Maryna Zvarych

Studying with The Open University in Scotland gave Ukrainian refugee Maryna Zvarych an important goal and a sense of direction at a time she was having to start from scratch again.

Having completed two higher education degrees and built a successful career as the chief executive of a leading restaurant group, Maryna’s life was thrown into disarray when Russia invaded her home country in early 2022.  

She shares: “I came to the UK as a refugee with my two daughters and had to start my life again in a new country. Everything was unfamiliar – the language, the people, the culture and the way businesses work. I didn’t know anyone here, and because I could not speak English confidently, I had to start working as a kitchen porter, even though I had previously been a CEO.”

Now aged 46 and living in Edinburgh, Maryna has set up her own business and graduating with a Diploma of Higher Education in Business Management from the OU in Scotland.

Discussing her decision to study with the OU, she says: “I studied to further my career. I came to a new country without knowing how things worked here, and I understood that I had to start my career again. To move forward and find better opportunities, I needed a UK qualification.”

Welcoming the flexibility to study and work at the same time, Maryna adds: “The Part-Time Fee Grant has made a real difference. While supporting my family and rebuilding my career, I haven’t had to find the money to pay for my studies.”

‘Believe in myself’  

Reflecting on her studies, Maryna says: “The leadership and accounting modules were especially useful for me. They helped me refresh my knowledge and better understand how to manage my own business in the UK.”

Studying with The Open University has changed me. It showed me that I can achieve difficult goals, even while starting my life again in a new country."
Maryna Zvarych, OU in Scotland Graduate

In 2025, Maryna used her culinary experience and the business knowledge gained during her studies to set up Edinburgh-based social enterprise MARFA UA CIC, which uses the income raised from running a catering service and selling handmade cakes to fund free community workshops and cultural events for women like herself who have relocated to Scotland.

She explains: “Some women come to learn cooking skills and enjoy being together. Others are interested in working in hospitality but need more confidence before taking that step. Two women who attended our workshops later found restaurant jobs.  

“That is why the community side of MARFA matters so much to me. I know how difficult it is to begin again. I want women to have somewhere they can use their abilities, learn, make connections and find a little time for themselves.”

Maryna was this year announced as one of two winners in the OU in Scotland’s Open Enterprise Network Microfinance 2026 competition for students and alumni entrepreneurs, where she was awarded £2,500 to help support her business idea.  

She shares: “Winning the competition has helped me believe in myself again.

“Running a business on my own can be exhausting. I prepare all the food myself, sometimes for catering orders of 150 people, as well as making cakes, organising workshops and managing the business. There are days when I question whether I can keep doing it all.”

Maryna plans to use the money to invest in new equipment to help speed up food preparation time, which she hopes will free her up to organise more cooking workshops.  

She adds: “The award gave me practical help, but its meaning went beyond the money. Knowing that people had looked at my work, believed in me and decided to support what I was building gave me confidence that I was on the right path. That recognition mattered enormously.”  

‘Building a future’

Maryna would like to next open a café, offering opportunities for women wanting work experience in hospitality.  

She also hopes to return to a management role and is being supported by the Part-Time Fee Grant to begin studying for a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Business Management with the OU.

Looking ahead to graduation, she comments: “Achieving my OU diploma feels like a major personal and professional accomplishment. I’m proud that I managed to continue my studies while working, running my business and supporting my family. It has given me greater confidence, recognised my professional experience and opened new opportunities for my future in the UK.

“Graduation was a moment to pause and recognise everything it took to get here. I hope my daughters will be proud of me and see that it is possible to continue learning and building a future, even when life changes unexpectedly.”