Olga Olefirenko

Olga Olefirenko, Farmer (Ukraine) who opened a farm thanks to winning the #worth "doing your own" contest, was included in the BBC 100 Women 2024^[1]rating. She realized the dream of her hero father, who died near the city of Mariupol in Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine in 2015.^[1]

Olga's father died whilst fighting in the Russo-Ukrainian war as a commanding officer of the navy's Special Target Forces, a branch of the Ukrainian Navy.

Details about Olefirenko's early life and education have not been widely published. She was raised in Ukraine and has credited her late father as a major inspiration for pursuing a career in agriculture. Her father died near Mariupol in 2015.

After winning the #worth "Doing Your Own" contest,^[2] Olefirenko used the prize to start her own farm. Her work focuses on sustainable agriculture and rural development. She has become an advocate for independent farming and women's empowerment in Ukraine, often sharing her experiences with other aspiring farmers.

Before winning the prize, she had earlier started her farm project which was unsuccessful because of financial constraints which caused Olga to sell off all her farm animals.

• • BBC 100 Women, 2024 — recognized for her achievements in farming and community leadership.^[3]