A curious crowd stands on both sides of a makeshift catwalk at the Kurazh Bazar flea market at Plarforma, a factory turned into an art and event venue, in Kyiv on Nov. 29. They are waiting for a fashion show to start.
When the first models step onto the catwalk, it at once becomes clear that this is no ordinary show. One of the models is a cheerful lady in her late 70s. She wears bright quirky clothes and extravagant glasses. She is followed by a senior man in a fluffy hat with bunny ears.
Both models smile and dance to the music. They are followed by more quirkily-dressed seniors who strut their stuff. The public is clapping and cheering.
The unusual fashion models are members of Happy Old, a charity initiative that takes care of 200 senior Kyivans.
Growing old in Ukraine is challenging. The average state pension is a little more than Hr 1,100, less than $50, not enough to live on.
Happy Old cheers seniors up by organizing entertainment for them, including dance parties, tours, or, as in this case, a parody fashion show.
The fashion show wasn’t just meant to entertain them. The seniors were fundraising for an outdoor theater to be constructed in Kyiv’s Hydropark. Visitors were encouraged to buy a jar of compote, a non-alcoholic fruity drink, for Hr 80 to help the project.
Happy Old was started in 2013 by volunteers. One of them was Garik Korogodsky, an eccentric millionaire from Kyiv.
In Russian, the initiative is called Zhyznelyub – meaning “one who loves life.” Club members go to theaters and movies, and hold dance parties and sightseeing tours. They also get for free essential medicines that are otherwise unaffordable. Members also learn to use modern technologies.
“We have been gathering to dance and chat in Kyiv Hydropark for ages. But when Korogodsky began to take care of us, more and more people wanted to join Happy Old just to get medical care and medical supplies for free,” said Viktor Gostriy, 71-year-old Happy Old participant.
Gostriy is wearing the brightly-colored scarf and tight red trousers that he put on for the fashion show. He used to be an engineer. After retirement, he became a street artist.
“In my old age I realized that I can still learn new things rather quickly,” said Gostriy. “Our brain is a computer. To work well, it needs constant mental and physical activity.”
Any retiree can easily become a part of the Happy Old community, according to coordinator Tina Mihailovskaya through the group’s Facebook page. “If a granny or a grandpa feels lonely we will help them have some fun,” she says. “If he or she needs financial or any other kind of help, we will visit them and see what can be done.”
A photo of Happy Old member Liubov Naumenko in a swimsuit adorns the labels of the compote jars sold at the fashion show. The labels reads, “Cherry bomb Liubov. Aged for 78 years.”
Naumenko is a retired electrician, but says she always loved dancing. She comes to Happy Old dancing sessions in Hydropark on weekends. In winter, the dance parties continue at the Lotos nightclub, which Korogodsky rents for the events. She’s taken other excursions with club member.
She said that it is hard to believe that somebody wants to help them.
“They are very wary,” Mihailovskaya said. “Often we have to prove that there are no ulterior motives in our actions, (and) that we’re not after their apartments.”
Kyiv Post staff writer Veronika Melkozerova can be reached at [email protected]
