Age: 29
Education: Pre-bachelor’s degree in finance from Vinnytsia Technical College; Master’s Degree in Economics from the Vinnytsia Institute of Trade and Economics of Kyiv National University of Trade and Economics
Profession: Civil society leader
Did you know? Studilko is addicted to travel and has visited 27 countries. This addiction started when he ran away from his parents and rode a Ferris wheel by himself when he was 5.
When Maksym Studilko became a teenage crusader against human trafficking, he did not know he would eventually become one of Ukraine’s most accomplished civil society organizers.
“When I was a teenager, I didn’t think too hard about some big mission, I was just doing what I was interested in doing,” says the now 29-year-old Studilko.
When Studilko was 15 in 2006, he co-founded the human rights organization Spring of Hope in his hometown of Vinnytsia, the city of 370,000 people located 267 kilometers southwest of Kyiv.
The organization helped migrants and victims of human trafficking. In 2014, it became one of the first organizations to assist Ukrainians displaced from Crimea and the conflict-torn regions in eastern Ukraine. In 2018, it opened a shelter for women affected by domestic violence.
Spring of Hope, where Studilko is now a chief development officer and board member, has launched more than 60 projects with financial support from the International Organization for Migration, the U. S. Agency for International Development, the Peace Corps, the Canadian and Norwegian embassies, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, the United Nations Children’s Fund and others.
In 2012, Studilko and his team also started to support small businesses with grants and equipment. They jump-started businesses ranging from household apiaries to hair and beauty salons and small construction crews. But all this is only a fraction of his work.
As a teen, Studilko became impressed with Plast, Ukraine’s largest scouting organization and volunteered to found its Vinnytsia chapter, which he called his “first public startup.” Over three years, it grew to become one of the largest youth volunteer organizations in the city. Now a decade later, Studilko says he is happy to see the results of his work.
“The period of 10 years gives an opportunity to see the results, how 13 to 15-year-old teenagers already become successful university graduates, leaders, young professionals, community activists, innovators,” he says. “They protect Ukraine with weapons in their hands.”
Inspired by the EuroMaidan Revolution that deposed Viktor Yanukovych as president in 2014, Studilko decided on civil service, and in 2016 he accepted a role as youth work director at the Social and Youth Policy Department of the regional state administration. He says his greatest achievement in this role was the creation of the youth center Kvadrat, which became a preeminent social innovation hub.
Completely refurbished from a disused underground building, the center provides 700 square meters in the heart of Vinnytsia for young people to realize creative and business ideas as well as scientific, social and public initiatives. The hub contains lecture rooms, a laboratory, a networking area, a recording studio and a space to host events for up to 300 people.
After leaving public office in 2018, Studilko returned to his roots, trying to improve the cooperation among civil society groups.
“The strength of Ukrainian civil society is that in critical moments we can mobilize and literally save the country,” he said.
Most recently, Studilko started working on a crowdfunding platform that would let schools enlist their alumni to improve education in the country.
He also works as a business educator and is currently learning about financial markets with the goal of teaching others.
“I may spend the next 10 years spreading financial literacy among Ukrainians,” he said.
