"Sekier" is a traditional smallholding in Zajezova, which was purchased
by the Society for Harmonious Living (PHZ) in 1994. Its purpose is to create a base
for volunteers willing to help to local community and learn through
practical. Being inspired by the simple and self-sufficient way of life of
our ancestors we are trying to find the solution for the
socio-ecological crisis, which face our contemporary world.
Sekier is home for small international group of 3-8 young people,
which stay there for couple of month or years. It is also place where
shorttime volunteers can come during whole year. We organize also weekend and summer courses there, but most
of them take place in another part of
Zajezova, called Polomy. Sekier inhabitants
and guests help us with our activities. Except taking care of their living
(gardens, cooking, maintaining the house) we employ them on projects which
we are running in Zajezova (Polomy reconstruction, kindergarden, help to neighbours...)
We have reconstructed Sekier to better suit our needs. We have
transformed part of the outbuildings into living quarters, using mainly
wood and clay in the building works. The maximum number of residents is
8, but normally 3-6 people live there (there are some vacancies at the moment).
Most of the residents
have to share rooms with others. There is a water duct from local well.
We heat the house with wood, which is available in surrounding forests and
prepared by Sekier inhabitants. There are approximately 20 hectares of land which belong to
Sekier, from most part meadows and pastures and they are at the moment
used only partly. We take care of a garden, where we organically grow
part of the food for the residents and guests (30-50 %). There is a library
on Sekier, there are craft tools, looms, smith's furnace, bread oven
and a drying kiln for fruit - but whether and how often they are used depends on
people living there.
The organization, which owns the building (PHZ), has set a number of rules, which
have to be observed by the residents. Those interested in staying on Sekier
should participate in the community and local activities. The
inhabitants should be people, who are trying to actively learn and
experience as many skills as possible, not only technically but also
socially. They should also be able and willing to share their knowledge
with other members of the community or with the visitors. New longterm residents
are only taken in with the consensus of others after a trial period (differs
from person to person).
Based on experience, we would like to recommend to those, who
would like to solve some serious personal problems here (for example
drug addiction, running away from parents), to turn to professional
helpers. It is not easy to change lifestyle dramatically, to live and work in
close cooperation with other people from other cultures, to learn from
making mistakes. Living at Sekier is a challenge - not everybody is ready
for it and we have a long and pertaining experience with people who gave
it up much sooner than they planned. But there are also many people who
found Sekier as big step in personnal development.
The organization is not religious neither it is ideologically defined,
although it was founded with an aim to support the ideas of sustainable lifestyle. It is the precondition for successful functioning on
Sekier to be inwardly in harmony with the surrounding environment.
Social maturity, the ability to share material life and spiritual
values, healthy lifestyle, the effort to harmonize with surrounding and
own nature, coping with the limited and gentle usage of technologies -
this is only a few key requirements from the applicants for residency
on Sekier. No one expects perfection, but an effort to work within ones
abilities and possibilities.
Sekier is also opened to
short-term visitors. We expect from them the participation in everyday
activities (5-6 hours for each day) + 3 € as contribution for running
costs of the house (only 20-30 percent of consumed food is produced at the
farm...). Volunteers on Sekier should help with any assigned task,
including help on projects in other parts of Zajezova region.
Longterm residents (staying more than 1 month) can have offered discount
and other advantages. Whether it is possible, or not depends on many
conditions - longterm staying and the discount is not automatic.
After one month you can become inhabitant of Sekier
with some advantages and duties. The advantage is
that you can earn money through our organization while living at Sekier
and also that you can have better accomodation (in exchange for rent
- 12- 17 € per month). But on the other hand you should
take responsibility for part of Sekier life (e.g. gardens, kitchen, tools, wood,...). Sekier
inhabitants are also responsible for guests´ informing and for organizing their work.
Sekier inhabitants should work at least 16 hours
per week on other projects in Zajezova, not only on Sekier.
Please, arrange your visit with us in
advance. We will o welcome helpers mainly during the time of seasonal
works. People who want to come for less than one week are instructed to
come during special workshops organized once per month. It is
possible that we will not be able to receive you during national
holidays and the summer due to an increased number of people interested
(we give priority to people, who help us regularly). In winter there is
less living space here and also less work, so we take in a smaller
number of visitors).
If what you have just read inspired you and if you think that it might
be for you; that you might benefit from residency on Sekier, please
contact us.
We are looking forward to your visit!
Pictures from Sekier
Interior of
Sekier
Information for visitors