Illustration: #Andreeva
#Prykarpattia #Yaremche
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Since the beginning of the war, many internally displaced persons from dangerous regions of Ukraine have moved to Yaremche, a city in Prykarpattia. The family of sisters Natalia and Oksana hosted a mother with small children whose husband stayed behind to defend Kyiv Oblast. The guests baked a lot of sweet treats every day and shared recipes, which inspired the sisters to finally realize their own dream—to open a home bakery.
Even before February 24, Natalia and Oksana started making marshmallows. Now, they have significantly expanded their range of bakery items: they make traditional pastries like pliatsky, zavyvantsi, buns with poppy seeds, syrnyky, pampushky, cheesecakes, and cupcakes. The recipes are taken from their mother's old notebook and old family records and from the recipe book left by the nuns who once lived in Yaremche. The whole family helps the sisters with the cooking. They purchase products at their own expense and send all earnings to the needs of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Today almost every business in Ukraine gives part of its income to the army or to charity.
Homemade baking allows internally displaced people to feel more comfortable when they are evacuated or have lost their homes. In addition, Natalia and Oksana hold charity evenings. On April 3, they held a candy fair and a performance by the cover band Borshchahivka in a local museum. The sisters managed to collect 5,000 hryvnas for the Armed Forces from the sale of baking, and visitors donated more than 12,000 hryvnas.
The sisters plan to continue the work of the home bakery and hold more charity events. Natalia and Oksana are going to donate the next funds they raise to buy ammunition for the military.