“Life does not end after service — it becomes different”

Bohdana Korovaieva — ATO veteran and reserve officer, founder of the “Territory SPA” center

Bohdana Korovaieva is an ATO participant, former sanitary instructor of the 30th Separate Mechanized Brigade named after the Ostroh Princes and the 54th Separate Mechanized Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, now a veteran and reserve officer, founder of the “Territory SPA” center in Chernihiv.

Before her service, Bohdana worked in medicine and education: for 13 years she worked as a nurse in the intensive care and anesthesiology department of an oncology dispensary, practiced massage and body recovery techniques, and later began teaching courses.

In 2015, during the fifth wave of mobilization, she received a draft notice and, after completing training, became a sanitary instructor. Later she signed a three-year military contract. In 2020 she was demobilized, and a year later she graduated from the military department and became an officer.

An active approach to life and civic engagement have always defined Bohdana’s path. Today she heads the NGO “Horyzont-17,” actively participates in projects and initiatives for the veteran community, and also works with children at the Chernihiv Station of Young Naturalists.

In 2025, Bohdana won a grant and opened the veteran-owned business “Territory SPA.” Today she dreams of scaling it into a social enterprise — employing veterans and providing psychological support.

For the “Tribe” project by Amnesty International Ukraine, the veteran speaks about combat experience, the path from service to her own business, life after demobilization, and faith in herself.

Being in the military is about position

I made the decision to join consciously, with a sense of responsibility and a desire to be useful at a critical moment for the country. Above all, I was driven by an inner sense of duty and the inability to remain on the sidelines. It was a decision not so much about a profession as about a position: to be where you are needed most.

Back in 2014, I wanted to join the service as a volunteer, but I had two daughters — at that time the older one was 15 and the younger 7. And they simply did not take me. The following year I received a draft notice during the fifth wave of mobilization.

Before service, my work was connected with education and medicine, and for the soul I realized myself in art.

The call sign Arabica and the experience of service

My call sign came from my great love for coffee in general and this variety in particular. In the military, my brothers- and sisters-in-arms called me Arabica.

I was not the only woman in the unit, but there were few of us, which created a special dynamic: on the one hand — support, on the other — we constantly had to prove our professionalism. This experience became for me not only a challenge, but also an important stage of personal growth.

Service in the Armed Forces of Ukraine gave me new friends, sincere and genuine. I also gained valuable experience — both life and military experience.

“You are already a different person”: about life after demobilization

When I returned from service, I felt the contrast very strongly. It is as if you are returning to familiar life, but at the same time you understand that you are already a different person. Everyday things may seem strange or unimportant, while simple joys, on the contrary, gain greater value.

Returning to civilian life was not easy, because this process requires time, rethinking, and new sources of support. In this I was helped by community support, work, creativity, and the gradual restoration of meaningful activities.

Support came from loved ones and from those who had similar experiences. My social circle truly changed. More “our own people” appeared — those with whom there is no need to explain basic things. Some old connections transformed or faded away.

About civic activity, creativity, and future goals

Right now I combine civic activity, educational projects, and the development of social entrepreneurship. There is a greater awareness now of the fact that I want to create long-term initiatives with real impact. Among my goals are scaling projects and expanding their accessibility.

I head the public organization “Horyzont-17,” where through education, art, and recovery practices we support people and help them restore their inner resources and find inner grounding.

We want to devote more attention specifically to supporting women — female veterans, internally displaced persons, and other social groups. This concerns the protection of rights, prevention of gender-based violence, employment, and support.

I work with topics of psycho-emotional condition, psychoeducation, overcoming the consequences of trauma, integrating experience, and creating safe spaces for interaction.

I am also currently studying at the T. H. Shevchenko National University Chernihiv Colehium in the field of pedagogical sciences. I very much want to complete postgraduate studies and defend my scientific work, which I dedicated to art and art therapy.

I love creativity very much: bead embroidery. But I admit that I do not have a single one of my works at home — I constantly participate in exhibitions, give paintings as gifts, or donate them for charity fundraisers.

Receiving a grant to open my own business

In the autumn of 2025, I participated in a grant competition from the Ukrainian human rights public organization Fight For Right. I won the grant and received funding. With these funds, I arranged the space, purchased additional equipment, and launched the “Territory SPA” center. The center offers wellness services, cosmetics, educational cosmetology courses, and SPA procedures.

The idea emerged from personal experience and the understanding of how important spaces for recovery after stress and traumatic events are.

This space is not only about body care, but about a holistic approach: emotional relief, slowing down, a sense of safety. It is a place for people who seek balance, in particular for veterans, women, and educators.

Recently, on April 26 at around 5 a.m., our center was damaged as a result of a Russian attack. A Shahed drone exploded near the building — the windows were blown out. We are currently looking for opportunities to restore everything.

Advice for those returning to civilian life

Do not rush to demand a “return to normal” from yourself. You are already different, and that is normal. Give yourself time, seek support, and do not remain alone with your experience. It is important to find what gives meaning, even in small steps.

Life does not end after service — it becomes different. And it is very important to allow yourself to build it anew, taking into account the experience you have gained, new values, and new strength.”