Success takes many forms. For Denys, a young man from Mykulyntsi, Ukraine, it came in the form of a dedicated social worker and a student eager to pay her own success forward.
Denys grew up in a small two-room home in a rural village outside Ternopil. He lived with his grandparents and his father, who had been raising him as a single parent since he was six months old. Despite his father’s tireless efforts, the family struggled to make ends meet. Even so, Denys managed to graduate from high school. He had always been fascinated by cars and quietly dreamed of designing them one day, but university felt entirely out of reach — his family simply couldn’t afford it. Wanting him to have a realistic option, his grandmother encouraged him to apply to a local college with free tuition instead.
Seeking advice, Denys and his grandmother visited the Chalice site office in Ternopil to speak with a social worker. Worried he would end up disappointed, his grandmother secretly hoped the social worker would gently urge Denys to give up on his university dream.
Instead, the social worker saw potential. Denys had earned solid scores on the National Multi-Subject Test (NMT) — the entrance exam for Ukrainian universities. When asked what he wanted to do next, Denys just lowered his head, crushed by the reality of his family’s financial situation. Looking at Denys, the social worker said, “You have to take a chance! Trying doesn’t cost anything.”
A few weeks later, Denys returned to the site office for help with his university applications. The social worker knew exactly who to call: Viktoriya, a fourth-year university student in the Chalice sponsorship program. Like many sponsored students who pay kindness forward by guiding others, Viktoriya was more than happy to help. She and Denys filled out his application and drafted his entrance essay.
In August, Denys walked back into the Chalice site office with a huge smile. He had been accepted into the Faculty of Engineering of Machines, Structures, and Technologies at the national technical university — and he qualified for state financial assistance. To make his achievement complete, Denys also learned he received a Chalice sponsor, who would help with his remaining educational costs.
Denys’ story shows what can happen when people believe in you, even when you doubt yourself. Thanks to the Chalice social worker, Viktoriya, and his new sponsor, Denys is on his way to achieving his dream and is ready to pay that support forward.
Through the Chalice Gift Catalogue, you can help other young people achieve their potential. Whether providing textbooks, art supplies, or tuition support, every gift brings a student one step closer to their goals.