The family's work history is three times longer than the factory's! Who are they, Lenta's longest-serving dynasty?

In 1970 , 17-year-old Nadya Shebeko took a job as a weaver's apprentice at the Mogilev Ribbon Weaving Factory named after the 50th Anniversary of the BSSR (as today's Lenta, the largest manufacturer of textile haberdashery in Belarus, was then known) and remained there for three and a half decades, mastering all the intricacies of weaving, mastering yet another profession, training several generations of weaving machine operators, and, most importantly, unexpectedly founding an entire dynasty of Shebeko-Nikitin weavers, whose combined work experience is more than three times longer than the age of the enterprise itself, at least 210 years! Her two sons continued their mother's work, finding not only fulfilling jobs at the factory but also significant others, and today their children are building careers in the industrial workshops of Mogilev Lenta. BELTA explores family business and heredity, unexpected life choices, and the joy of being with loved ones 24/7, even during work hours

. Ribbon weaving, braiding, curtain making, dyeing and finishing, sewing, textile fastener production, and medical products—these are the divisions that make up Mogilev's Lenta, which produces tens of thousands of ribbons, braids, lace, cords, belts, and bandages. Yevgeny Lobasenko, HEAD of the Production Planning Department, lists the factory's successes: in 2024 , production volumes increased by 5.5%, and the share of innovative products in sales exceeded 17%, which, according to the specialist, is a respectable result for a company of this profile. In addition to its well-established domestic market, the factory is now recognized internationally: 60% of Lenta's exports go to RUSSIA, but orders are also placed with Armenia, Uzbekistan , Tajikistan, and Kazakhstan .
"Working at the factory in Soviet times was a great honor, so there was no other option but to work at the company!"

When young Nadezhda came to work at the factory in July 1970, it was a completely different place: the product range was narrower, the equipment simpler, but the tasks were invariably ambitious, and the pace of their completion was rapid. And this is not just an exaggeration. According to Nadezhda Gavrilovna's recollections, in the years when she, a young weaving apprentice, was just beginning to work at the factory, a tradition of completing five-year plans ahead of schedule had already developed – the Mogilev ribbon weaving factory won first place in the all-Union socialist competition for 80 consecutive quarters. And could the sense of camaraderie and responsibility of a young Komsomol member have allowed her to fail to live up to the expectations of the factory team? Looking at a photo of a determined, smiling girl in the family archive, captioned "After her first day at work at the factory, July 3, 1970," one can answer unequivocally: "Of course not."

"I figured out the intricacies of weaving pretty quickly; the work wasn't difficult, I was up to the task. Then a production need arose, and I had to diligently master a new profession—weaving machine operator, a key one at ribbon-weaving enterprises. Refusing? That option was completely out of the question. In those years, we lived by the principle, 'The Party said: "We must!"' The Komsomol responded: "Yes!"'" recalls the shock worker. "And I had to learn more during my years at the enterprise." As time went on, production, of course, improved: it was necessary to master new technologies for weaving and even act as an innovator in some ways in the field of changing ribbon-weaving products.
Active, athletic, always busy - this is how Nadezhda Gavrilovna was remembered at the enterprise, when, having stood from bell to bell at the weaving machines for no less than 35 years, she retired. But even now, the Mogilev resident, as her children admit, keeps her finger on the pulse, inquiring about how the factory is doing, what the mood is among the team, whether there are production volumes. And the elderly woman has someone to ask questions to. Two sons, Oleg and Konstantin, both daughters-in-law, Oksana and Yulia, granddaughter Kristina, now a mother of three herself, and grandson Nikita - they all work at Nadezhda Gavrilovna's native Lenta. Is this a coincidence or a love of work and attachment to Hometown and company? Let's ask.
"First my mother, and now my brother, wife, and children—we all work in neighboring workshops."

The eldest in the family is Oleg Anatolyevich, but the youngest, Konstantin, was the first to come to work at the factory—in December 1996, after serving in the army. They hired him, still quite young, as an apprentice assistant foreman. Today, the experienced and respected worker is not ashamed to admit that at first, the former soldier was somewhat informal with the profession, didn't even know the basics, but he had plenty of perseverance and enthusiasm, and so, resolutely mastering the production environment, Konstantin Anatolyevich quickly rose to the rank of assistant foreman, sixth grade.

"I like my job . If I didn't like it, I wouldn't work a day." "And yet, over the years at the company, I've mastered all types of ribbon-weaving equipment, even machines designed for producing heavy belts, which in a professional environment is a special sign of skill," explains the assistant foreman. "It's a common belief that factory workers perform only routine, repetitive mechanical tasks day after day, which are boring. I'd say this is only partly true. The work is actually very interesting if you have the skills and know how. For example, I've repeatedly participated in the development and implementation of new, competitive products using more advanced technologies and cutting-edge raw materials."
Three years later, in August 1999, Nadezhda Gavrilovna's eldest son, Oleg, followed his younger brother into the factory as an assistant foreman. Both work at the light industry company to this day. When talking about working with Oleg Anatolyevich, factory workers speak of his ability to solve the most complex production problems, effectively implement rationalization proposals, and grasp new technologies on the fly. The team is confident that without such a skilled equipment adjuster as he, the recent technical refurbishment of the weaving shop, including the installation and launch of new equipment, would not have gone off without a hitch.
However, professional success is only part of the story. Here at Lenta, both brothers found their soulmates, who, as luck would have it, decided to learn weaving at the Mogilev factory.

"Weavers in factories stand at their machines for eight hours straight, and it's crucial to maintain concentration to avoid defects."

"I introduced Kostya to Yulia. Oleg and I were already dating at the time, and the guys would drop by our workshop. So what? I figured: Kostya is a decent guy, and Yulia is a good girl; we worked together, let them try. And so it turned out, they got married, raised two children, and have been living happily ever after for so many years," Oksana Shebeko recalls, recalling the beginnings of the friendship between two blood-related families.
It might not have happened if young Oksana hadn't made the unfashionable, but nevertheless sensible, decision to join the factory in 1996. The young woman started work as a spinning equipment operator, mastered other related professions, and now, a seasoned employee, has been working as an equipment refiller for 17 years. Oksana Viktorovna, a renowned jack-of-all-trades, passed on her experience to her daughter Kristina, teaching her the trade from the ground up. She's a hairdresser by training.
"I'm a mother of three wonderful sons. Working at a factory is about stability for me, first and foremost. I'm always confident that I'll be guaranteed a salary month after month, have assignments, and qualify for social benefits. I haven't regretted taking a job in industrial production for a second," says Kristina Chizhuk, a weaving machine refill operator. "My mother is my best teacher; I definitely couldn't have done it without her. She explained my job responsibilities very clearly and explained how to complete them quickly and accurately. Finding a good mentor is a key challenge for many inexperienced workers who come to the factory. I didn't have such difficulties."
As did Yulia Shebeko, a weaver by birth, née Nikitina. She also asked her mother, Irina Ivanovna Nikitina, to get her a job at the factory in 1999. By then, she had been working at the factory for about five years as a shift foreman in the "Contact" textile fastener shop. Yulia's younger brother, Andrei, later joined the factory, rising through the ranks from a turner in the mechanical workshop to assistant foreman. So there you have it, another labor dynasty, albeit not as numerous as the Shebekos.
"I trained as a salesperson, but listening to my mother's passionate description of her work at the factory, I thought, 'Why not give it a try?' I started as an apprentice reeler, then mastered the intricacies of the weaving profession, which I continue to do today. I certainly love my job, but I must admit that factory work isn't the easiest of jobs," notes Yulia Shebeko. "A shift is eight hours long. The workday begins with checking the equipment: we diagnose it for defects, ensure there are no breaks, and then receive the task from the foreman and begin. During the entire shift, you might not be able to sit down once, rushing from machine to machine, because modern technology weaves up to ten ribbons simultaneously and works quickly—you can't lag behind. A machine produces from 50 to 350 meters of ribbon per shift, and you have to monitor every meter."
The hardships of factory work didn't faze Nikita, the youngest member of the Shebeko dynasty. Having trained as a mechanic and repairman, three years ago, the young man chose Lenta in Mogilev as his first job, where his parents , uncles, and aunt all work. Nikita admits he tries to juggle everything—keeping up with his responsibilities, having advanced to assistant foreman, playing sports, and expressing his creativity through charity projects, flash mobs, and competitions regularly organized at the factory.
"There are truly many opportunities: you can learn new professions, change production areas, and be active in community life," explains Nikita Shebeko, a young professional. "I chose my profession consciously; I knew what awaited me, and I consider my work honorable. I've always been proud of my family history; I respect and value the honest work of my grandmothers, my parents, and now my own."
Every now and then, 10-year-old David, 7-year-old Alikhan, and 5-year-old Ratmir increasingly ask their mother, Kristina Chizhuk, and their grandparents what they do during work hours, how difficult it is to work at the factory, and whether the boys could handle it on their own. Of course, a factory is no place for children, but who knows, maybe one day the brothers, like Oleg and Konstantin Shebeko, will walk through the Lenta factory gates not to visit their mother, but as full-fledged employees, adding their own pages to the shared history of the Mogilev factory and the Shebeko family. Time will tell.

Vera Vasilevskaya,
Photos provided by Lenta,
BELTA.