“Zelenyi Podykh”, a new example of social business

The success story of the "Zelenyi Podykh" (Green Breath) team from the Mykolaiv region is an example of how a single idea can grow into a socially oriented enterprise capable of changing the life of a community. The team is led by Halyna Sekker, who says she learned about the Impactpreneurship 2.0 course during a meeting of a working group on community safety and social cohesion. Halyna admits that she had previously doubted her own abilities and was not confident in her own ideas, but her love of learning and her interest in the course prompted her to apply. Together with like-minded people, she formed a team that became the foundation for implementing an idea that had long been taking shape.

The "Zelenyi Podykh" project has a clear goal: to create a socially oriented enterprise that addresses two key problems, adapting the agricultural sector to climate change and providing economic and social support to vulnerable groups such as veterans with disabilities, internally displaced persons, rural women, and unemployed youth. "The primary problem that prompted me to create this project is the impact of climate change on grape growing, the decline in its productivity, and the disappearance of certain varieties. To preserve the crop, we had to use a lot of chemical products. That is how the idea arose of building a greenhouse for grapes, to protect them from climate change and grow environmentally clean produce," the team captain shared with us enthusiastically.

Halyna also emphasizes that the project is distinctive not only for growing grapes but also for creating comfortable conditions for its workers. "Have you seen many greenhouses with a vineyard, music, and a relaxation area for the workers? I certainly haven't. We believe the social dimension of our project will make it easier to carry out work tasks and, overall, to love one's job. We don't just grow products, we grow products with love," Halyna notes.

The Impactpreneurship 2.0 course helped the team recognize the social dimension of business and its significance. "We learned to see how a social component helps not only people but the business itself," Halyna shares. The team's success was supported by mentor Andrii Honcharov and by the mutual understanding within the community. Halyna notes: "The most important thing in our team is support and shared values." The "Zelenyi Podykh" team includes several core members: the idea initiator and project manager, a communications manager, an accountant, and a marketer. All team members are interchangeable and support one another; each of them is capable of performing any tasks related to the projects. In addition to the core team, they collaborate with a lawyer, an accountant, and a wide circle of friends from various fields who are always ready to help.

Despite all the challenges, the project's main achievement was understanding its impact on the community. "We plan to employ veterans with disabilities and rural women, providing them with a comfortable place to work. And through our own example, we want to show residents that you have to believe in your own strength! Nothing is impossible," Halyna says. The project is also geared toward scaling. The team plans to develop the idea of preserving grapes and providing comfortable workplaces for other communities.

For Halyna, the Impactpreneurship 2.0 course became not only a source of knowledge but also a platform for inspiration. "Over the past year it has become harder and harder for me to find strength, but the trainings and people's stories give me a sense of support. When you are among like-minded people, it's as if you grow wings," Halyna shared. Her advice to others is to believe in yourself: "You are capable of far more than you think."

The "Zelenyi Podykh" project is an example of how a small team with a big idea can change people's lives. The team's motto, "Together we can do more!", continues to inspire and unite the community, demonstrating that social entrepreneurship in Ukraine holds enormous potential. "Social entrepreneurship is a business that brings both satisfaction and benefit," Halyna is convinced.

The initiative "Course in Social Entrepreneurship 'Impactpreneurship' on the FUNdraiser platform" is implemented by the NGO "International Agency for Change" with the assistance of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Ukraine, with financial support from the governments of Denmark and the Netherlands and financial support from the European Union provided within the framework of the "EU4Recovery, Empowering Communities in Ukraine" project.