Resiliency Gardens for Ukrainian Refugees and IDPs

Dear Friend,

Thank you for your continued support of our partner projects in Ukraine and Poland. We’re excited to share an update on a project we’re supporting in partnership with the Bukovinian Agency for Regional Development (BARD) in Chortkiv, Ukraine. This has been a two year project that first built an urban garden and amphitheatre in the public library yard and then used the space to host a permaculture course. This initiative is helping strengthen community connections while enhancing environmental stewardship through hands-on involvement.

Urban Garden at the Public Library

The public library in the small town of Chortkiv, in western Ukraine, has transformed into a space for people, not just books. This effort transformed the library's outdoor space into a beautiful urban garden for the community to enjoy. It now hosts a variety of cultural and social activities for community members, creating a vibrant and lively place.  

While creating the garden space, care was taken to maximize community involvement, from decision-making to hands-on implementation. By leveraging local knowledge and the unique skills of community members, this transformation is a truly collective effort. The community participated in design sessions and participatory workshops to build seating platforms and benches, bases and shelves for planters, garbage bins, and other essential elements for the yard. More than 20 people took part, including enthusiastic schoolchildren, neighbors, local carpenters, a welder, and others who simply wanted to contribute to the creation of a shared public space.

Once the space was ready, additional community members aged 1.5 to 63 years old, came together to plant herbs, berry bushes, and other decorative plants in front of the pavilion. To ensure the garden would be diverse and self-sustaining, a professional permaculture designer hwlpws with the layout and selection of plants. The owner of a local plant nursery also provided professional guidance for the project and provided locally grown seedlings at a discounted price. 

Permaculture Education in Action

Utilizing this beautiful library gathering space further, a Permaculture Design Course was launched for the community. Permaculture is an approach to create sustainable systems for agriculture that works in harmony with natural processes. Four blocks were included in this course: 

• 2-day theoretical interactive learning with permaculture designers about basic principles of permaculture.
• 2-day design workshop focusing on the group design project, including analysis of the yard and adjusting public areas, identifying challenges and designing solutions for further sustainable development of the yard and its urban garden.
• 2-day public workshop on collective implementation of the designed solutions, planting under the guidance permaculture designers 
• 2-day study-visit to existing permaculture centers to see and experience the range of the sustainable solutions for gardening and get inspired by real examples in Ukraine.

Growing Knowledge, Community, and Hope

By the end of the course, participants had not only gained technical skills, but also formed a supportive, cross-generational learning community united by care for people and nature. 

Looking ahead, the community plans to continue developing the yard as a green, educational hub and to share their experience with others, proving that even small urban spaces can become powerful examples of connection and cooperation.

Thank you for standing with our partners in Ukraine. Your support helps nurture knowledge, connection, and sustainable solutions, planting seeds that will continue to grow for years to come.

With gratitude,
Robyn Love
Seed Programs International

Thank you for supporting Seed Programs International (SPI) and our Resiliency Gardens Program in Poland! Your generosity has made a lasting difference for children, families, and schools still navigating the challenges of war and displacement.

We recently completed the third school year of this program, which has reached 7,174 students at 27 schools. These aren’t just vegetable gardens, they’re living classrooms and safe spaces where students can learn, connect, and heal.

Rooted in Community: The Resiliency Gardens program was founded by SPI Board Member June Lavelle, who lives in Poland. When the Russo-Ukrainian war began, she wanted to create a meaningful way to support both refugees and the Polish communities welcoming them. She saw that school gardens could bring children together through shared learning and connection with nature.

Each school received a small grant to establish its garden, and educational aides visited regularly to guide lessons and ease the workload on teachers. This model has made gardening both achievable and joyful for schools of all sizes.

Learning and Growing, Indoors and Out: Each school participates in five fun, hands-on workshops throughout the year, both in the classroom and in the garden. Students learn about topics like planting, composting, pollinators, nutrition, and sustainability.

Teachers tell us their students are excited to take part, and that gardening has boosted teamwork, confidence, and curiosity. Many kids have even started gardens at home with their families, spreading what they’ve learned beyond the schoolyard!

Importantly, every school includes Ukrainian students who have been displaced by war. The gardens are intentionally designed to foster inclusion, resilience, and belonging for all children.

Recognition and Impact: The gardens have become a true community effort in Rybik, where 23 of the school gardens are located. Local businesses and leaders have also supported the program, helping it take root across the city.

This year, Rybnik’s school gardens received national and international recognition:

• Innovative Local Government Awards in Warsaw, Poland
• International Innovation in Politics Awards in Vienna, Austria – Winner in the Social Cohesion & Integration category

Wojciech Kiljanczyk, Deputy Mayor of Rybnik, said: “The goal is to educate children about urban gardening and sustainable development. Another crucial aspect is involving the Ukrainian community—last school year, nearly 700 Ukrainian children attended schools in Rybnik.”

June Lavelle, the project’s founder, added: “The school gardens give students, including refugees, a chance to build friendships, learn about the environment, and create small classroom communities that foster connection and hope.

Thank You: Because of your support, children are learning how to nurture both the earth and each other. These gardens are planting seeds of resilience and connection that will continue to grow for years to come. 

Thank you for helping make this possible.