Challenge 2021 – SEED Project Ukraine

CBN’s Orphan’s Promise started the Something to Eat Every Day project – SEED for short – in Ukraine over ten years ago, and today, its template has been successfully implemented in several countries of the former Soviet Union, as well as many other places around the world.

Something To Eat Every Day

Recent Coronavirus restrictions and difficult economic environments have forced us to adapt SEED and change its strategies so that we can better serve vulnerable populations faced with the new challenges.

More people are losing their jobs and are struggling to provide even basic necessities for their families. The need and demand for this project is growing in importance every day.

“The SEED project works in many countries,” says Olga Buznitska, the former Soviet Union Regional Manager. “It stands out from other projects because it doesn’t require one model for all. It gives opportunities and allows people to choose the ones that best suit their heart and situation. SEED brings out ideas saying ‘you can do something’. We want to open the eyes of people and tell them, ‘you have many resources to explore and find your path’.”

Starting from the early Spring this year, more than 6,000 low-income families, and families with multiple children, received a variety of high-quality planting seeds.

At the same time – as a part of the programme – numerous in-person and virtual seminars on training on small and medium-sized business development were conducted in all participating countries. Many low-income families received assistance in the form of livestock, poultry and greenhouse facilities that would allow them to start their own small farms.

Other families received help with ploughing and fertilising their land. All the blessings gave people hope that, one day, they will be able to have a stable income and become self-sustainable, taking care of their children and families by themselves.

“We planted our seeds and grew them. Tomatoes are very tasty and we got a good harvest,” says Nadezhda, a member of one of the SEED communities. “We canned some of it, now we are making tomato juice. Thank you for helping us.”

“We fry them and make them salty. Tomorrow, God willing, we will be canning,” says Liubov, another member of the SEED community. “That way we will have different vegetable produce in the winter. Thank you for the seeds.”

“We planted our seeds and grew them. Tomatoes are very tasty and we got a good harvest.” – Nadezhda

Cupboards, And Hearts, Are Full

Cellars and pantries are stocked with jars of canned tomatoes, zucchini, peppers, egg plants, pickled cucumbers and other vegetables that were grown from the seeds bought by Orphan’s Promise. There are also potatoes, carrots, beets and even fruit jams canned in jars provided through the project.

We can say that, now, these families have everything they need to provide nutritious meals for their children, to survive the cold and barren season. The mothers are happy and grateful as they know that their children will not go hungry this winter.

“I thank Orphan’s Promise for the seeds, it helped a lot. I will have food this winter,” commented another member of the SEED community.

“Thank you for bringing us these. We got a good harvest. Now we will have food to eat!” Exclaimed Vova, a young boy from a SEED community.

The children also happily took part in growing the vegetables and canning them for winter. They also learned a lot watching with joy at how the seeds, put in the ground, became plants and then turned into tasty meals.

Young Nastya says, “I helped my Mum to plant the garden, we will grow cucumbers and potatoes. Most of all I like to eat tomatoes.”

The vulnerable youth from the transition house happily learned how to preserve the food through canning. They gained some valuable life skills for the future. The boys were gladly working alongside the girls. They were eager to prove that the kitchen is not only the women’s kingdom!

Our SEED project has demonstrated again how smart charity works. For over 10 years now, thousands of low-income families have received support that enabled them to stand in the face of life difficulties without fear. They built their future with their own hands, laying a strong foundation of good quality life for themselves and their children.

“it’s impossible to observe the project and not feel hopeful. We sow the seeds of hope. We sow the seeds but we never know how they will grow. But today we rejoice in the fact that it brings such abundant fruit.” concludes Olga.