Growing up in Kremenchuk, Ukraine, recent law graduate Alona Matchenko never imagined, as she watched from afar as her home country was invaded, that she would launch a non-profit to organize and execute humanitarian aid efforts that help Ukrainian refugees resettle in America.
Matchenko spent the majority of her life in Ukraine, from childhood through earning a bachelor’s degree in philology (the study of languages in regard to their context within a culture and history), a specialist degree in English literature and a master’s degree in education with a focus in the methodology of studying. Matchenko spent six years living in Kyiv and working as a primary school teacher.
CELEBRATING SUCCESS: UToledo recognizes the Class of 2023 with a series of stories featuring students receiving their degrees at spring commencement.
In 2016, Matchenko fled to the United States due to the Ukrainian revolution.
“I came here without a grasp on English and with only a bag of my own belongings,” she said. “I traveled as an au pair nanny/educator, but after that assignment ended, I was homeless and traveled America from home to home. Luckily, I fell in love with my husband during this time and found a secure home, family and raised a beautiful daughter.”
Matchenko always wanted to continue her education since both of her parents stopped after earning their high school diplomas. She wanted to help her family’s business endeavors and learn more about the country she was now living in.
In 2020 she decided to take the LSAT and was excited when she had the opportunity to enroll in UToledo College of Law. As a recent immigrant, she was inspired to find ways to help other people find their place in America and to learn and protect their rights.
“As a foreigner, just qualifying for law school and making my way to graduation is an accomplishment I cannot be more proud of, especially as a person who spoke little English seven years ago,” Matchenko said.
Throughout her time in law school, Matchenko achieved many personal milestones, including launching a female-owned business in Perrysburg and being the founder of the non-profit organization, Toledo Helps Ukraine (THU.)
Matchenko
On top of these accomplishments, and despite processing everything that was happening back in her home country, Matchenko remained on track to graduate. Somewhere deep down, she found the strength to balance all of this with her studies, externships and even earning an award in the 2022 Moot Court Competition.
THU is a non-profit that was co-founded by Matchenko and a fellow law student, Hope Luther, in response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
“Other than the birth of my daughter five years ago, creating THU might be my most proud accomplishment,” Matchenko said.
Over the past year, THU has organized donation sites, community rallies, speaking engagements, food donation drives and a humanitarian trip to Ukraine and the border countries to deliver and distribute materials and aid to refugees.
“We are currently focused on relocating and resettling Ukrainians in the United States,” Matchenko said, “which includes locating American sponsors, helping them complete a complicated form, finding Ukrainian families needing to relocate and helping to cover plane tickets and other costs associated with the travel and resettlement. Informally, THU also acts as a local resource for anything Ukrainian immigrants may need to survive while in America.”
As of today, THU has successfully secured sponsorship for 58 Ukrainian individuals seeking safety in America.
Matchenko’s plans after graduation are to continue growing THU and practice immigration law and public interest law. Her passion to help those in need is just at the beginning.
“While our mission began with sending American donations to Ukraine, now we are focused on resettling Ukrainians in America through the Uniting for Ukraine initiative started by President Biden,” she said. “When the war is over, our mission will shift again to rebuilding critical infrastructure in Ukraine, such as schools and hospitals.”
Before she can practice law, Matchenko has to prepare for and pass the bar exam.
“I hope people realize how difficult it is to compete with the smartest and brightest people in America when you can barely speak English,” she said. “Everything in law school was graded on a curve, and law students may be the single best group of people who speak English in the world. As a result, I have had to study extra hard preparing for highly competitive law school exams and continue to study extra hard as I prepare to take the bar exam in July.”
