A social hub has been operating in Mykolaiv for over a year now. It is a space where people can rent essential construction tools for free, call in professionals for minor home repairs, and use the services of a sewing workshop. The hub’s visitors are residents of the Mykolaiv and Kherson regions who have been affected by the war. Most of them are internally displaced persons who have lost practically everything due to the war.
In the sewing workshop, people can not only repair old clothes but also sew clothing or home textiles, refurbish children’s toys, and alter old items into new ones. Two skilled seamstresses assist all visitors to the sewing department. However, there are also those who do not need the experts’ help—after all, sewing and working with sewing machines has always been a part of their lives.
A beloved craft that saves lives. The story of Ms. Larisa
Larysa first picked up a needle when she was 10 years old. Her mother instilled in her a love for sewing and taught her the main secrets of working with a sewing machine. Now 85 years old, she has been sewing her entire adult life. Larysa visits the social hub often. Usually with her husband, who is 90 years old. While she works at the machine, Mr. Volodymyr waits for his wife.
“Today I came to alter some bedding. I came last week too—I altered a summer blouse, mended a dress, and repaired my husband’s pants. Summer is coming soon, so we need to start getting ready. We don’t have many things, so we take care of them as best we can,” — the woman shares.
Ms. Larisa and her husband are displaced persons from Kherson. After the city was liberated and due to intensifying shelling, they packed a small bag and went to stay with relatives in Poland. They planned to stay there for a few months but ended up staying for 1.5 years. However, their hearts always remained in Ukraine. That’s why, last year, Larisa once again traveled a long way and returned to her homeland.
“My husband and I are currently renting a small apartment in Mykolaiv. We didn’t dare go to Kherson. It’s very dangerous and scary there right now. Everything is left behind in my hometown—the house, my old life, friends, acquaintances, our cat Asya (a neighbor is looking after her), and my sewing machine. I worked in a tailor shop for most of my life, sewing outerwear. I had a sewing machine at home, too. I remember that everyone was always asking me to hem or mend something: sometimes pants needed to be shortened, sometimes clothes had torn, or I was asked to sew curtains or make costumes for the kids for the holidays. For me, it was a joy to do. “My old ‘Chaika’ sewing machine has sewn so much clothing, it’s hard to even imagine,” — shares Larisa.
Now, sewing is not just an opportunity for Ms. Larisa to do what she loves, but a real lifeline for her and her husband.
“My husband and I don’t have enough money to buy new clothes. Our pension isn’t very big. Everything we earn together goes toward rent, medicine, and groceries. People give us a lot of clothes, but they’re often damaged or too big. So I alter everything, patch things up here and there, and sometimes even change the style. You could say I’m the one who dresses us. The Hub helps us a lot; we use its services all the time. Everything here is free, which is very important to us. “You have such nice, modern sewing machines. They work quickly and efficiently. I’ve never sewn on ones like these before, so I’m still getting used to them. When I work on them, I feel young and believe that everything will be okay,” — Ms. Larisa emphasizes with confidence.
The story of Mr. Valery, who is returning to life by doing what he loves
Mr. Valery is also a displaced person from Kherson. He is 72 years old. It has been over a year since he and his wife were forced to leave their home and move to Mykolaiv.
“We stayed in Kherson, you could say, until the very end. We endured the occupation and had practically gotten used to the endless air raid sirens, explosions, and enemy attacks. However, after yet another shelling, our house was badly damaged. It was no longer possible to live there. So we packed our things and went to Mykolaiv, since it’s the closest to home,” — says Valery.
With the start of full-scale war, the man lost not only his home but also the business he had built over nearly his entire life. In his hometown of Kherson, Mr. Mykola had a small private business where he sewed backpacks and bags. He designed all the models himself and sewed them himself. But, unfortunately, the war changed everything.
“There was a strike on my business—a very heavy strike. We were unable to save almost anything at the business. The equipment that survived had to be scrapped. The work of my entire life was destroyed and turned into a pile of rubble in literally a matter of hours. Sewing was my hobby, which I managed to turn into a job,” — the man recalls with sadness.
Now he continues to sew, but only for himself. He often comes to the hub to alter clothes, patch up an old backpack, or hem his wife’s favorite dress.
“The hub is a huge help to our family. I can fix many items that need repair on my own in the workshop, and for free. This is important to us. After all, sending these items out for repair or buying a new sewing machine is very expensive. Working at the hub is always comfortable; everything I need is right at hand.“Sitting at my sewing machine, I’m not only helping my family save money, but I’m also doing something I love. The hub brought sewing back into my life, and I’m very grateful,” — Valery emphasizes.
The Mykolaiv hub is located at 13/9 Mariupolska Street
Workshop phone number: +38 050 449 53 22
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).