Project Origins
An intergenerational and intercultural project led by the association Poppies and Daffodils, blending artistic expression, remembrance, solidarity, and civic engagement.
Through the crafting of Motanka dolls – traditional Ukrainian peace talismans – participants share their wishes for protection and hope, while building meaningful connections across generations and cultures.
The Motanka is a traditional Ukrainian doll, handmade without stitching or facial features, and created with positive intentions.
Once used as a talisman to protect the home, it now symbolises resilience, heritage, and hope.
In response to recent conflicts, our project embraces this ancestral figure as a means of expression for displaced individuals, while paying tribute to Ukrainian culture.
The Tale
According to Ukrainian folk tradition, the very first Motanka was created during an especially harsh winter, when a young mother crafted a fabric doll to protect her child.
She used old family clothes, tied them together without stitching, and placed a few strands of wheat at the centre of the doll’s body — a symbol of fertility and abundance.
On the face, she wove a cross, representing the Sun and warding off evil spirits. Each knot was made with positive thoughts and wishes for good health.
This doll soon became the guardian of the household: watching over the harvest, protecting the children, and embodying the unity of the entire family.
Today’s Truth
Today, in a world marked by exile, ruptures, and invisible wounds, we return to this ancestral gesture to weave new bonds.
Our dolls are made from fabrics that carry personal stories, threads shared across generations, and movements learned from one another.
Each Motanka crafted in our workshops is a response to violence — a handwoven wish for peace, hope, and resilience.
They no longer watch over a single household, but over a social fabric we are mending together — across cultures, across ages, across life paths.
Project Objectives
A Cultural Symbol Transformed into a Tool for Expression
The workshops offer a space to pass on traditional handcrafting skills and to honour Ukrainian culture.
Each participant creates one or more dolls, guided by an intention of peace and protection.
A Space for Connection and Healing
The sessions bring together people from all walks of life: refugees, retirees, young people in training…
A caring and supportive environment is created to encourage listening, storytelling, and the symbolic healing of wounds.
A Meaningful and Supportive Project
The dolls will be exhibited and sold during the “Journey to Ukraine” festival.
All proceeds will be donated to the Ukrainian foundation Holossy ditej (Голоси дітей), which supports children affected by the war.
Project Overview
June to August 2025: Preparation, participant outreach, fabric collection, and communications
September to December 2025: Weekly workshops in Mérignac (media library, community centres, and vocational training centre).
December 2025 to March 2026: Solidarity exhibitions and sales as part of the “Journey to Ukraine” festival.
April 2026: Final wrap-up and donation transfer to Holossy ditej.
Feeling Inspired to Help?
How You Can Help :
Join the Workshops: Come create your own Motanka and share a meaningful moment of transmission and solidarity.
Donate Fabrics: Bring fabric scraps, ribbons, threads, or lace – every piece has a story to tell
Spread the Word: Talk about the project around you, share our posts, and help us give this initiative greater visibility
Offer an Exhibition Space: Do you manage a cultural, community, or educational venue? Host our travelling exhibition
Make a Donation with helloAsso: Support the Ukrainian foundation Holossy ditej, which helps children affected by war.
Join the Volunteer Team: Help with workshops, embroidery, translation, logistics… every contribution matters.
Contact us : contact@poppiesanddaffodils.org
Expected Results
- At least 100 Motanka dolls crafted from story-laden fabrics.
- At least two exhibition venues in the Bordeaux metropolitan area
- At least €1,000 donated to the Holossy ditej Foundation.
- For all participants, a strengthening of social bonds, self-esteem, and collective memory.
Help Us Go Beyond What We Hoped For!
Thread by thread, let’s weave a brighter future.