Mrs. Olena Zelenska was born on 6 February 1978 in Kryvyi Rih. As First Lady, Olena Zelenska champions causes related to healthcare, culture, and social inclusion. The social activities of the First Lady of Ukraine, before the full-scale invasion, had four main directions:
1. the health of future generations (improvement of the school food system and the development
of the National Strategy for a safe school environment),
2. the implementation of a barrier-free environment,
3. equal opportunities (fight against domestic and gender-based violence),
4. cultural diplomacy (introduction of audio guides in Ukrainian in museums around the world).
After the Russian full-scale invasion of Ukraine, at the initiative of the First Lady, projects in the field of medicine are being developed: evacuation of children with severe cancer diseases abroad with further treatment there, the search for equipment for children's hospitals, in particular, incubators for newborns. In the humanitarian sphere, Olena Zelenska takes care of sending orphans for a long-term stay abroad. The First Lady also oversees humanitarian aid to family-type orphanages, large families, and elderly people who have remained and live in the liberated territories. To reinforce the connection with the Homeland for forcibly displaced people, the First Lady initiated the project "Books without borders". 280,000 books in Ukrainian were printed for children who left their homes due to Russian aggression and found shelter in 20 countries. In September 2022, Mrs Zeleska presented her Foundation. It’s primary goal is to restore Ukraine's human capital so that every Ukrainian feels physically and mentally healthy, protected, and able to exercise their right to education, work, and build a future in Ukraine. Mrs. Olena Zelenska also champions the Summit of the First Ladies and Gentlemen, which aims to unite the first ladies and gentlemen of the world for the purpose of creating an international platform to share experiences and implement joint projects for the well-being of people in the world; to discuss the current problems and activities of the first ladies and gentlemen to solve them.
