Instead of Evacuation – Building a Business: The Story of a Dry Cleaner from Kryvyi Rih

In April 2022, when most people were thinking about evacuation, Svitlana Prokhorovych decided to start from scratch. After the owners of the dry cleaner where she had been working left the country, she took on responsibility – for the business, the team, and the people. That’s how the laundry and dry cleaner I Wash was born.

“We weren’t planning to leave. On the contrary – we started a business to support the country’s economy and give people jobs,” says Svitlana.

Today, I Wash is more than just a dry cleaner – it is a full-service company: from washing household and corporate clothing to renting and regularly cleaning dirt-trapping floor mats for businesses. Its clients include cafés, banks, retail chains, pharmacies, a trolleybus depot, and industrial companies.

A Business Built on Challenges

From the first day, operations faced daily challenges: importing chemicals from abroad, water supply problems after the destruction of the Kakhovka Dam, and constant power outages. In response, the team drilled its own well, purchased and delivered water independently, and even worked at night – adjusting to power supply schedules.

“We didn’t stop for a single day. When there was no electricity, we waited for the hours it came back. When there was no water – we brought it in by the cubic meter. We had to survive and keep our people employed,” the entrepreneur recalls.

In less than two years, the company grew from 2 to 5 permanent employees, plus up to six contractors – all within a grant-supported Programme. It also partnered with a network of external drop-off points, opening 20 across Kryvyi Rih.

“Our city is very spread out, so we opened points in every district to make it convenient for people. This way we expanded our client base, even despite the overall drop in demand,” says Svitlana.

Clients from Across Ukraine

Despite its local base, I Wash now cooperates with partners in Kyiv, Odesa, and Dnipro – on a subcontracting basis, assigning part of its orders to partners. Importantly, the business did not purchase a franchise but developed its own brand.

“We’ve proven our professionalism. Clients choose us for quality, loyalty, and a full range of services. And for humanity – we serve combat veterans out of turn and almost for free.”

Among corporate clients are PrivatBank, the Varus, Eva, and Omega retail chains, as well as mining and processing plants that resumed cooperation after the company stabilized operations.

A Step Towards Autonomy

Svitlana learned about the Kryvyi Rih District Support Programme through contacts with local authorities. Although this wasn’t her first experience with international projects, she says the Programme impressed her with its transparency and focus on real business needs.

“They heard us. For the first time, I saw a Programme adapted to the needs of real entrepreneurs. It’s not only for those on the brink but also for those already working and wanting to grow. That’s very important.”

The grant funds were used to purchase a generator – part of the cost was covered by the grant, and the rest came from the company’s own funds. The generator is still on the way, but Svitlana already knows how it will change operations:

“No more chasing the hours when there’s power or working nights. We’ll be fully autonomous – with both water and electricity. That means stability and confidence.”

Only Forward

Now the company is planning further purchases, as its client base has grown, but equipment is still lacking. Expansion has already begun – some machinery has been bought, but it’s not enough. Next steps include joining new grant Programmes, staff training, and process improvement.

“We don’t wait for perfect conditions. We work every day and invest not only in equipment but also in knowledge. Our technologist has 20 years of experience. We keep learning, testing new products, finding solutions – and we always keep our word to our clients.”

Despite positive momentum, Kryvyi Rih remains within the risk zone – the front line is just 60 km away. Svitlana understands the threat but refuses to let it halt operations:

“We’re all afraid, but that’s no reason to stop. Behind me are not just my employees – but their families too,” says Svitlana.

ℹ️ For reference:
The program is implemented within the framework of the “Support for Recovery of Kryvyi Rih Rayon” project, funded by the Government of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg through the Luxembourg Development Cooperation Agency (LuxDev) and the Business Development Fund.

Authorized banks: Oschadbank and PrivatBank.