01It started with a pie
As a kid I was always making something. Drawing, gluing, building things out of whatever I could find. And somewhere deep down I always knew that one day I’d have something of my own.
Candles came into my life during covid. I was bored at home, like everyone, and wanted to learn something new. So I started making them. Just for me, just for fun.
Then one evening I lit one of my own candles and stopped. It smelled exactly like the pie my mom used to bake when I was little. For a second I wasn’t in my room anymore. I was home.
That’s when it clicked.
If a candle can bring back a memory like that, maybe I can make memories last.
02A little bit about me
I’m Sofiia, and I’m from Kyiv. I came to the Netherlands to study, graduated, and now I’m figuring out my place in this big (and honestly a bit scary) world.
I love a cozy home. There’s always a candle burning at my place, and I go through them way too fast. Making my own meant I could try a new scent whenever I wanted. Iskra is just me. I pour and pack every candle myself, here in Enschede.
03Why Iskra
Iskra means “spark” in Ukrainian. As a kid I was in Plast, the Ukrainian scout organisation. We had a song we sang together, and its message was simple:
Будь іскрою. Be a spark.
Be the one who brings a little light to others.
That song always gave me hope. Hope that I can be useful, and that I can make someone’s life a little bit warmer. Every candle starts with one small spark too.
04A piece of home
I miss my family. I miss places I used to go, and some of them don’t exist anymore. I miss the smells of my childhood. Many Ukrainians abroad feel the same, and many can’t go back home right now.
So Iskra is for them.
A little piece of home you can light on your table.
And it’s for you too. Ukraine has so many traditions, stories and ways of seeing the world that deserve to be shared. If you light a Щедрик candle this Christmas, I hope you’ll want to know the story behind it. You might already know the melody. The world calls it “Carol of the Bells”.
05Donations
Ukraine is at war, and it needs help. I donate myself, so it only felt right to make Iskra part of that. 5% of every order goes to UNITED24, Ukraine’s official fundraising platform. Every candle helps a little.
Thank you for being here. I hope my candles bring a bit of light and warmth into your home.
With love, Sofiia