NGO Academy for Heroes - About the project

Andrii and Ihor completed their internships at the international company EveryMatrix, where they joined the AI/ML team. Under the mentorship of experienced specialists, they had the opportunity to apply the knowledge they gained during their studies in practice and gain insight into how a real IT team works. Another Academy graduate, Roman, completed an internship at ELEKS, where he worked on real projects and gained practical experience in a professional IT environment. For the Academy for Heroes, this is an important achievement. The graduates gained not only new knowledge but also their first hands-on experience working in IT companies. Opportunities like these help them take a confident step from education toward a new professional career. We are grateful to EveryMatrix, ELEKS, and the Academy’s other partners for their support, mentorship, and for providing our graduates with opportunities to grow in a professional environment.

The Academy for Heroes has launched free training for veterans in two practical areas — micro-entrepreneurship and web design. The training will last 20 weeks and is held offline at Sense Hub by Sense Bank . The classes are taught by experienced industry practitioners with extensive professional expertise. Participants in the micro-entrepreneurship course will work on their own business ideas and present them in a final presentation. Web design students will develop their own project throughout the course and present it upon completion. Thus, each program provides not only new knowledge and skills but also a tangible result that participants can use in the future. The training is completely free of charge, with financial support provided by the Ukrainian Red Cross Society. We wish all participants inspiration, exciting ideas, and a successful completion of their studies!

In September, the Academy for Heroes is launching 2 new free courses for veterans — Mobile Development and QA Automation Engineer. Both courses are designed for beginners, will last 8 months, and will take place offline in Lviv (twice a week). 1. Mobile Development: from the basics of JavaScript to creating your own iOS and Android application on React Native. 2. QA Automation Engineer: from the basics of Python to automated product testing.

We wish our country peace, prosperity, and growth, and every Ukrainian — well-being, unity, and faith in a bright future. May Ukraine remain free, strong, and successful, and may our hearts always be filled with pride for our country. Glory to Ukraine!

From August 17 to 21, the NGO “Academy for Heroes” held a vibrant themed camp dedicated to the world of IT for children of Defenders and family members of fallen Heroes. Participants learned how their favorite gadgets work and why some computers “fly” while others “lag,” and built their own websites from idea to publication. They completed a first aid training session from the Lviv Regional Center for Emergency Medical Care and Disaster Medicine, and immersed themselves in English through games, competitions, movies, and project work. Creativity was part of the mix too: the kids tried their hand at art therapy with Svitlana Hlushko and learned how to practically use artificial intelligence tools together with Viktor Kloba. They also practiced soft skills through a team game format at Sense Hub Lviv from Sense Bank. The excursion program was packed as well: they visited TRC PERSHYI ZAKHIDNYI and Radio Pershyi, stopped by EveryMatrix, drew inspiration from the atmosphere at ZENYK ART GALLERY, and wrapped up with a meeting with city officials at Lviv City Council and a tour of the city hall. To close out the camp, participants summed up their journey into the world of IT, discussed what worked best and where to go from here — and, of course, received their well-earned certificates! 🎓 Thank you to all our partners and experts who made this camp rich and unforgettable: EveryMatrix, ZENYK ART GALLERY, TRC PERSHYI ZAKHIDNYI, Lviv City Council, Lviv Emergency Medical Care, “Yellow” Art Studio. See you at the next IT adventure!

This was an intensive program dedicated to the practical use of artificial intelligence tools. Over the course of 1 month, veterans and their family members learned to work with modern AI tools, including ChatGPT, Claude, Midjourney, and NotebookLM, and to use them for work, learning, and everyday tasks. The program consisted of 8 sessions held twice a week for 2 hours each. Participants not only got acquainted with the capabilities of AI but also practiced them hands-on — creating content, working with information, automating individual tasks, and looking for ways to apply AI in their professional activities. Upon completion of the training, participants received certificates. We thank all course participants for their engagement and willingness to master new skills. The AI for Heroes project was implemented within the framework of the “Poruch” grant program, run by the Lviv Youth Fund as part of the “Unity for the Community” project, implemented by ISAR Ednannia with the financial support of the European Union in Ukraine, and socially responsible businesses.