BLITZ INTERVIEW: Lada Tesfaye, a public speaking coach with her heart in Kharkiv

I consider Kharkiv my native city. I was there in March. I walked through the streets and cried.

(Lada Tesfaye)

Where are you from in Ukraine? And where are you now? Doing what?

I am Ukrainian with Ethiopian roots. I lived in Crimea for more than 10 years with, so I know very well how everything happened there in 2014. But for more than 14 years I lived in Kharkiv. I studied there, worked there and gave birth to a daughter there. I know every street there. Now I live in Kyiv. I'm a public speaking and communication coach.

Tell us about your work, please, and why it’s important.

Many people in Ukraine have changed their lives. When the full-scale invasion began, they lost their jobs, homes, and money. Now, they are trying to restart their lives. I teach them to talk about themselves and their skills and to present themselves. They also learn to talk and relate to each other because many of them have different psychological traumas.

How has the war changed your life? Has the war changed you personally?

I was a journalist and news anchor for the Ukrainian Channel “Ukraine24.” Every day, I started working at 5 a.m. Therefore, on February 24, 2022, I was probably one of the first people aware of the war. I was talking about it live on TV, and at the same time, I could not believe it was really happening. The lives of all Ukrainians have changed completely since then. Every day starts with calling around and anxiously waiting for messages from relatives and friends to check whether they are still alive. Questions like “Did a missile hit your apartment building?” have become our daily reality. All these years, I have been actively engaged in volunteer activities in organizations such as SUN (Support Ukraine Now) and Good Bread from Good People. Recently, I have also started working with The 42 Foundation and Heritage.ua. So my life has changed completely.

(Lada in the studio)

What has surprised you most about Ukrainians these past couple of years?

These years have been a real discovery for me. For starters, I began to learn more about our history. Second, I am impressed by the courage of my people. Third, once again, I am assured of how smart, creative, and efficient Ukrainians are.

Tell us why Kharkiv is an important place for you.

I consider this city my native. I was there in March. I walked through the streets and cried. I know every building there. In this building, I worked as a journalist; in that building, I was a moderator at a conference, and in this building, I celebrated my birthday. And now I see a gloomy and destroyed city.

What are your plans?

This is the most difficult question for me. I want to live in my country without air sirens and without the deaths of my people.

How do you see the war ending and Ukraine returning to a ‘normal life’?

Russia must withdraw all its troops from the territory of Ukraine as of 1991. For this, the support of the world is necessary. For example, our partners should allow us to use their weapons against military targets in Russia.

What do people abroad NOT know about Ukraine, but they really should?

Today, we are grateful to all the countries that are supporting us. Millions of Ukrainians have left their homes, and the world is accepting these refugees with open arms. We realize that there is a lot of work ahead to restore our country and the health, emotional, and psychological state of the people. We understand that we can learn much from others to intensify these efforts. This requires dialogues between all social institutions and leading representatives from all industries.

But people abroad need to understand that Russia will not stop. This country is allowed to kill, and so it does. They already have plans and know who is next. Everyone should be ready.