The article discusses a new hospitality school in Ukraine called Grains, which provides free training to internally displaced people (IDPs) who have been affected by the ongoing war. The school is a unique initiative that aims to help IDPs build new lives through the hospitality industry.
The article highlights the story of the founder, Madina Katter, who was inspired to create Grains after seeing the struggles of IDPs in her homeland, Kazakhstan. She saw an opportunity to provide them with skills and training that could lead to employment and a better life.
The school has been running since May 2025 and has already had its first program completed. The students were able to stay at the hotel on-site and were provided with free meals and accommodation. The course was led by experienced hospitality professionals who taught the students about the industry, including topics such as housekeeping, front-of-house, and food service.
The article also features an interview with a graduate of the program, Tetiana Izorkina, who was originally from Luhansk but is now living in Donetsk Oblast. She spoke about how she found out about Grains through Telegram and was initially skeptical due to its free nature. However, she was impressed by the facilities and training provided by the school.
The article highlights the potential of hospitality as a sector that can provide employment opportunities for IDPs when the war ends. It also mentions that the next program will launch at the end of July for housekeepers, with plans to develop a culinary arts course in the future.
Finally, the article emphasizes Katter’s vision for Grains to become a global initiative that provides training and skills to people everywhere in the world. The school aims to be a blueprint for other countries to follow, particularly Germany where there is a high number of IDPs living.
The article concludes with a message from Dominic, the author, who encourages readers to consider becoming members to help support the independent journalism he produces.
