PK Belarus Impact In Action: An Entrepreneur’s Story

Recently, the Project Kesher Belarus team helped Loudmila Udler, previously a stay-at-home mother and active Jewish community member, turn her artistic hobby of making “Matryoshka” Russian nesting dolls into a profitable business. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, her husband and oldest son were in Israel and got stuck there, while Loudmila was alone in St. Petersburg, Russia, with her two younger children. As the economic situation worsened, Loudmila applied to participate in PKB’s Women’s Leadership Training Program, which offered workshops on personal branding, public presentation, and business and self development. In her application, she shared that she created Matryoshka dolls for close friends, but lacked the confidence to sell them professionally. She was accepted into the program and, as the course progressed, the group provided Loudmila with the feedback, encouragement, and tools to turn her art hobby into a career. 

PKB Assistant Director Irina Fridman mentored and emotionally supported Loudmila through the process, and ultimately helped her get to the point where she was able to start receiving product orders. Loudmila not only began to support herself financially through the pandemic, but she now has four months of backorders! She brought in enough money to fly herself and her two young children to reunite her family in Israel. In the coming months, PKB will continue to help Loudmila create a social media presence for her business, and PK Israel will support her as she creates a home in Israel, and learns to comply with Israeli business laws.

Loudmila is grateful to PK for the inspiration and tools to propel her business forward. Though she only became involved with PK in the last year, she said that it has changed her life forever.