The Khmelnychanochka Social Tailoring Workshop: When a Business Works for the Community

In a time of war, when people’s needs grow every day, Ukrainian Red Cross branches are seeking new ways to remain a reliable source of support for communities. Funding from donors is limited and cannot meet all needs. This is why social enterprises are becoming an essential part of sustainable work across the regions — enabling branches to generate additional resources and direct them towards supporting the most vulnerable people.

The Khmelnychanochka social tailoring workshop of the Khmilnyk district branch in the Vinnytsia region is a vivid example of how the REDpreneurUA programme helps strengthen social entrepreneurship within Ukrainian Red Cross branches. This social enterprise not only produces high-quality textile items but also builds a resilient and sustainable business model.

This social tailoring workshop is not only about production — it is about creating opportunities for those who need support the most.

The workshop provides employment opportunities for women, internally displaced persons, and members of vulnerable groups, contributing to the development of local entrepreneurship within the Khmilnyk community. It offers affordable products made by the social enterprise and strengthens the community’s economic resilience during wartime. A key aspect of its work is creating a safe and supportive environment for women, while the business model developed by the workshop has strong potential for scaling up its social impact by expanding production and forming new partnerships.

The Khmilnyk district branch of the Ukrainian Red Cross demonstrates that a local initiative can become a significant step towards a sustainable future — where business truly works for people.