Today, Ms. Tetyana from Snigurivka, Mykolaiv region, came to the social laundry in high spirits early in the morning. The clothes she had brought in for washing a few days ago were now clean, dry, carefully folded into a bag, and ready to be worn again.
“Our city has constant problems with water supply. Often there is no water at all, or it flows from the taps brown. It is very difficult for residents to maintain hygiene in their homes. Not everyone has a washing machine, and elderly people can no longer wash by hand due to poor health. Therefore, the social laundry is a real lifesaver for me and all the city’s residents. The washed items are always clean, stain-free, and have a very pleasant scent. You don’t need to bring washing powder or other laundry detergents with you; everything you need is provided on site. What’s more, the laundry services are free of charge. The laundry room is a great help to us. I have been a regular user for 10 months now. I come here almost every week and am very grateful for this assistance,” — says the woman.
Ms. Tetyana is a native of the city of Snigurivka, now retired and single. Her husband died 10 years ago. Her children grew up and moved away. Since then, she has been trying to live on her own. She even endured the occupation of the city alone.
“I’m used to dealing with all the problems that come my way on my own. When I was younger, it was easier. I had more energy, worked overtime, saved money all the time, and somehow managed to get by. Now I’m retired and get about 3,000 hryvnia. That money is nowhere near enough for anything. A lot of money goes to medicine, and the rest to food and repairs to the house, which was badly damaged during one of the shellings. Even buying washing powder is very expensive for me,” — the woman shares her problems.
Ms. Tetyana does not have her own washing machine. Due to a lack of funds, she cannot afford to buy one. Therefore, she usually washes all dirty clothes by hand.
“Linen and some light items can still be washed this way, but when I need to wash bedding or winter coats, it’s too much work for me. Afterwards, I can’t lift my arms for several days; they don’t listen to me. It’s good that there is now a social laundry in our city. Almost all the city’s residents use it, so sometimes you have to wait several days for your laundry to be done. Especially now, when there are problems with electricity. I bring my things, they register me, and then when the things are washed, they call me. But that’s not a problem, the main thing is that I don’t have to wash by hand. You can’t even imagine how much people needed this kind of help,” — emphasizes Ms. Tetyana.
In almost 10 months of operation, more than 18,000 people have used the services of the Social Laundry. These are residents not only of the city of Snigurivka, but also of neighboring settlements in the Mykolaiv and Kherson regions that have suffered from the effects of the war. Laundry services are provided free of charge. Visitors do not need to bring anything with them. All the necessary laundry supplies are available on site.
The stationary laundry in Snigurivka 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).