“Effort Is Never Wasted”: The Story of a Marta Kostyuk Foundation Volunteer

In this series, we share the stories of volunteers at the Marta Kostyuk Foundation — people who use their experience, knowledge and time to create new opportunities for Ukrainian children and young people.

Polina is originally from Kharkiv. Since childhood, she had dreamed of studying abroad, with the United States being her main goal. For many years, she studied English, prepared for international exams, built a strong academic profile and applied to American universities.

However, she was unable to secure the financial aid needed to study in the US. “At the time, it was very painful,” she recalls.

Rather than giving up on the idea of an international education altogether, Polina decided to enrol at a university in Ukraine and return to that dream later through postgraduate studies or exchange programmes. She became a student at Kharkiv National University of Radio Electronics, where she studied Computer Science.

But after just over one semester, Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Like millions of Ukrainians, I was forced to leave my hometown and rebuild my life under completely new circumstances.

At that point, she put her studies on hold and temporarily left university. Later, after moving to the United Kingdom because of the war, she decided to return to education and began applying to universities again.

As a result, Polina received a full scholarship to study Computer Science at Cardiff University. Looking back today, she is convinced that even the efforts that once seemed wasted actually helped her get there.

“My preparation for US universities played a huge role in this opportunity. Although I did not achieve my original goal, the process gave me strong English skills, experience with international exams, discipline and resilience. All of that later opened completely different doors for me.”

That was when she realised something important: sometimes the outcome comes in a different form than expected, but effort is never wasted.

According to Polina, studying abroad turned out to be even better than she had imagined. A new environment introduced her to people from different cultures, taught her how to adapt and helped her become more confident in herself and her abilities.

During her studies, she developed an interest in robotics and computer systems and joined a research team working in the field. Polina graduated with First Class Honours. Later, she worked as a Robotics and Automation Project Engineer in the food industry, applying the knowledge and skills she had gained through her studies and research.

From Personal Experience to Supporting Others

Tennis had long been part of Polina’s life. She followed Marta Kostyuk’s matches, which is how she first learned about the Foundation.

Later, she came across Prep School, an educational programme for young tennis players that helps athletes understand the process of applying to international educational institutions and securing scholarships.

“I immediately felt that this initiative closely reflected my own experience. Having gone through the international admissions process myself, I knew how valuable this knowledge could be for young students and athletes,” she says.

The values behind Prep School resonated strongly with her. Studying abroad, Polina says, gave her much more than a degree — it provided a new perspective, experiences and opportunities that completely changed the direction of her life.

That is why she strongly believes that more young Ukrainians should have access to international education and the opportunity to fulfil their potential.

When applying to universities in the United States, Polina also received support from students who had already successfully gone through the process. Volunteering with the Foundation became her way of giving back and helping others navigate the same journey with greater confidence and support.

Helping Others Navigate the Same Journey

Most of Polina’s volunteer work was connected to Prep School and her collaboration with the programme’s manager, Zoia Hudymenko.

She helped prepare and deliver lectures about studying in the United States and abroad, including university admissions, international examinations and scholarship opportunities. She also worked directly with programme participants, providing feedback on essays, motivation letters and other written application materials.

“I really want students to feel more confident throughout the admissions process and understand that they do not have to go through it alone.”

Zoia Hudymenko, Prep School Programme Manager, speaks about Polina’s contribution to the project:

“Working with Polina has been an absolute pleasure. We quickly built a great connection, partly because we share similar experiences of living and studying in the United Kingdom.

While working on Prep School, I was once again reminded of how deeply Polina understands the field of education. We even joked that, with her knowledge, experience and ability to build strong university profiles — which is truly an art — she should already have her own educational consultancy.

What is especially valuable is that her contribution to the Foundation has delivered real results. Two programme participants became finalists of the Ukraine Global Scholars programme. I am deeply grateful to Polina for her dedication and her genuine desire to help young Ukrainians discover new opportunities.”

When Tennis Opens New Opportunities for Children

What inspires Polina most is seeing the real impact the Foundation has on children across Ukraine. For her, it is particularly meaningful that the Foundation not only supports education but also makes tennis more accessible to children who might otherwise never have had the chance to try the sport.

Seeing tennis become part of school life and create new opportunities for children is incredibly inspiring.

At the same time, she admits that one of the biggest challenges is balancing volunteering with a full-time job and other responsibilities.

“Because I care deeply about this project, I always want to give students enough time and attention. Learning how to manage everything effectively has been very important for me.”

Why Volunteering Matters to Polina

Polina believes that volunteering with the Foundation provides an opportunity to contribute to meaningful initiatives and become part of a community of people creating real opportunities for young Ukrainians.

It is incredibly rewarding to know that your time and experience can have a positive impact on someone’s future.