She spent most of her life in a town near the Sea of Azov. She was a co-owner of a creative space where she held workshops, lectures, and other events.

After the full-scale war broke out, Ksenia moved to Lviv. There, she got a grant to start a business.

She used the money to open a coffee shop in her hometown, where IDPs could meet.

The place was called “Dzendzyk” after the island near Berdiansk, where the founder is from.

The cafe is decorated with drawings reminiscent of the Sea of Azov. There’s a lighthouse created by an artist from Berdiansk, and there’s an inscription on the wall that says, “You can do more than you think.”

Later on, Ksenia opened a second location in Lviv.

The cafés now host a range of events, including workshops, book clubs, and meetings with artists. Visitors get to exchange contacts and experiences of living in Lviv, and they also get to read books by Berdiansk authors that they bring from the occupation.

All the money from selling handmade items and postcards goes to support the army and charity projects.