The history
The idea of Community was connected with many addicted people who couldn’t integrate into society after addiction treatment as they lost their family and social contacts. Several people from Lviv participated in the Polish workshops and in 2001 founded Community of mutual aid “Oselya”. The idea was supported by International Emmaus Movement which unites almost 450 communities of such type in forty countries.
The first public action organized by Oselya was Christmas with poor and homeless. The aim was to find out the problem of homelessness, the needs of homeless and their quantity, and to involve them to create Community. What we wanted most is to make these people feel not lonely on such day. So, on Christmas 2003 together with Sheptytsky hospital we organized Christmas supper on the territory of St. George church. It was planned at first to cook and distribute food. But would people feel the atmosphere of Christmas and family holiday only by having food? So it was decided to have common supper at one table and do the program with greetings and carols. There were traditionally 12 dishes as in every family. We prepared 80 places but 250 people came, so we burnt the fire outside so everyone could stay warm. The holiday was full of happiness, joy and tears. At the same time organizers were impressed by the problem that is usually invisible in everyday life, so we decided to make this project regular and organize also Easter breakfasts.
The first Easter breakfast was organized the same year at the same place. The information was in mass media that all poor and lonely are invited. Organizers expected 400 people, but there were much more. Still there was place for everybody. People came not only for food but for love, support and solidarity. There were homeless, addicted, disabled, elderly and lonely. It was the first time in our city that poor people were not forgotten on such big holiday.
Soon the target group was identified. Oselya still work with these people – not only addicted but also disabled, homeless, unemployed. These people couldn’t adapt to new social order and felt socially excluded. During these events workers and volunteers talked with homeless and discovered that their main problem is inability to cope in crisis. It’s important to create conditions so these people could solve their problems and rehabilitate after crisis. The necessity of the community where lonely and homeless could live and work together; take care of each other like in real family was obvious.