Business and National Identity

Vorokhta. This is the place where, 100 years ago, Ukrainians began their ski flights. Here, on the jump hills, one of the world’s first female ski jumpers competed, and athletes from all over the world flocked to the highest K-90 ski jump in Ukraine. Life around this site was vibrant, filled with excited eyes and loud ovations. And then came the silence. Not the one that brings peace, but the one that destroys.

Part I. The Silence That Destroys: The Decline of a Legend

Fame gave way to decline, caused by a chronic lack of funding and neglect. The ski jumps continued to operate only thanks to the incredible faith of a few enthusiasts, particularly the director of the local Youth Sports School, Ihor Hladysh. He lives and breathes this school, but even his faith could not conceal the truth. The ULIS team (a network of country leisure complexes) met him in April 2025 and saw the reality: broken tracks, old surfaces, and worn-out uniforms that children had been wearing for years. Competitions had become empty, held “within their own circle”-without support or awards.

118 young athletes came to train daily, among them were Olympians Yevhen Marusiak and Vitalii Kalinichenko, as well as future champions. This is the only accessible activity for local children. Inaction threatened not only these 118 dreamers but also the destruction of national sporting heritage.

Part II. The Solution: Investing in Faith

Standing aside is not the ULIS story. “We value heritage,” says the team, for whom it is important to uncover the beauty of undeveloped corners of Ukraine. The company decided not just to observe, but to invest in faith.

On March 10, 2025, ULIS officially took the school under its wing, signing a memorandum on a patronage program. This step guaranteed the school 500,000 UAH annually to cover the basic needs of the young champions. Financial stability became the foundation, but emotional support was required.

Ihor Farberov, co-founder of the company, explained why this particular solution was chosen:

“When we support sports in small communities, we invest not only in locations or events. We invest in people-in their belief in themselves, in the possibility to dream and achieve new things. You don’t have to be a billionaire to change the world around you. It’s enough to start making it better within arm’s reach.”

First, the team established personal contact by organizing hiking trips with the children, and then they decided to bring back the competitions. The jump hills had to gather ovations once again.

Part III. The Result: A Return to Life

On October 2, 2025, Vorokhta was bustling again. 31 athletes (7 girls and 24 boys), the youngest being only 13, came to compete for the ULIS Cup. This was not just a competition; it was a return to life.

Next to the juniors, their idols were jumping: Olympians Vitalii Kalinichenko and Yevhen Marusiak, as well as national record-holder Zhanna Hlukhova. To boost motivation, ULIS provided a significant prize fund: 25,000 UAH for first place on the K-90 and 20,000 UAH on the K-75, while the youngest were awarded prizes of 3,000 UAH each. In addition to the prizes, a professional host, a food court, a merch area, and animators were working at the location.

But the most important thing was the people. Over 100 spectators came to watch the competition. Families, friends, and guests from various corners of Ukraine. There was applause, laughter, and that very noise the ski jumps had been waiting for all those years.

The Outcome: A New Incentive

• Financial Stability: Guaranteed annual funding of 500,000 UAH secured.
• Emotional Impact: The competition gathered 31 participants and over 100 spectators, restoring public interest.
• Lesson Learned: Supporting children is a critical investment that yields immediate results:

“We have never had such competitions at the Vorokhta base. The event has become iconic; it’s a new incentive. Training becomes genuinely interesting with such competitions. We see our school being reborn, and it warms our hearts,” shared Yevhen Marusiak and Vitalii Kalinichenko.

ULIS, establishing itself as a brand of friendly investment, proved that one does not have to be a billionaire to change the world. And an investment in children’s dreams is an investment that also lifts us, the adults. The next step is providing the children with new winter uniforms.