Atlas Network podcast host Michael Carnuccio interviews Nataliya Melnyk, executive director of the Bendukidze Free Market Center, about rebuilding Ukraine’s long-term freedom through human capital and economic education. Nataliya explains why education must be prioritized alongside physical reconstruction and describes efforts to scale access via digital tools, teacher networks, and co-creation with educators, including “hackathons” and small grants. She highlights the Economics Olympiad’s reach (nearly 28,000 participants from 700 institutions) and discusses adapting existing English-language materials through translation and localization. She credits Atlas Network programs—especially Smart Bets, which she calls a risk-tolerant “trust card”—plus training, mentoring, and peer networks for enabling bold innovation and cross-border partnerships with groups in countries such as Georgia and Moldova.

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Show Notes / Timestamps
00:00 Smart Bets Explained
00:43 Ukraine Rebuild Starts Now
03:14 Human Capital First
05:23 Why Education Beats Roads
06:47 Ukraine in Ten Years
08:03 Winning Smart Bets
11:09 Kids Are The Future
13:16 Co Creating With Teachers
16:45 Listening And Piloting
20:05 Breaking Language Barriers
22:53 Changing A Rigid System
25:54 Olympiad Scale And Parents
27:49 Economic Thinking Basics
28:54 Teachers Multiply Impact
31:34 Digital Tools for Educators
33:37 Economics Olympiad Momentum
35:48 Support Atlas Network
36:25 Cross Border Partnerships
42:57 Atlas Network Training and Mentorship
45:49 CEO Summit Peer Learning
51:15 Motivation and Hope
55:21 Closing and Get Involved