Sow sunflower seeds in solidarity with Ukraine
AFTER starting as a small sunflower seed fundraiser for Ukraine from a kitchen table in Tullow, Co. Carlow, the Sow Now initiative has gone national.
The Sow Now Sunflower Seed initiative was created by Ukrainian woman Tetiana Pankiv and her host Jacqui McNabb with the aim to raise €300,000 for the Irish Red Cross Ukrainian Crisis Appeal, while also offering Irish people the opportunity to visually show their solidarity by planting sunflowers, the national flower of Ukraine, across the country this summer.
From this Friday, April 29, customers of SuperValu and Centra and other independent retailers nationwide will be able to directly support the work of the Irish Red Cross by buying a packet of sunflower seeds in store. All proceeds will go to the Irish Red Cross Crisis Ukrainian appeal.
This amazing initiative all started when Tetiana (39) and her three daughters Sofia (16), Marta (15) and Yana (5) fled their beloved home Lviv in western Ukraine. Arriving in Ireland, she was extremely grateful to have gotten her children to safety and for the immense support she received from the Tullow Friends of Ukraine.
However, Tetiana, like so many other Ukrainian people, suffered a huge sense of guilt and helplessness having left those she loved behind in a war-torn country, describing it as 'hell on earth'. She desperately wanted her family to know she had not forgotten them, and she would do whatever she could to help them.
Tetiana’s host, Jacqui McNabb, was so inspired by her strength and determination to do more for those who remain in Ukraine that she helped her to set up the Sow Now Sunflower seed initiative.
Their intention is to have sunflowers bloom in every village, every home, and every business across the country as a powerful symbol of Ireland’s support for the Ukrainian people.
They have sourced and packed 100,000 packets of sunflower seeds. The seeds will go on sale from Friday, April 29, at €5 per packet and will be available in SuperValu and Centra stores as well as independent retailers across the country.
By donating and then sowing the Sow Now sunflower seeds Irish people will be part of a #sownow movement that will create a big impact by through many individual acts. The sunflowers will be a small reminder of home for the Ukrainian people as well as friendship and support to the many women and children who find themselves in Ireland seeking refuge.
When planting their seeds, people are encouraged to share their images on social media with the hashtag #SowNowforUkraine.