IRYNA IVANKOVA - “THE PROJECT LITERALLY SAVED MY LIFE”

Since I was a child I’ve always loved my small garden and flowersaround our house. I was born in the workers’ small town of Popasnaya-2 of Luhansk oblast. Like most children born not far from the railway-car repair plant, I used to believe that a technical career was what I had to choose in my life. I graduated from the Kramatorsk Industrial Institute and started to work as a technical designer at one of the plants. A small house with a garden in Raihorodets was just a hobby for me. But in the 90’s, when the state was collapsing together with my well-being, I  re-assessed the value of my garden. It became one of the few sources of income for me and my family. We sold surpluses at the market receiving some money, which was important as there were long delays with receiving salary at work.I

Khudiaky village, Cherkasy raion, Cherkasy oblast, could have disappeared from the map of Ukraine long ago. Its history is very interesting and difficult at the same time, and started in distant 17 century. A big trade route used to run across the village, and local lands used to give rich harvests. But in 1956 the village faced a great challenge. Due to construction of  hydroelectric power station on the Dniper river an artificial sea was created which covered everything that had been built and created during many years. People were resettled to the other areas and had to start from nothing. Thanks to their hard work the beauty of these lands was revived. But economic situation in the village is still unstable. The lack of jobs and poverty of the villagers are the obstacles to the development of the village which destroy every hope for success.

HEIFER CONTINUES HELPING FAMILIES THAT SUFFERED FROM THE FLOODING IN WESTERN UKRAINE

If in July 2008 you had traveled to Western Ukraine, you wouldn’t have see that magnificent Ukrainian Carpathians, depicted in fancy tourist brochures, you wouldn’t have seen see well-groomed houses with green yards, and cattle on the broad pastures, you wouldn’t have see happy families working on their farms. You wouldn’t have even got to the point of your destination without a helicopter. Roads turned into precipices and the way from house to house could only be made in a boat. The flood ruined more than 40 thousand houses arable lands, destroyed 560 bridges and 360 roads. Thousands of Ukrainian families were left without places to live and with no means to survive. No fodder left for cattle in the villages, and coming winter promised only hunger and poverty.