ADRA Ukraine previously talked about Adventist businessman Volodimir Zelinsky, who received a grant for the implementation of a charity project – “Tavita” Atelier. This social business has been successfully operating since June 1 this year in the city of Shumsk of Ternopil region. The atelier is engaged in sewing embroidery clothes “vyshyvanka”, bags with individual embroideries to order, bed linen, as well as repairing clothes. The feature of the project is that the poor, IDPs and persons with disabilities offer significant discounts or even can repair clothes for free. We talked with Volodimir to find out what has been achieved during this time.

“We officially opened on June 1, although the first customers were before that date. From the first day the doors of the studio are opened to visitors. The official opening took place in mid-June without unnecessary pathos, balls and noisy celebrations. We, as believers, decided to do it modestly: invited the pastor, prayed together, and thus began our activities.

During this time, 352 people visited us, about 40-45% of them have already applied repeatedly, and we have regular customers. For a city with a population of 5 thousand, which due to the war has decreased, this is a very good result.

Embroidery “vyshyvanka” is a seasonal garment. Demand for them usually grows from spring to the end of summer, and in autumn and winter there comes a certain lull. Therefore, now we are more focused on repairing clothes. Most customers bring things for repair, especially warm winter clothes. For example, recently a man brought a jacket to replace the zipper.

We also plan to expand the range. We want to try sewing sleeping bags for mass sale. There are orders, and, honestly, we do not even always have time to complete everything on time. So now we are thinking about hiring another seamstress. We work together with my wife, but the load is growing, so we need some help.

Our goal is to increase production to increase profits. We are planning a mass production of bed linen and sleeping bags, which we will sell both through the Internet and through stores. For example, recently we received an order from one hotel: it was necessary to embroider a logo on 20 bedspreads.

On average, 3-5 customers come to us every day. Recently, a woman ordered us to change the dress – these are typical everyday tasks for our studio. If we see that a person needs help, we provide discounts or even do the work for free. Often we help IDPs or people with low-income, realizing how difficult it is for everyone now.

We also received an interesting order from friends who wanted to make a gift to relatives in Lithuania. They ordered an embroidered shopper bag with a symbolic image of friendship between Ukraine and Lithuania. I came up with the idea to embroider two hands holding each other, and add bracelets in the colors of the flags of both countries. This product has become a unique gift, and we even made several similar bags for the whole family.

A feature of this design is the ability to change the colors of the bracelets to any flags, so this shopper can be a great gift for people from different countries. “