Revitalizing Blacksmith Craft Activity in Sofiivska Consolidated Community

Sofiivska consolidated community (CC) of Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, implemented the unique project aimed at revitalizing folk craft– the blacksmith craft activity. The opening of the blacksmith workshop in the community was made possible due to the support by the USAID “Decentralization Offering Better Results and Efficiency” (DOBRE) Program.

To equip the modern blacksmith workshop the CC provided communal premises of the former garage, allocated funding for its major maintenance, as well as performed beautification of the nearby territory. USAID DOBRE assisted with developing the project itself, supported the purchase of specialized tools and modern blacksmith equipment – to ensure a complex work of the workshop. The project total cost equaled 226.000 UAH.

“Everywhere in the world they revive the forgotten folk crafts. This is what attracts tourists. During the study tour to the US, supported by USAID DOBRE, I saw there how in small towns and settlements they revive the forgotten artisan works and make money with those, holding festivals, master classes and excursions, and selling souvenirs. In Dubuque, Iowa, I was impressed with the pier of the Mississippi river, adorned with metal art sculptures. We would like to create something similar in the park in Sofiivka, which we have started reconstructing. We are lucky that in our community live the blacksmiths, that is why the idea sprang up to support these people and to equip a municipal blacksmith workshop where they would develop, train and pass down the blacksmith craft to the new generation. This project is a part of the Local Economic Development Action Plan that we had developed together with DOBRE LED experts,” – told Petro Sehediy, Head of Sofiivska CC.

The grand opening of the blacksmith workshop was in March 2020. USAID DOBRE specialists, experts from Foundation in Support of Local Democracy (FRDL), representatives of executive committee at Sofiivska Settlement Council and Rayon Administration, members of local Youth Council, who helped with project presentation, participated in it. Also, students from the local technical college attended the opening event, among them three prize certificates to receive individual master classes were drawn. One of the main missions of the municipal blacksmith workshop is to pass down the blacksmith craft traditions to the young generation.

“At the blacksmith workshop opening ceremony, our students had an opportunity to observe how the workshop functions and how the blacksmith works. Our educational entity trains future agriculture specialists, and the blacksmith activity, which unfortunately has been forgotten, has a great meaning for agriculture sphere. Earlier blacksmiths produced ploughs, harrows, various agriculture equipment that served every household and every machine operator. Students and teachers were impressed by the work of the blacksmith. For our educational establishment this is a true finding, as now we have an opportunity to train our students to produce themselves and to repair some agriculture equipment, to this end, a complex foundation is required. The lyceum is grateful to the Settlement Council for implementing the project ‘Revitalizing Long Forgotten Crafts. Creating a Blacksmith Workshop in Sofiivska CC’,” – shared his impressions Viktor Hoptynsky, Master of Production Training at Sofiivska technical lyceum.

Currently, the professional blacksmith, who has 13 years of experience, works in Sofiivska blacksmith workshop.

“This profession and nowadays is physically hard, the hands often get burned or covered with blisters, but I am mesmerized with the magic of the fire and the special scent of the blacksmith workshop,”— said Viktor Haponov, blacksmith. According to the master, years ago blacksmiths made arms, residuals and household stuff. Today blacksmiths are more intent on creating metal art objects further used for interior designs of houses, adornment of parks and streets, or displayed at exhibitions.

In addition, the blacksmith in the community is also a helper for a communal entity. Recently, he has made 5 waste bins (1000 L) for the needs of the community. Similarly, the experienced master is ready to respond to individual requests of the residents: to make gates, balcony and stair handrails, exterior and interior design elements, window bars and other metal constructions.

Sofiivska CC hopes that the implementation of this project will encourage the development of small business, advertise Ukrainian national crafts, stimulate tourism development, as well as will inspire local residents, especially youth, to establish new small enterprises, thus, leading to opening new jobs.

“This is very good that in our Sofiivska community the old traditions are being revived. Every resident for their home can place an order for an exclusively made object that will symbolize their ancestry; this could be a decorated pattern or product. As currently electric and gas heating services are costly, many residents in our settlement choose to use solid heating. They build furnaces, fireplaces, heaters, and for servicing those, one would need rakes, small metal shovels. The blacksmith profession will be always in demand, irrespective of the modern progress. In each of the produced objects one could feel the warmth of the person’s hands, in each of the things made the blacksmith puts a piece of his own soul.”—underlined Maria Havrysh, senior local community resident.
с) This publication is made possible by the generous support of the American people through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The contents are the responsibility of Global Communities and do not necessarily reflect the views of USAID or the United States Government.