She Made: discovery & recovery of Ukraine
Eco-Estate “Podilska Rodyna”
Oksana Bas
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.
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.
It sounds like
- Oksana, your eco-estate feels like a universe in itself! Could you tell us how you started building this ecosystem of experiences?
Oksana Bas: 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.
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. The city doesn’t offer the kind of space and freedom you can have on your own land. I discovered a fund that supported rural housing construction by offering loans at 3–5% annual interest. However, to qualify for the program, you had to live in a village. Eventually, we bought a house through this program, but it wasn’t ready for living, and we still had to repay the loan.
That’s when we started brainstorming ways to earn money. We came up with programs for children, including workshops. The first workshop was about cow milking, followed by sessions on making traditional rag dolls and baking with dough.
Everything you see on the estate today was built by my husband. We began earning money and reinvested most of it—not into household comforts but into creating workshops where we could work and develop our ideas.
- Where did you find your first guests for these workshops? How did they hear about you?
Oksana Bas: We began exploring rural tourism while still living with my parents in Bar. It was a large private house, and our first guests came there, to the outskirts of the city. We shared stories about the city’s history, which was founded by Polish Queen Bona Sforza, along with other fascinating local legends. To this day, I continue to collect stories, legends, traditions, and recipes because they captivate our visitors. We participated in exhibitions and created brochures and magazines. While they didn’t yield immediate results, they often sparked interest three to five years later. Most of the time, we received requests to organize workshops for children’s groups—to entertain them, introduce them to rural life, and teach them something new. I remember spending three days creating a cow model to demonstrate milking, only for the children to dismantle it in half an hour! (Laughs.) But we noticed that parents were genuinely interested in teaching their children about Ukrainian culture, so we started expanding our programs.
Entertainment for adults is usually plentiful, but there’s often little for children. During educational events, adults are typically prioritized, while children are an afterthought. We decided to flip that dynamic. When parents visit with their kids, I tell them, "Here, children come first. If there’s time and opportunity, we’ll organize something for you. Otherwise, feel free to explore the grounds, chat, or relax in the gazebo at the far end of the yard."
It sounds like
“Here, you can not only take photos but also interact with the exhibits. You can try them out and experience how they worked firsthand.” — Oksana Bas, founder of the eco-estate “Podilska Rodyna”
- What types of tours and activities do you offer?
Oksana Bas: 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.
Many of the items in the museum were donated by people who didn’t want them destroyed or discarded. We tell them, "We can preserve these items and share their stories." This way, they continue to have a life here rather than being forgotten.
We also 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.
For instance, a tourist company from Vinnytsia once approached us about hosting a group of German car enthusiasts. We developed a special program of workshops and issued bilingual certificates titled "Beginner Ukrainian Villager" in both Ukrainian and German.
It sounds like
- Which of your workshops is currently the most popular?
Oksana Bas: Several workshops are quite popular, including baking "Larks" from dough, creating "Angels" from corn husks, and crafting clay whistles.
- Could you provide more details about these workshops? How do prices vary?
Oksana Bas: Workshops can be customized, so prices vary. Additionally, the same workshop might cost more during winter due to increased heating expenses.
For instance, the "Ukrainian Power of Traditions" program focuses on reviving and preserving crafts and traditions. It begins by the stove, where I explain the process of making traditional "Lark" bread. Then, my colleague, Mrs. Lyudmyla, shares insights about traditional toys and teaches participants how to craft a protective "Angel" from corn husks. The program concludes in the garden, complete with swings and photo zones.
The program lasts 2–2.5 hours and costs 200–250 UAH per person, depending on the season. Participants also have the option to purchase handmade items or local products at the souvenir shop.
This winter, we introduced pottery workshops. Prices start at 200 UAH per hour, which includes firing the items and delivering them to participants via "Nova Poshta."
- How do you promote your business, and how can clients book your services?
Oksana Bas: 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. We aim to provide multiple contact options so that clients can choose the method that is most convenient for them.
“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.”
- You participated in a grant program organized by the Rural Women’s Business Network with support from UN Women Ukraine and WPHF. How did this program help you, and what changed afterward?
Oksana Bas: Thanks to this support, 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. We learned about the business improvement competition organized by the Rural Women’s Business Network, applied, and won. While the grant wasn’t very large, it was incredibly impactful. It allowed us to introduce new offerings and enhance our business. My husband, who is currently serving in the Armed Forces of Ukraine, showcased blacksmithing skills before the war and always dreamed of adding pottery to our services. This grant helped us begin realizing his dream, and when he returns, we plan to continue developing this idea together.
Pottery is particularly engaging for children, who enjoy creating and taking home local souvenirs. We craft whistles and bells with them, which have a beautiful sound due to the resonant quality of fired clay — a natural and eco-friendly material. Even the Rural Women’s Business Network placed an order with us for whistles featuring their logo and custom packaging. This aligns perfectly with the growing demand for eco-friendly products. We delivered the items, and they were very well received. We are also working to master the potter’s wheel, though it requires significant practice and dedication. It’s a challenging but exciting addition to our craft.
It sounds like
“At our workshops, we teach visitors and offer a platform for those interested in pursuing this field. Having received support myself, I feel a responsibility to give back, and I do so gladly.”
- How do you collaborate with the local community? Do you involve local artisans?
Oksana Bas: We used to work with a family who eventually decided to branch out and offer their own workshops independently. Another artisan became the director of a museum in the city of Bar.
Some people ask, "Don’t you feel regret that you taught them, and they left you?" I don’t. I believe it’s essential to support growth and provide opportunities for people to develop. At our workshops, we teach visitors and offer a platform for those interested in pursuing this field.
Having received support myself, I feel a responsibility to give back, and I do so gladly. We’ve also collaborated with local artisans to create equipment.
For example, with grant funds from UN Women Ukraine and WPHF, we purchased an electric muffle kiln. However, instead of buying a pre-made one, which was very expensive, we found a ceramics enterprise in the Vinnytsia region that could custom-build kilns. This allowed us to acquire the equipment while also supporting local producers.
- How has your business life changed during the ongoing war?
Oksana Bas: My husband and son joined the Armed Forces of Ukraine at the start of the war and the full-scale Russian invasion. I was left to manage all the household responsibilities on my own. Some of the heavy tasks that my husband used to handle were beyond my physical strength, but I didn’t stress too much about things like unplowed fields. The most important thing is that they stay alive, and I do everything I can to support them.
- What is your business dream?
Oksana Bas: In my husband’s homeland in the Khmelnytskyi region, there is an abandoned school. 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.
Support products and services crafted by women in Ukraine. Stay updated with “Podilska Rodyna”
The idea and coordination of the project: the UN Women Ukraine team. The civil society organizations that were involved in selecting entrepreneurship stories: The Rural Women's Business Network.
Media Expedition: General Producer of Marie Claire Business and Project Creative Director: Julia Brosko. Head of Brand Marie Claire Ukraine: Kateryna Fastovets. Expedition Team Administration: Yanina Provotar. Photos on this page: Nadia Berska. Video: Marharyta Omelchuk. Editing: Viktor Khodosov. Texts: Julia Brosko. Retouching: Olena Chykylova. Web: Vitalii Provotar. Expedition Driver: Svitlana Sapon.
The United Nations Women’s Peace and Humanitarian Fund (WPHF) is the only global mechanism exclusively dedicated to supporting women’s participation in peacebuilding, security processes, and humanitarian assistance. Governed by a group of representatives from civil society, governments, and the UN, WPHF is a multi-partner trust fund that mobilizes urgently needed funding for local, women-led organizations and works alongside women on the front lines to build sustainable peace.
Since 2016, WPHF has provided funding and strengthened the capacity of more than 1,000 local women’s civil society organizations working on the "Women, Peace, and Security" agenda and implementing humanitarian initiatives in 41 crisis-affected countries worldwide.
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.