A new space always means new opportunities. Additional premises have opened at the Social Hub, which has been operating in Mykolaiv for about eight months. Now, not only adults but also children will enjoy visiting the workshop. In addition to the sewing and light repair departments, which are already familiar to visitors, a meeting room with a children’s area has been added.
In the meeting room, lawyers from the Charitable Foundation will be able to provide free legal advice to anyone who needs legal assistance. And for the youngest visitors to our HUB, we have equipped a children’s area with toys, building blocks, themed games, and interesting coloring books. Here, children who come to the HUB with adults can have fun and enjoy themselves while their parents or grandparents work in the workshops.
According to project manager Tetiana Lyakh, during the time the HUB has been operating in Mykolaiv, it has become clear how much people needed this space. Therefore, expanding the workshop and opening new rooms was a logical continuation of the HUB’s work.
“People come to HUB every day. They sew, update, and repair clothes and other items, rent tools, or call craftsmen to their homes. They know that when they come to us, they will receive the help they need. But we want to be as helpful as possible. That’s why we take care not only of adult visitors, but also of children. To keep children from getting bored and distracting adults from their work, we have created a children’s area with coloring books, games, an educational board, construction sets, and more. It has everything necessary for children of different ages to spend their time with joy and interest, allowing their parents to do useful things for the family in the meantime,” – says Tetiana Lyakh.
Little Rinat was one of the first visitors to the children’s room. While his mother was repairing clothes in the sewing workshop, the boy happily assembled a construction set and tried his hand at being a craftsman, playing with a children’s set of repair tools.
“My son has already told me that he will come with me to the HUB again next time. There are so many toys here, the child plays, looks around, draws, in a word, does his own thing. Meanwhile, I repaired the clothes I brought. Unfortunately, I can’t do this myself at home—I don’t have the necessary tools and I don’t really know how to do it. But here, they always help,” – says Anna.
Anna’s family moved to Mykolaiv more than two years ago. They left their home and everything they owned in their native Kherson. Now they rent a small apartment. While they had the opportunity, they tried to take as much as possible with them from Kherson. Now it is dangerous to return to the city, and there is nowhere to go. In Mykolaiv, the family is trying to start a new life, so they are very happy to receive any help.
“We often come to the HUB, especially to the sewing department. In addition to my son, I also have an older daughter who is 11 years old. Therefore, we constantly need to sew or alter something. And in the workshop, they always help me, and for free. It’s good that there is such a place,” – concludes Anna.
As a reminder, at the Social HUB you can: – repair or sew clothes in the sewing workshop; – use equipment for minor household repairs; – rent construction tools for work at home; – call craftsmen to your home. Children can play independently in the children’s area under the supervision of their parents.
For more information about the Hub, please call: +38 050 449 53 22.
Address of the Social Hub: 13/9 Mariupolska Street, Mykolaiv.
Hours of operation: Monday–Friday, 10:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.
The Mykolaiv Social Hub operates as part of a project implemented by the charitable organization Stabilization Support Services Charitable Foundation and the German humanitarian organization Sign of Hope with financial support from the German Federal Foreign Office (GFFO).