Manitoba entrepreneur balances local business with Ukraine farming aid amid ongoing war – PortageOnline.com [Video]

Roland Thiessen, a Winkler-based business owner with agricultural operations in Manitoba and Ukraine, continues to support farming communities and displaced families in the war-torn country through his Into Action Foundation. He lives in Portage la Prairie and his humanitarian effort, launched after Russia’s 2022 invasion, focuses on food security and rebuilding livelihoods while Thiessen juggles his Canadian manufacturing ventures.

From adoption to agriculture: A 25-year Ukraine connection

Thiessen’s ties to Ukraine began in 2001 when he and his wife—herself of Ukrainian descent—adopted their first daughter from the country. A second adoption in 2004 deepened their roots, leading to farming partnerships and a home near Kyiv.

“We’ve spent about 50% of our time in Ukraine over the past 25 years,” says Thiessen. “When the war broke out, we left on February 14—10 days before the invasion. Our house there now shelters refugee families.”

The couple’s foundation partners with Ukrainian …