine years. She cooks and bakes incredible Tajik cuisine, both sweet and savory. Her baked goods are not only a delight to the taste but also visually stunning!
“When I lived in a refugee center, I missed homemade bread so much – the kind my mother and I used to bake in a tandoor oven.”
Gulbarg’s dream is to open her own bakery featuring Tajik baked goods, which she plans to name New Taste (Nowy Smak). She also wants to involve other women in her project, so they can bake and cook together.
If you are planning an event and need catering, feel free to contact Gulbarg, who will prepare homemade Tajik baked goods and dishes for you.
Contact: +48 729 270 034, sayfovag@gmail.com
Dina Khalil
Dina comes from Egypt and has been living in Poland since 2018. Last year, she began creating Arabic prints on mugs, hats, and clothing. She can also create custom prints in other languages or designs with photos.
“I design in my native language, Arabic, whose letters fascinate many people. They look interesting and unique. I love my work, and it makes me feel fulfilled.”
See more: @dinaprintstudio2024
Contact: 729 388 579 WhatsApp
Olena Aleksieieva
Olena is originally from Ukraine but has been living in Poland since 2007. She holds a degree in philology and has completed several psychology courses for parents and teachers. She has written various articles on bilingualism (she has been bilingual since birth) and participated in international seminars on teaching bilingual children.
In 2018, she opened a Saturday school for multilingual children, called BrainBoost, to bring her accumulated experience in one place. The school offers classes in four languages (Russian, English, Polish, and Ukrainian), language courses for both children and adults (Polish and English), preparation courses for the 8th-grade exams and high school final exams, as well as language day camps.
“Today’s school system is outdated – both in its format and content. What’s needed is a new structure, new knowledge, and most importantly, skills that lie at the intersection of various fields. This is how modern children function. It’s both their strength and their weakness. That’s why I decided to create a Saturday school that fills the gaps present in the current education system and leverages all the benefits of bilingualism.”
At BrainBoost, language learning is combined with the development of various competencies. Four “butterfly wings” – learning techniques, ART, languages and reading, and emotional intelligence – help children stay uplifted. Creativity, critical thinking, communication, and cooperation, along with the “four-leaf clover,” bring them happiness!
The greatest inspiration for Olena in her daily work is the curiosity of children. She loves seeing the joy in their eyes when they discover something new, watching their potential grow, talking to them about everything, and listening to them share their thoughts and emotions.
See more: strona BrainBOOST
Contact: +48 883 400 042, info@brainboostschool.com
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Oleksandra Fediushkina
Oleksandra comes from Ukraine and moved to Poland after the war broke out. She is a multidisciplinary artist, curator, and cultural animator. The list of her activities is truly extensive, including artistic photography, painting, collage, illustration, embroidery, and collecting embroidered items, as well as creating clothes, styling, and organizing cultural and social events.
“In my art, I find joy, satisfaction, and peace. Creativity is my way of discovering both myself and the world. It’s my home and my refuge.”
From a young age, Oleksandra knew what she wanted to do. What she loves most about her work is the freedom and the opportunity to create.
See more: @alexandra_fediushkina
Contact: oleksandrafediushkina@gmail.com
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Mildred Urdaneta Barrera
Mildred came to Poland from Venezuela in 2018. She is a woman of many talents – a psychologist, a Spanish teacher, and a producer of natural creams. Her brand is called Maracaibo, and she works exclusively with natural ingredients tailored to the specific needs of her clients. She created her first cosmetic 11 years ago in Maracaibo, Venezuela, where she began her journey through Ayurvedic studies in tropical naturopathy.
“When you go to a store, you are offered similar, standardized products. By ordering from me, you can be sure that the products will regenerate your skin, enhance your beauty, and boost your energy.”
Mildred’s favorite aspect of her work is meeting new people, hearing their stories, and learning about the places they come from. She also discovers many healing possibilities through interactions with essential oils and plant oils.
See more: facebook
Contact: +48 797 428 567
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