Citizens revived a unpromising village in the Liozno district

A village in the Liozno district, previously considered unpromising, is actively reviving, largely thanks to townspeople who have moved there. By the way, the villagers became "patrons": they raised 20 million rubles to improve the functioning of the water tower. A case that is if not unique, then very rare.

Previously, Osipovshchina was no different from other villages. Once there were about 30 households, then only two remained. Young people left, old people died...

Today, summer residents often buy houses in the countryside. But in this village, townspeople come to become locals. Four families have already "settled down", and eight more have bought plots for construction. What's the secret?

- It cannot be said that Osipovshchina was unique, with some special landscape, for example. Such villages are probably found in every district. No shops, no FAP, no post office, no other amenities. Not even a bus went there.

But it is in Osipovshchina that the number of residents increases annually. To make them even more, we are trying to get grants. We are preparing packages of documents to participate in competitions - within the framework of EU/UN local development projects. The maximum amount that can be expected in such a competition is 18 thousand dollars. The mandatory condition is co-financing (from us in the amount of at least 10%).

A second grant can be obtained to expand economic opportunities in the countryside. We plan to spend this money on improving water supply and creating conditions for receiving tourists. As a result, the district may have its first agro-tourist village, - intrigues Tamara Drylenok, Chairman of the Liozno District Council of Deputies.

Osipovshchina is located approximately 20 kilometers from Liozno. The same distance to Vitebsk. There is no river, no natural lake either. So why are people drawn there?

- If you don't visit there, you won't understand... Now there are artificial reservoirs there, and fish are found. An orchard has been planted. Thanks to the activists, the village is literally changing for the better before our eyes. Although ordinary people live there. True, very hardworking. They are trying to engage in farming. Among the new villagers is a family involved in one of the water sports, - says Svetlana Pukova, Chairman of the Liozno Village Council.

…We turn off the highway leading to Vitebsk, and here it is – Osipovshchina. I immediately noticed an unusual log house. The chairperson explained that an entrepreneur in the village makes them: logs are "mounted" on each other with a special wax adhesive. Such a house retains heat well, and the technology itself is considered environmentally friendly.

While driving through the village, Svetlana Pukova showed us artificial reservoirs. And here is a cableway for water skiing.

- Weeds used to grow here, but now the bank is well-maintained. In general, several reservoirs have been created in the village. Imagine the enormous work that had to be done: to dig, clean, let in water, drain it, and clean it again… Since this is not an agro-town, land plots can be sold here not through auction. Each plot was bought by willing buyers for an average of 7 million rubles, – Svetlana Pukova explains the nuances.

I was surprised by the absence of fences around the houses. Among other things, I saw a motorcycle on a "pedestal". It turned out to be a yard decoration for the local residents. I decided to visit them.

The hostess, Oksana Vailupava, asked me to wait while she herded the birds inside.

- I am a native city dweller. Like many, my grandmother lived in the village. I worked in Vitebsk as a store director for a well-known large chain selling household appliances. The salary, believe me, was large. The first time I came to Osipovshchina with my husband to his relatives – his father was involved in furniture production here. My husband and I initially slept in a "temporary structure". The first house we built for ourselves was unsuccessful – it developed a crack. We dismantled the log house and rebuilt it – with blocks, then sold it, and built a new one for ourselves, with a garage underneath, – Oksana recounts.

In my opinion, rural housing is a bit cramped. But everything is done stylishly, thought out to the smallest detail.

- What is a city today? Hustle and bustle, dirty air, neighbors, noise… Everything is oppressive. You have an apartment, it seems to be yours, but it's not yours. What is a village? A place for communion with nature, an opportunity to breathe, to grow fruits and vegetables. Guests came to us, they liked it very much.

We bought an excavator, made an artificial pond, and stocked it with fish: carp, crucian carp, and tench. And we dug another one, although it doesn't have any fish yet. We have 30 geese, over 40 chickens of elite breeds, and another 20 ducks. I want to get sheep too – also of an elite breed. We are also thinking about getting into agritourism, — the woman says.

It's good, she adds, that the road has been "patched up," but it would be even better if they didn't forget to clear it of snow in winter. The executive committee promised that they would try to ensure that former city dwellers do not complain. Such people are worth their weight in gold, and we must, of course, meet them halfway.

Aliaksandr Pukshanski, Zviazda