Revival of the Garlic Empire Thanks to a Grant

When Ivan Zakharenko’s mother-in-law Lyubasha stumbled upon two heads of garlic in an abandoned field in 2008, she had no idea she was unearthing the future of their family. That evening, they tasted a few cloves at dinner, amazed by the rich, spicy flavor—so intense it reminded them of chili peppers. From that moment, the family was determined to cultivate this incredible discovery, which later became the family’s life’s work–naming it in honor of its discoverer: Lyubasha.

The Rise of Legendary Garlic

“From just two bulbs, we expanded to four hectares in six years,” recalls Ivan. “My father-in-law even made bets with people, challenging them to eat just two cloves. He won every time—our garlic is that spicy! Some cloves even weigh up to 40 grams.”

*Ivan Zakharenko inspects his young garlic roots—his first crop after having received a grant, which helped him with restarting his farm after relocating from the occupied South.*

Lyubasha garlic quickly gained international recognition. Its unique properties—frost resistance and an impressive 42% dry matter content—made it highly sought after. A single kilogram of Lyubasha produces 420 grams of dried powder, compared to just 270 grams from other varieties. Demand soared from Europe to Canada, and even Japan.

*The legendary ‘Lyubasha’ garlic, once thriving on Ivan Zakharenko’s farm before war forced him to start anew.*

For years, the Zakharenko family flourished, with three generations—children and grandchildren—tending to their 30-hectare farm in Molochansk, Zaporizka Oblast. The fertile land regularly brought in bountiful harvests. But then, everything changed.

Forced to Leave Everything behind

One February morning, Ivan received a call from his son-in-law: “Dad, the war has started.” Within half an hour, missiles streaked overhead.

For two months, the family endured occupation, clinging to their home and livelihood. But when Russian soldiers raided their house yet again, they knew it was time to leave. Like millions of others, they became internally displaced persons (IDPs), joining the 4.6 million officially registered in Ukraine as of January 2025 (Ministry of Social Policy). Of those, 2.8 million require humanitarian assistance, according to the Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan 2025.

Escaping was no easy feat. Nine people crammed into a single car, each with only had bag and another with a small suitcase with documents for the garlic. “We already knew it would be difficult to leave—40 kilometers to the gray zone, with 12 checkpoints,” Ivan recalls. “At each one, they searched everything. We left at 7 a.m. and reached Zaporizhzhia at 9 p.m. The first thing I did? I bought some herring. I was craving fish.”

*Ivan Zakharenko shares a video from his “former life” with Olha Korshuk, a JERU employee.*

The family first took shelter with friends in Kyivska Oblast before moving further west to Khmelnytska Oblast. The realization hit hard: everything they had built was gone.

A Second Chance for the Garlic Farmer

For six months, Ivan was paralyzed by uncertainty. Then, he made a decision: he would start again.

He bought five tons of garlic from former customers and rented three hectares of land to plant a new crop. But without equipment, starting all over again was challenging—until he learned about a grant for small and medium-sized entrepreneurs.

*Thanks to the grant, Ivan invested in a tractor and other equipment—helping him rebuild his farm.*

With funding from Welthungerhilfe (WHH) and Concern Worldwide, through their joint initiative JERU (Joint Emergency Response in Ukraine), Ivan received crucial support. As part of the BMZ-funded project, “Supporting the Reconstruction of Communities’ Social and Financial Resilience in War-Affected Communities in Ukraine,” JERU in consortium with another Alliance2015 partner, Helvetas Swiss Intercooperation, provided training, internships, and business grants to war-affected people seeking to rebuild their lives.

“The grant gave us hope,” Ivan says. “We realized we could still build something. That’s what matters most. We even stopped missing our home so much. We could work and had a purpose again.”

With the grant, Ivan purchased a tractor, agro-navigator, garlic planters, a cultivator, a trailer, and other essential equipment. He has already created three additional jobs, with plans to expand to his pre-war scale, employing up to 12 people within two years.

*Ivan Zakharenko with Iryna Kotelnykova, a photographer from Kharkiv who rebuilt her family’s photo studio with a JERU grant. Now, she captures the journeys of others, including Ivan’s.*

JERU’s impact continues to grow. In just two years, the BMZ-funded project has provided 170 grants, including 34 for small and medium enterprises and 136 for micro businesses. The initiative aims to support 250 businesses in total, helping 200 micro-entrepreneurs and 50 small to medium enterprises rebuild their futures.

For Ivan, the dream of restoring his garlic empire is no longer just a dream—it’s a plan in motion. “Next year,” he says, “we’ll do even better.”

Author: Oleksandra Titorova, JERU Communications Officer.
Credits: Welthungerhilfe.