Helping Ukraine Speak to the World

ENGin is a nonprofit organization changing the world one conversation at a time. We connect English-speaking volunteers with motivated Ukrainians for online speaking practice and cross-cultural exchange. Linktree: https://linktr.ee/ENGinlinks

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Welcome to the ENGin Program!

What is the ENGin Program?

The ENGin Program is a non-profit organization geared towards helping young Ukrainians gain English skills. The organization also aims to establish cross-cultural connections between Ukrainians and people in other countries across the globe. Through English fluency and culture literacy, ENGin wants to connect Ukraine to the world.

How does the program work?

ENGin pairs young Ukrainians with English-speaking volunteers. In weekly virtual sessions, these Ukrainians practice their English and share and learn from different cultures. These sessions are free of charge and available to Ukrainians age 9-35.

How does ENGin support Ukraine during the war?

When the war is over, Ukraine will need to rebuild itself from the ground up. This rebuilding can only happen through investment from foreign companies and international organizations. But for this to be possible, more Ukrainians need to learn to communicate confidently in English. And, in a time when Russia is trying to isolate Ukraine from the rest of the world, it's more important than ever for Ukrainians to connect with people worldwide.

By giving free English lessons through people of countless different backgrounds, ENGin hopes to create a generation of English-fluent, culturally competent young Ukrainians to rebuild their homeland.

Does the ENGin Program work?

The numbers speak for themselves!

As of 2022, ENGin has served 16,350 Ukrainians. In the next five years, the program hopes to reach its goal of 100,000 students.

93% of ENGin students see significant progress within three months of enrollment. As for the volunteers, 95% of them are happy with their student match!

How do I get involved with ENGin?

It's easy! Just go to the volunteer tab on our home page. Becoming a volunteer is an incredibly easy process. ENGin only has three requirements for applicants:

Must be fluent in English.

Must be 13 or older.

Must be able to commit to at least one hour of sessions per week. If you want to volunteer more hours, we can accommodate that!

Volunteer today and make a difference in a young Ukrainian's life!

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Знайома ситуація: ви все розумієте, читаєте та слухаєте англійською без проблем, але в реальній розмові все одно вмикається ступор? Мовний бар'єр зникає не від підручників чи зазубрювання граматики, а тільки від живої практики в спокійній атмосфері.

Саме для цього і створили ENGin Lviv Space — безкоштовний розмовний простір у самому центрі Львова.

Тут на вас чекають:

Кіновечори, настільні ігри та книжкові клуби в супер комфортній атмосфері

Воркшопи, лекції та Q&A сесії від англомовних волонтерів

Години вільного спілкування за кавою, де можна познайомитися з крутими людьми (до речі, у вільні години до нас можна навіть із вихованими песиками )

Участь у всіх подіях абсолютно безкоштовна і відкрита для всіх, але кількість місць на подіях обмежена, щоб кожному було комфортно спілкуватися.

P.S. У червневому календарі вже повно всього: від книжкових клубів та кіновечорів до затишних зустрічей із гостями з США, які відвідують Україну, щоб розповісти про американську культуру, історію своєї країни та життя.

Переходьте за посиланням, дивіться наш календар подій та реєструйтесь: https://uk.enginprogram.org/enginlviv-for-students

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In Ukrainian, a name is rarely picked just because it sounds nice. It carries the meaning of a real, living word (peace, light, gift, glory) and Ukrainians often know exactly what their name means.

That makes names one of the warmest, easiest ways to start a real conversation with your Ukrainian student. Asking "What does your name mean?" usually opens up family stories, regional traditions, and laughs about nicknames.

Here are 7 beautiful Ukrainian names to get you started. Discover the culture of Ukraine right at your sessions with your Ukrainian student, because sometimes the best lesson hides inside a single word.

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When Alex first messaged Maria on October 1, 2023, neither of them could have imagined that two and a half years later, they would be standing together in the shadow of Wawel Castle in Kraków, unfolding a Ukrainian flag and attempting to sing a few lines of a Ukrainian song Alex had mentioned in one of their calls. But that is exactly what happened.

Alex, a volunteer from the United States, has now met two of his ENGin buddies in person, Maria and Yulia, both from Ukraine. The meeting place was Kraków, chosen as the most convenient city for everyone, and what followed was four days of city tours, long walks, countless hugs, and, as Alex put it, "some happy tears." After Kraków, Maria headed off to visit her relatives elsewhere in Poland, while Yulia traveled north to Gdańsk with Alex and his wife Olga, where the group also reunited with Dalad, Alex's friend from Thailand, whom he hadn't seen in 32 years.

What makes this story particularly special is how much had already been built before anyone stepped on a plane. Over months of weekly calls, Alex had met Maria's parents, her sister, and several of her friends on Zoom. He had spoken at length with Yulia's children and her husband. Both women had met his entire family. And somewhere along the way, Alex noticed that Maria and Yulia — both working mothers with sons of similar ages — had a lot in common, so he introduced them to each other. They met in Kyiv, became friends, and by the time all three reunited in Kraków, they were not strangers finding each other for the first time. They were people who already knew each other deeply, finally getting to close the distance.

"Yulia ran up to me in Planty park, and then Maria did a similar run in a different part of town. Those first hugs, and the dozens after, were full of indescribable emotions, attempting to make up for the months/years of screen-only time." — Alex

They exchanged gifts, shared food, and laughed their way through some genuinely unusual culinary moments — Alex's Ukrainian friends tried day-old bagels from the New York area, while he got to sample kvas, a poppy roll, and more Roshen chocolates than he was prepared for. They were also given something far more meaningful: a Ukrainian flag that had been carried through difficult areas near the front line, signed by 50 defenders of Ukraine, and a pin with the red viburnum — symbols Alex says he and his wife will treasure forever.

Alex is already making plans for the summer, when he hopes to meet his third ENGin buddy back home in the US.

"Life-long friendships confirmed," he wrote. And we believe him completely.

Behind every ENGin connection is someone who decided to give an hour of their week — and ended up gaining so much more. If Alex's story resonates with you, we would love for you to be part of this community. Somewhere out there is a Ukrainian student waiting for a conversation partner who might, one day, become a lifelong friend. You could be that person, join as a volunteer at enginprogram.org/volunteer

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Meet Olena Nikishenko, our Speak UA teacher from Chernihiv. She's been teaching Ukrainian to volunteers from the US, South Africa, and beyond. How is it going?

One student sang a Ukrainian song on guitar mid-lesson. Another now chats about recipes in Ukrainian. One student's daughter staged a play by Lesya Ukrainka in the US.

This is what the Speak Ukrainian program does. It connects you, a volunteer who already supports Ukraine, with a real teacher, real culture, and a language that carries history, identity, and resilience.

The language doesn't demand perfection. It just invites you in.

Join the Speak Ukrainian program and come to your first remote class: https://www.enginprogram.org/learn-ukrainian

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Today, May 15, has been declared a Day of Mourning in Kyiv, after two days of relentless attacks on Ukraine with drones, missiles, and ballistic strikes that took lives across the country, including children. We are holding everyone who is grieving today close to our hearts.

And it is precisely on days like these that we want to turn to the moments that remind us what we are all fighting to protect — the real, human connections that keep Ukrainians seen, heard, and held by the world.

Last Saturday, nearly 150 people gathered for our annual campaign launch event, For a Friend (Для друга), and for a few hours, six Ukrainians and two ENGin volunteers stood on a virtual stage and spoke about how a weekly conversation with a stranger from across the world had quietly, steadily changed their lives, confidence, careers, sense of being understood by someone beyond Ukraine's borders. The chat overflowed with voices from Ukraine and from every corner of the globe, and two ideas kept rising to the surface in everything that was shared:

ENGin gives Ukrainians more than language practice, it offers a rare window into another person's lived reality, and a reminder that the world is paying attention;

The friendships built through ENGin change lives on both sides of the screen, pushing students and volunteers toward their personal and professional goals, and turning them into advocates who carry Ukraine's story far beyond our program.

If you weren't able to join the event or want to revisit a favorite moment, we've put together a highlights playlist from each guest speaker:

Watch the highlights playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist...

Watch the full recording: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dg9Lq5CWxcY

If you are looking for a way to stand by your Ukrainian friends today and every day, supporting ENGin is one of the most meaningful things you can do, helping us grow, reach more Ukrainians, and make sure no one has to face the reality of war alone. You are always welcome to make a one-time donation or support us on a monthly basis: https://www.enginprogram.org/donate-page

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Ever had this happen: you know all the tenses and grammar rules, but as soon as you need to say something, the words just fly out of your head? We know the feeling.

English in Action is ENGin’s new community, where we don’t “teach” English — we live it. Instead of boring exercises, we discuss podcasts, videos, and essays that really resonate.

Why will it be awesome with us?

Because our beloved Community Leader is the incredible Paul Epstein from Oakland, California. Paul is a master’s degree holder in psychology, a drama therapist, and a master of improvisation. He knows the secret to creating a space where you stop being afraid of making mistakes and just start enjoying the conversation.

This isn’t just “another chat group.” It’s a place for those who:

want to add creativity to their English;

are looking for “like-minded” people for deep conversations;

are ready to go beyond textbooks.

Subscription cost: 150 UAH/month (an investment in your growth and support for ENGin’s mission).

Opportunity is open to ENGin students.

Claim your spot in the group now: https://app.enginprogram.org/#/resources/754

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You know how much we love hearing about our participants' in-person meetups, when, after a year, two years, or even five years of connecting online, students and volunteers finally get to give each other a big, real-life hug in the most unexpected corners of the world.

But this meetup? This one is a little different.

In April, an entire community of volunteers came together at the American Coalition for Ukraine Summit — a gathering of advocates, experts, and community leaders from across the United States to discuss the future of Ukraine and the role of U.S. support. We love that our volunteers show up for Ukraine inside ENGin and well beyond it.

And what would it be without a warm conversation about the ENGin experience, in wonderful company, after a productive day at the summit? ENGin's virtual connection has brought together not just student-volunteer pairs, but something more unexpected — friendships between people united by a common goal: to help Ukraine speak to the world.

Turns out, weekly online ENGin chats have a funny habit of turning into lifelong friendships. Whether you end up meeting at a summit, a café, or an airport somewhere in the world, it all starts with one conversation.

Ready to join? Sign up as an ENGin volunteer at enginprogram.org/volunteer and become part of a community that clearly knows how to have a good time — online and off.

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ENGin is growing, and we're looking for people who want their work to matter!

ENGin is a global nonprofit connecting Ukrainians with English-speaking volunteers for weekly online conversations. We've served 35,000+ students with the help of 30,000+ volunteers and a team that truly loves what it does.

To fuel our next stage of growth, we're hiring for two key behind-the-scenes roles:

Director of Fundraising in Ukraine – an experienced fundraising leader to build our Ukraine-based strategy and drive corporate and individual donor partnerships. Reporting directly to our CEO, this role offers full freedom to shape and execute a unique fundraising strategy for our one-of-a-kind nonprofit.

Finance Lead – an experienced finance professional to own monthly reporting, budgeting, forecasting, and governance across our US and Ukrainian entities.

Both positions offer remote work, flexible hours, competitive compensation, and the chance to join a team that's wholeheartedly building something world-changing.

Read full details and apply here: https://www.enginprogram.org/careers

Know someone who'd be a great fit? Tag them below or share this post — you might just change someone's career path (and help ENGin while you're at it).

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We are looking for 30 Ukrainians who will change someone's life with a single post.

Last year, our LinkedIn ambassadors did something incredible — their ENGin stories reached thousands of Ukrainians. Someone read a post and decided to give it a try. Someone found a friend on the other side of the world. Someone finally started speaking English without fear.

What do you need to do? Share your ENGin experience on LinkedIn once every two months. It could be a story about meeting your volunteer, a funny moment from a conversation, some pictures or simply: "Here's what this program gave me."

What do you get?

Personal Volunteer (weekly 1-on-1s)

Priority Matching

Official Certificate

Personal Manager to help you out

The opportunity to help other Ukrainians find their path to English

You don't need to be a blogger. You don't need perfect posts. You just need to be yourself and share your story, which could be the beginning of someone else's.

This opportunity is open to both current ENGin students and newcomers — everyone is welcome to apply!

Apply here: https://forms.gle/MgxRP6M5aB1HCDQA9

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What does it look like to go beyond your comfort zone in solidarity with the people you serve?

Josh M., Director for Media and Information at the National Endowment for Democracy, just completed 50 hours of Ukrainian language study with ENGin: Speak Ukrainian after maxing out every Ukrainian lesson Duolingo had to offer.

Not to become fluent or to check a box but to deepen his connection to the journalists, civic actors, and partners he works alongside every day.

That kind of commitment moves the ENGin team deeply.

We couldn't be prouder to award Josh our Speak UA 50-lesson completion certificate. And we love that he's already looking forward to "lots of small talk on the way."

Is Ukrainian on your learning list? Learn more about the program and book your first lesson here: https://www.enginprogram.org/learn-ukrainian

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Ready to make a difference from home? ENGin connects English-speaking volunteers to Ukrainians for weekly online conversation practice and cultural exchange.

Teen volunteers connect directly to a peer in Ukraine to chat in English, learn about each other’s cultures, and offer an empathetic, authentic space for connection.​​ Every conversation is a two-way street, learning and growing together.

This opportunity is open to volunteers ages 13+ worldwide - no prior tutoring/teaching experience or knowledge of the Ukrainian language is necessary. All you need is English fluency, an internet connection, and 1 hour/week to spare.

We have over 100 young Ukrainians on our waitlist. Can you help us find each of them a supportive conversation partner? You can learn more and sign up at www.enginprogram.org/volunteer. Please contact us at [email protected] with any questions.

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Ukraine isn't just one vibe — there are many completely different worlds packed into one incredible country, and every city has its own personality, its own flavor, and its own aesthetic that you'd recognize anywhere.

Swipe through to explore the visual aesthetics of Ukrainian cities, where each one is a world worth knowing.

And if you want to actually get what makes each city special — not from a travel guide, but from someone who grew up there — that's exactly what ENGin conversations are for.

Join ENGin: enginprogram.org

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Someone believed in Kateryna before she believed in herself. That person was June — a volunteer she met through ENGin.

It was July 2023, Kateryna was at A1 English level, stepping into a completely new chapter of her life. She could say where she was from and talk a little about her family, that was it.

But June saw something Kateryna couldn't yet see. "Whenever I felt completely disappointed with my English, she smiled and said, 'Your English is perfect,'" Kateryna recalls. "I couldn't believe that I would succeed — but she did."

⠀That belief carried them through five levels of English together — A1 all the way to C1. It carried Kateryna into classrooms, where she now works as an English tutor at two schools. It's carrying her toward her TESOL certification.

"I help Ukrainians achieve their goals and change their lives — just as Ms. June helped me change mine."

In October 2025, Kateryna and June met in Paris. Two people who found each other through a screen, now standing together in the same city — friends, across every kind of distance.

"Ms. June has become more than just an English tutor to me — she is my family, my mentor, and my spiritual guide."

This is what a volunteer's belief can do!

If you're ready to be someone's June — or to find your own — sign up at enginprogram.org

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For the last 4 years, ENGin Telegram communities have grown from language practice chats into spaces of real connection, support, and inspiration.

What makes this possible is YOU — your presence, energy, and engagement in every conversation and meeting.

To keep growing and expand into new communities and projects, we are introducing a small monthly subscription — 150 UAH per month (≈ $4).

This step helps us make ENGin stronger and more sustainable for everyone involved.

We’re excited to keep building such spaces with you!

Students join here: https://app.enginprogram.org/#/resources/754

Volunteers join here: https://app.enginprogram.org/#/resources/808

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Recently, we featured 18-year-old Osama Raii on our blog. Like most teens, Osama is no stranger to restlessness. When he found himself stuck at home in Syria for three months during the fall of the regime, restlessness escalated to something heavier. He turned to an AI chatbot, seeking places to get involved and find community online - and ENGin came up.

Now he's a weekly volunteer — and both he and his conversation partner in Ukraine admit they have found their conversations more interesting than they expected. They compare cuisines, they encourage curiosity in each other. Osama even launched his own language exchange initiative, Aurora, inspired by what he learned through ENGin.

Read his full story at the link: https://www.enginprogram.org/.../how-one-engin-volunteer...

ENGin has always had incredible support from teens around the world — and right now, over 100 Ukrainian teens are waiting to be matched with a conversation partner. Our volunteer community has come through strongly for us in the past when we have needed adult volunteers, and we couldn’t be more grateful. Now, we need a little focus on the younger generation!

Think of the teens in your life. Do they have a story to share, or a listening ear to offer? Tag them in this post, or send them the link to our website: https://www.enginprogram.org/volunteer

One conversation can make all the difference!

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What does it mean to report from Kharkiv today?

Join us on Wednesday, April 22 for a special ENGin presentation by Alona Kholodova — a journalist and community manager at Nakypilo, an independent media project that has been documenting life in the east of Ukraine since 2014.

Alona will share stories from the Kharkiv region that rarely make national headlines: energy cooperatives, underground metro schools, frontline entrepreneurs, and engineers building technologies for both military and civilian use. Her journalism is rooted in a simple conviction — the most honest reporting looks not just at problems, but at the people solving them.

At Nakypilo, Alona and her team cover the people and communities that are keeping the Kharkiv region churning. Born out of the same wave of civic energy that kept Kharkiv firmly Ukrainian, Nakypilo roughly translates to "boiling over" – reflecting that tipping point at which one can no longer stay silent in the face of injustice.

Wednesday, April 22

1:00 PM Eastern / 8:00 PM Kyiv

Register for free: https://us02web.zoom.us/.../register/ukGB-Iw2Q_iqNuVjdboXOA

Come hear from someone who has spent ten years showcasing the beauty, complexity, and tenacity of the Kharkiv region. All are welcome.