In observance of the Year of the Belarusian Woman, the Zonal State Archive in Rechitsa presents a document regarding Hero of Socialist Labor Tamara Shkurko

Tamara Ivanovna Shkurko was born on March 13, 1928, into a peasant family in the village of Burki, Bragin District. Before the war, she completed six years of schooling and subsequently lived through the occupation. After the Red Army liberated her home region, young Tamara participated in the revival of the local «Chirvonaya Niva» collective farm. She was appointed leader of a Komsomol youth work team there; in this capacity, she achieved remarkable yields in 1947: 30 centners of rye, 16 centners of wheat, 37 centners of «makhorka» (rustic tobacco), and 280 centners of potatoes per hectare.

The Zonal State Archive in Rechitsa holds Decision No.1075 of the Bragin District Executive Committee, dated November 3, 1947 (F.214, Op.1, D.31, L.77). The document states the following: «Having reviewed the materials regarding the high yields of rye and wheat achieved, and in accordance with the Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR dated March 29, 1947, the Executive Committee of the Bragin District Council of Working People’s Deputies HAS DECIDED: 1. To nominate Tamara Ivanovna Shkurko—leader of the Komsomol youth work team at the «Chirvonaya Niva» collective farm, Burki Village Council—for the title of Hero of Socialist Labor». Ultimately, Tamara Ivanovna was awarded this honorary title on March 10, 1948, becoming one of the first two Heroes of Socialist Labor in the Belarusian agricultural sector.

Later, Tamara Shkurko graduated from the agricultural technical college in Maryina Horka and the Belarusian Agricultural Academy in Horki. She defended her dissertation to obtain the academic degree of Candidate of Agricultural Sciences. She worked as a senior researcher at the Belarusian Research Institute for Potato, Fruit, and Vegetable Growing in the agro-town of Samakhvalavichy, Minsk District, where she specialized in the breeding of fruit and berry crops. She was elected as a deputy to the Supreme Soviet of the Byelorussian SSR. After retiring, she lived in Minsk. She passed away on October 12, 2015.

1. Hero of Socialist Labor Tamara Ivanovna Shkurko

2. ZGARech, Fond 214, Inventory 1, File 31, Sheet 77