The initiative: "Beginner Chef" courses
Cooks in Chernivtsi are offered a decent salary and there are always vacancies for them. However, forced migrants who need work the most cannot spend years learning a new profession. Organizers of courses for novice cooks managed to train 25 such specialists in three months!
The idea was embodied by professional chefs of the "Ultra Babusia" cafe relocated from Donetsk region to Chernivtsi. Also, the victory in the competition of SCLR projects prompted them to open their own public organization "With Ukraine to the Future". The head of the NGO, Polina Semenets, admits: she dreamed about it for a long time, so that it would be easier to implement her own volunteer projects, but she dared only now.
- We held many charity events even when we were working in Donetsk region, after the beginning of the Russian offensive in 2014, - said Polina Semenets. - They supported an orphanage, boarding schools, families with many children in Donetsk region. Already after moving to Chernivtsi, they conducted master classes for the children of fallen servicemen and other most vulnerable young Bukovyna residents on their own. The opening of a public organization will give us more opportunities to do good deeds, that's why we took advantage of the support of the NGO "AREAC" and became a part of the public sector of Bukovyna.
The team of "Ultra Babusia" - an institution that has grown from a small coffee shop to the most famous restaurant in Sloviansk in 15 years - knows the needs of immigrants very well. After all, moving 1,200 km away from the war-torn Donetsk region was experienced firsthand.
- When we opened in Chernivtsi, many visitors from the East recognized us, IDP women, who find it difficult to find work in Chernivtsi, began to apply, - says Iryna Pravdivtseva, chef of "Ultra Babusia". - Imagine: people with higher education, who left everything in the occupied territories, are ready to go wash dishes or clean, just to feed their families. And when we offered them to try themselves as cooks, they were embarrassed and did not believe in their abilities. I have been convinced more than once that it is not difficult to give the basic knowledge of a cook or confectioner to a person who has a knack for it. There is always a need for such specialists, and almost none of the restaurateurs require a diploma. That's why we taught the basics of culinary art, as well as job search skills, at the courses.
By their own example, the "Ultra Grandmother" team proves that self-belief and mutual support work wonders. The whole team left from under shelling in Donetsk region, with four trucks of equipment and furniture. The rented premises in the center of Chernivtsi became a new home for the team. And now this house supports those who are most difficult now.
In particular, two course participants are already working at "Ultra Babusia", several others are planning or have already found work in other restaurants in Bukovyna. Others use the knowledge gained to prepare healthy food for their own family and to teach it to their children. The project also helped to establish friendly relations between people who found themselves in equally difficult life conditions. Even during their studies, IDPs began to help each other, provide psychological support and share experiences.
The initiative was implemented as part of the SCLR program for supporting community initiatives of Bukovyna NR "AREAC - Chernivtsi Regional Association for Social Development" with the administrative support of Fundatia Heks/Eper Romania and the financial support of Swiss Solidarity and Act Alliance.