Selling Ukrainian honey at weekly markets in Berlin
Alexander Gankin wants to collect donations for Ukrainian children and families who have become internally displaced persons. Especially at Christmas, children should forget the horror of war for a moment and be happy about an unexpected Christmas gift!
The idea to sell Ukrainian honey in Germany came to Alexander Gankin at the beginning of the war against Ukraine. In its first weeks, he went to Berlins central station to help the arriving Ukrainian refugees. Seeing the peoples suffering moved him deeply, but one story inspired him. A Ukrainian woman told him that she had to leave her beehive at home. Honey is almost a sacred product in Ukraine, Alexander thought and also of great quality.
Alexander started to look for suppliers, which required effort. Some beekeepers went to the front to defend their country, others lost their houses and cars, and others hardly found fuel for transportation.
But even under war conditions, people found a way out, and Alexander got the first batch for sale – five different kinds of honey. He is most proud of the mountain honey collected in the Carpathians.
When Alexander began to sell Ukrainian honey in Berlin at Markthalle 9 and the weekly market on Kollwitzplatz, he quickly noticed that customers kept asking about Ukraine and wanted to help.
That’s why Alexander and WE AID are starting a Christmas fundraising campaign. Alexander wants to collect donations for children of internally displaced people and give them presents for Christmas. He also wants to support volunteers, especially from the “Step to Hope” foundation in Dnipro. The foundation delivers supplies to the Zaporizhzhya, Donetsk, and Luhansk regions, where people live under heavy shelling, often without gas or electricity.
WE AID is happy to assist Alexander with fundraising and sending donations to Ukraine. Together with Alexander, we would like his customers to enjoy delicious Ukrainian honey in the cold pre-Christmas season and contribute to the support of Ukrainians. Some families would receive much-needed help in winter, and children would get Christmas gifts. Because there is no better time to donate warmth and support.