Volodymyr
Lebedev

“Dim myloserdya” (The House of Mercy) is a project in Kropyvnytskyi that helps people who live below the poverty line. We offer our clients Carpathian souvenirs, medicinal teas, boards, rolling pins, shovels, embroidered shirts from the best masters. The idea is to promote our culture, to support Ukrainian masters. People who take our goods know that part of the money goes to the “The House of Mercy” – a free hostel for homeless people. During seven years of existence, the team has survived the Maidan, the war, two presidents and is now struggling with a quarantine crisis. “Since we work all over the city, in the districts (we are considered a moving trade), on March 11, law enforcement officers approached me and forbade me to sell our products because quarantine had been introduced. We got together and went home. We have been sitting at home for two months now.” The project has moved to online sales, but that’s not enough to help people on the streets. “We are now selling online, but these are not comparable to the sales before the quarantine. We try to keep regular customers. Our products are not the most important things during the quarantine. Unfortunately. Please note that more people are now asking for help.”