Smart Bets and Ukraine’s Future: Scaling Economic Education with Nataliya Melnyk

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.Support freedom worldwide: https://www.AtlasNetwork.orgShow Notes / Timestamps00:00 Smart Bets Explained00:43 Ukraine Rebuild Starts Now03:14 Human Capital First05:23 Why Education Beats Roads06:47 Ukraine in Ten Years08:03 Winning Smart Bets11:09 Kids Are The Future13:16 Co Creating With Teachers16:45 Listening And Piloting20:05 Breaking Language Barriers22:53 Changing A Rigid System25:54 Olympiad Scale And Parents27:49 Economic Thinking Basics28:54 Teachers Multiply Impact31:34 Digital Tools for Educators33:37 Economics Olympiad Momentum35:48 Support Atlas Network36:25 Cross Border Partnerships42:57 Atlas Network Training and Mentorship45:49 CEO Summit Peer Learning51:15 Motivation and Hope55:21 Closing and Get Involved