From Gaza and Ukraine towards the future: the stories of Fatena and Olha, two young women whose lives were disrupted by war. Thanks to the Changemaker Scholarship, they are now rebuilding their paths and embarking on a new journey through design.
IED and the Francesco Morelli Foundation in the Changemaker Scholarship Programme of the TSH Talent Foundation
Date
30 October 2026
Behind the stories of two very young designers, Fatena Mohanna and Olha Serpionova, lies the Changemaker Scholarship Programme Partnership established between the Istituto Europeo di Design (IED), together with the Francesco Morelli Foundation, and the TSH Talent Foundation. The initiative is designed to support talented individuals facing vulnerable circumstances, including refugees and recently arrived immigrants with limited access to educational, social, healthcare or financial resources, as well as first-generation university students, namely those who are the first in their family to pursue a degree.
Thanks to the Changemaker Scholarship Programme, Fatena and Olha have been selected to attend the 2026/27 academic year at IED. The two young women do not know one another, and their journeys began in different places and, unfortunately, amid different conflicts. What unites them is the determination to begin again through design at one of the most challenging moments in their lives. Both have received a scholarship covering the full cost of their respective study programmes at IED Roma and IED Firenze, as well as one year of accommodation at The Social Hub residences in Rome and Florence, and access to the Scholar Journey, the holistic programme supported by TSH Talent. It is a tangible form of support and an opportunity to rebuild their futures.
IED’s participation in the Changemaker Scholarship Programme reflects its commitment to contributing to a more inclusive future and to promoting sustainability as a design approach. For IED, design means taking responsibility for the impact that every decision can have on people, communities and the environment. The aim is to educate professionals capable of driving positive transformation, with an awareness of the interconnections between natural, cultural, social and economic systems.
The stories of Fatena and Olha
Fatena Mohanna was born in Gaza. She studied Software Engineering and later developed a strong interest in UX/UI Design and the relationship between people and technology, with the goal of creating digital tools designed around human needs. When the war broke out, she began documenting what was happening around her, staying in contact with Italian journalists to report what she witnessed every day and contributing to reports broadcast on RAI programmes. However, the conflict interrupted her academic and professional development for three years. Today, she is in Italy, learning Italian, and will once again be able to study what she loves by enrolling in the Master's Programme in User Interface Design & AI at IED Rome.
«I began studying UX design on my own in Gaza, watching YouTube videos and searching for every resource I could find online. It was not easy: sometimes we only had four or six hours of electricity a day, and I had to organise my studies around that. I was studying Software Engineering, but I realised that I did not want simply to write code. I wanted to find solutions that could genuinely improve people’s lives. Then the war came, and I was forced to interrupt that path. Today, being able to study again means returning to a principle I deeply believe in: designing things that make us human again. I am certain there are many people who feel as I do, as though we have all become products and tools serving a new life dominated by technology. I would like to contribute to the development of technology that puts people first, not for myself, but for the generations that will come after me», says Fatena Mohanna.
Olha Serpionova is Ukrainian. Due to the war, already affecting part of her country, she moved to Italy seven years ago, where she completed her secondary education and learned Italian. After graduating from school, she chose to study Communication Design at IED and, together with a fellow student, conducted research on freedom of expression online, a topic that is, unsurprisingly, very close to her own experience. Thanks to the Changemaker Scholarship Programme, she has begun the third year of the Communication Design programme at IED Firenze without having to interrupt her studies, despite the profound impact the war has had on her family.
«Studying at IED was an important choice, but also a significant financial commitment for my family. My mother has always done everything possible to allow me to continue my education, even when she found herself having to manage everything on her own. I often wondered how she would be able to cover all the costs. Above all, this scholarship has given me peace of mind: today, I can devote all my energy to my education. Knowing that I can rely on a scholarship, as well as the workshops and opportunities offered through the TSH Talent Foundation programme, gives me even greater motivation to face this final year and build my professional future», says Olha Serpionova.
Photo of Fatena Mohanna.
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