The Business of Sport - Anzhela Fokina

Anzhela Fokina is the Chief Executive officer of the Kateryna Biloruska Foundation, a charitable organisation established in 2019 to promote Health and Wellbeing in Ukranian communities through Education and Sports Participation for everyone.  

Anzhela has over 15 years experience in the Charitable and Social sector, having graduated from the Donetsk Institute of Economics and Humanities, with a Masters Degree in International Economics and Relations. 

She previously worked for the agricultural giant Syngenta, running their Corporate Social Responsibility operation across almost 100 countries worldwide. 

Anzhela co-ordinates the programme of activities for the KB Foundation, in spirts, education and mental health provision. 

Her responsibilities also include developing and expanding partnerships with the non-profit sector and public organisations across Europe and in the Ukraine. 

Anzhela on working with key partners: “Our owners and board members want to make a huge positive impact on society. If companies want to make a big impact on a community, they will do it. We don’t have a big team, but we try to involve sports ambassadors using teachers. Also, we involve government because we can do things for 20, or 2,000 people. But the government cover the whole territory of the Ukraine and so we can multi-applicate our efforts and what we are doing, on a government level. When government and businesses co-operate with us, we can make good results in a short period of time.” 

Anzhela on the challenges of working in the Ukraine currently: “It I really difficult, but now there are a lot of international projects working in Ukraine, but also our local operations too, because more and more people need support. Everyday it becomes more important because of the war and this conflict that we do things to help people with their health and mental health. That is more important than ever.” 

Anzhela on the future ambitions of the Kateryna Biloruska Foundation: “We have now reached a very difficult task where we need to increase external funding through some donors and grants. We are facing a very difficult period of reconstructing Ukraine and that’s why we need to increase assistance and at the end of the conflict, for at least 10 or 15 years, we will work with the consequences, which will primarily effect physical and mental health. It is a very big amount of people who would need this support.”