I never planned to move to Canada. When Russia invaded Ukraine, two weeks later, my husband and I made the difficult decision that I would leave Ukraine with our three -year-old son while my husband stayed there.

At first, my son and I went to Poland.  Like many Ukrainian families, we were simply trying to find safety and figure out what to do next.  Later, I accidentally heard about Canada’s emergency authorization program for Ukrainians.

To be honest, Canada was never part of our plan. Before 2022, I had never even thought about moving here.  The reason we chose Canada was simple, it felt far away from everything that was happening and we wanted our son to have a happy childhood without constantly worrying about his safety.

Of course, I knew moving to Canada would not be easy. I didn’t have any savings.  Since the war had started, prices for everything had gone up almost overnight, and during the first two weeks, we had spent nearly all of our savings just trying to get to safety.  I didn’t speak English well, and I had no idea what my future would look like, but I believed I would find a way.  The most important thing was that our son would be safe.

So, I decided to go.  A wonderful organization in Montreal helped us with plane tickets, and I will always be grateful for that support.  Homestead Company said yes to us, and provided 3 months of free rent!  What surprised me the most was how many people helped us, even though they had never met us before.

When I arrived in Canada, I had about $100 in my pocket and a 3 years old son depending on me.  Honestly, I had no idea what I was going to do next.

At that time, my son was only three and a half years old and working a full-time job wasn’t an option for me.

I found a part-time job as a waitress, and I was grateful for it, but it wasn’t enough to cover all of our expenses. Sometimes I had to bring my son with me to work. He would sit nearby or run around the restaurant while I worked.  It was crazy!  Thankfully, the restaurant owners understood my situation and supported me. They never made me feel unwelcome, and they were kind to both me and my son.  I will always be grateful for their understanding because that job helped us pay at least some of bills and put food on the table during a very difficult time.

But I knew I had to find a way to build something more stable.

Dance had always been a big part of my life. By that time, I had been dancing for more than 14 years and teaching women for over 10 years in Ukraine.  It was the one thing I knew well and the one thing I felt confident doing.  My English was very limited. I didn’t know anyone in Canada, but I decided to try.

Honestly, I was very scared.

I was under enormous emotional pressure every day. I had a small son to take care of, I couldn’t afford my rent, and I didn’t even know if my husband was alive because we had no way to communicate. I woke up with anxiety every morning and went to sleep with anxiety every night.

I had spent my whole life dancing, and teaching women to dance was what I knew best, so I decided to try opening my first dance class.  Not only because I needed to earn more money, but because I desperately needed something that would help me get through those days. I wanted at least one hour where I could dress up, be around other women, and do something that brought me joy.

At my first class, two women showed up.

I still remember how supportive they were. They encouraged me, gave me confidence and kept telling me to continue because they loved the classes.

In the first month, there were only two women in the group, but little by little, more women started joining. After three months, I had a full group of 20 women.  Four months later, I was running two full groups.

My English was still very poor.  I only knew basic words, and sometimes I felt embarrassed that people were paying me to teach them dance when I could not even explain the movements properly, but then something unexpected happened.

Women started sending me messages telling me how much the classes were helping them through difficult periods in their lives. They told me the classes had become their support system, their safe space, and often the best one or two hours of their entire week.

That was when I realized that these classes were no longer helping only me…they were helping other women.

What started as a few dance classes slowly became something much bigger, it became Ladies Space.

Today, Ladies Space is a place where women come to reconnect with themselves and find support during tough times.

Many women joined Ladies Space while going through divorce, immigration, loneliness, burnout, and other challenges in their lives.  For me, it is a huge honour to be able to provide a safe, supportive, and empowering space where women can feel seen, connected, and supported when they need it most.

Now every year more than 1300 women attend Ladies Space!

What once became my support during one of the darkest periods of my life has now become a source of support, confidence, and connection for hundreds of women.

The thing that helped me keep going, became the very thing that helps other women keep going too.

The most difficult part wasn’t learning a new system or adapting to a new culture, but to keep moving forward even when I was exhausted and when I didn’t know what would be next. Everything happened so quickly, and I knew I couldn’t just wait and hope things would somehow work out.  I had to figure out how to find housing, how to earn money, how to navigate a new country, and how to create some sense of stability. At the same time, my husband was still in Ukraine. Sometimes there was no electricity, no internet, and no way of knowing when I would hear from him again.  I was constantly worried about his safety while trying to stay strong for my son. Looking back, I see that period as the darkest chapter of my life.

I felt scared, overwhelmed, exhausted, and incredibly lonely. There were moments when I had no idea how I was going to move forward.

Step by step, day by day. Even when I didn’t know what to do, I kept doing something.

There were many moments when I felt completely lost and had no idea what the next step should be but I learned that:

• Even the smallest step forward is better than standing still
• You are never alone!

So whenever I felt overwhelmed, I focused on just one small thing I could do that day.  One application. One conversation. I didn’t have a perfect plan, money, or the English language, but I kept moving forward anyway.

Looking back now, I realize that those small steps eventually became the foundation for the life I have built in Canada today and I’m so grateful.

Find out more about Ladies Space, here:

https://www.ladiesspace.ca/