In the words of entrepreneur Oksana Bas: ‘Thanks to support, we were able to launch a new venture — pottery and sculpting workshops’

Oksana Bas has transformed her home in the picturesque village of Haiove, part of the Bar City Community, into a captivating park of folkloric experiences. Guests are greeted with aromatic raspberry tea brewed in a cauldron and a delightfully fluffy apple pie. The air carries the warm scent of wood and stove smoke, creating a cozy and inviting atmosphere. Every building on the property is labeled, and a significant portion of the eco-estate is dedicated to an educational museum that celebrates rural life.

Oksana Bas has turned her home into a unique folkloric park that has become her thriving business. Her work extends beyond hospitality; it focuses on preserving cultural heritage, popularizing traditional crafts, and showcasing the beauty of rural Ukrainian traditions to contemporary audiences. About eco-estate ‘Podilska Rodyna’ — read in Oksana Bas’s story.

‘By profession, I am a math and physics teacher and worked in the city. However, I always dreamed of owning a house in a village. In 1998 or 1999, I came across the concept of rural green tourism in Ukraine. It fascinated me, so I began attending conferences and talking to people who already had experience in this field. I realized it could become an exciting hobby for me. Eventually, the hobby turned into a business.

In ‘Podilska Rodyna’ we host a variety of workshops, including sausage making, bread baking, singing Ukrainian songs, dancing, crafting rag dolls from corn husks, basic weaving, and forging horseshoes. We strive to adapt to demand and often create custom programs. We have a permanent museum of rural life where visitors can try using a washboard or an antique iron. Here, you can not only take photos but also interact with the exhibits. You can try them out and experience how they worked firsthand.

For promotion of our business — we primarily rely on word of mouth, but we also use social media. Our eco-estate has a Facebook page, and we communicate with clients through Messenger, Viber, Telegram, or phone calls. The program lasts 2–2.5 hours and costs can vary, depending on the season. Participants also have the option to purchase handmade items or local products at the souvenir shop.

Thanks to support of NGO ‘Rural Women Business Network’, UN Women Ukraine and UN Women's Peace and Humanitarian Fund (WPHF), we were able to launch a new venture — pottery and sculpting workshops. Bar ceramics were once renowned and highly valued, but today the tradition has been lost, and no artisans remain. This inspired us to launch pottery workshops to revive this unique craft.

My dream is to purchase the building and transform it into a school for master craftsmen and a hotel. I envision setting up workshops for various crafts, where artisans can stay for a month, demonstrate their work, teach local residents and tourists, and conduct classes. I also want to create a space where craftswomen can come together, connect, and collaboratively develop their skills and crafts’.

Read the full story: https://www.shemade.marieclaire.ua/en/portfolio/oksana-bas-eco-farm-podilska-rodyna/

The project 'She Made: discovery & recovery of Ukraine' was created by Marie Claire Business Ukraine and UN Women Ukraine funded by The United Nations Women’s Peace and Humanitarian Fund (WPHF). WPHF mobilizes critical support for local and grassroots civil society organizations working on women, peace and security and humanitarian action. WPHF is a flexible and rapid financing mechanism supporting quality interventions designed to enhance the capacity of women to prevent conflict, respond to crises and emergencies, and seize key peacebuilding opportunities.

This publication is produced with funding from the United Nations Women’s Peace and Humanitarian Fund (WPHF), however, the views expressed and content included does not imply official endorsement or acceptance by the United Nations.

Photos: UN Women Ukraine/Nadiia Berska