Original article in Ukrainian by Oksana Kovalenko
Out of seven orphans in Ukraine one ends up with suicide. Out of five one gets into prison. The most tragic moment for such kids is a graduation party at their boarding school when they realize that the teachers let them out into uncertainty and the state washes its hands of them.
Such kids have no one to rely on in the moment of despair. Usually they can not afford a higher education — they should earn money right after school and no time is left for any prospective education.
Once, when it was Spring, the Parliament has examined the issue of kids who have no parent. After the parliamentary hearings the President has discussed the issue while meeting with the regional governors.
“To take each orphan by his or her hand and lead them into adulthood, provide with a place to live and work,’’ — these are quite optimistic if not utopian plans of Victor Yushchenko. Recently only few kids are lucky to get the chance.
Several charity organizations are involved into solving the issue. “The Buddies” foundation is a good example. It has helped 152 orphan teenagers to enter the University or college this year.
1998 was the first try. This year two young students were admitted to the department of pre-college preparation at the Kyiv Mohyla Academy. After the end of training a boy was admitted to the Academy and a girl has become a student of Dnipropetrivs’k University. There were 10 kids next year and the number started growing annually.
Maryna Krysa, the president of the foundation had told us, that she and her colleagues try to find a ‘buddy’ who will sponsor the education for one child after she or he graduates from the boarding school. The student knows, who is his buddy. That can be a business entity or individual, Ukrainian or foreigner, who pays for the University, provides money for medication, clothing and food and pays the annual allowance. During the studies each participant receives 110 hryvnas of allowance to make his living.
The kids are gratefully communicating with their ‘buddies’ telling them about their studies and the university life. After each term is over they provide a statement of their academic records to the foundation.
This year 152 kids are studying throughout Ukraine and they do not forget to communicate, to make the phone calls and to tell about themselves. The foundation gathers them several times per year to find out how they are doing and to introduce them into the adult life.
According to Maryna, the foundation tries to invite different people, who tell the kids about the prospective employment, about the ways to protect their rights or to return the houses, which were illegally taken from their families.
Such meetings are the time, when a medical examination is conducted. Foundation has signed a cooperation agreements with several clinics which provide a diagnostics free of charge.
Children regularly visit the center, especially when they start experiencing some probleMaryna had told a story about one of her fosterlings having a bag stolen. The documents and the money were inside and the girl had come to the centre, being sure she would find a solution. “We are like parents. Should they need something — they ask us for advice. Some of our alumni are married now. I say: we have grandkids,” — Maryna adds smiling.
However, the most powerful event which the foundation organizes in Vorokhta, one of the most beautiful corners of Ukrainian Carpathians, is the annual summer camp. Ms. Krysa has told us that after the first camp, conducted in 1996 the former participants are still keeping in touch with each other.
The first camp had gathered 110 children from 5 boarding schools. It was 1996, when Maryna and her team came to understand: a summer camp allows kids to feel themselves in a different way.
“It was a great stimulus and a breakthrough through their injured mind. The idea is that each kid should have an opportunity to see itself from a different point of view, to appear in the unusual environment.
The outcomes were good, our fosterlings have become friends. Now they are communicating all the time, exchanging phone calls and e-mails. The atmosphere was also different and the kids become feeling better. All that made me think we should continue doing our job.”
An anniversary summer camp was conducted in Vorokhta this year. 500 kids from 37 boarding schools have gathered. Vorokhta 2000 alumni have also came. In 2000 they have written a wishes and put them in a capsule that is now stored in the mountains surrounding Vorokhta — today most of their wishes have become true.
Each year a charity fair is organized to collect the money. The president frequently visits the fairs with his wife, who is a long-time volunteer of the foundation. Diplomats, members of the government, business people and musicians show up too.
Victor Yushchenko was present at the first camp in 1996. He accompanied a group of kids to Hoverla mountain, “I spend the whole night with them, singings songs, talking to each kid” — the President latter said. “I suppose that he was deeply touched by their stories. He knows the life of these kids now,” — Maryna said.
The camp lasts for 2 weeks. Each boarding school is represented by 10 up to 15 kids, who have demonstrated their proficiency. Each camp has some general idea, for example: “We are the masters of our destiny”, “The kossaks of the 21 century”. In 2004 the main idea was “No matter North, South, West or East — we all are the Ukrainians”.
Different workshops are performing at the camp. Kids can learn for example flowers and computer science or embroidery. Those, who can teach or tell something interesting are invited. For teenagers, who see the real life only at the TV screens each story and each experience is an example and a warning.
The teacher of the flower science is Natalka Agayeva who is a professional flourist. After finishing her courses kids obtain a certificate and can start earning their money with this craft.
Each year the camp is attended by the Canadian lady, who has been Miss Toronto 1956. She teaches girls how to create a makeup and how to dress in a proper way.
Attendants of the camp learn the ancient Ukrainian traditions and approximate themselves to the modern realities. Physiological trainings are also conducted each year. Last year the training was titled “How the choice of a spouse would determine your future family life”, another “How the choice of a president would determine the future of your country”. The attention is devoted to the programmes countering smoking, drugs and alcohol.
Another project of the foundation is providing help to the disabled orphans from Tsuriupinsk boarding school and other places. We pay for their surgeries, help with the prosthetics and ophthalmology. Several kids were operated in the Amosov centre of junior cardiology.
Everything started in 1993 when the distant relative of Maryna, who is a Canadian citizen of Ukrainian origin has adopted very sick Ukrainian girl. It have become the fourth child in the family. The doctors said the girl has won a lottery. It was the first spark that have ignited a desire to help other kids from Ukraine. Relatives of Maryna decided to collect warm clothes and send them to Ukrainian boarding schools.
Ruslana (that is the name of the lady) returned with lots of photos from her first trip to Ukraine. She told others about the kids. Parishes and Ukrainian feminine organizations of Canada have joined her. Canadian foundation called “Children of Chernobyl” have organized “The Buddies” foundation, which is administering a humanitarian aid for the kids from Ukrainian boarding schools. The project covered 50 000 orphans from Ukraine.
In 1996 a Ukrainian branch of the foundation was officially registered. Before this the main source of financing was supplied from Canada and US, after establishment of the Ukrainian branch a cooperation with Ukrainian sponsors was started. Four people are officially employed by the organization now, volunteers are also engaged. Some people are providing benevolent contributions.
These people try to do their best so that the graduation day did not become the worst day in their life for at least some of the orphans. “Children should know that their life does not end with the graduation party. They should live on, if only there were enough organizations to support them!” — Maryna says.
Children should be sure that they have a future after the boarding school is over. The sense of a future would save them from many problems. Employees of the foundation argue that the orphan should be have a state protection until she or he reaches the age of 21. We shall create a conditions for them to become professionals. The pregraduation training is needed in the boarding schools, we should determine the future profession for such kids.
It is unfair to leave 18 year old teenager behind. Late ‘teens’ are the most critical time for the young personality, when it can be simply lost in drugs, crime and prostitution. One single day may change the future forever.
We should lend them a hand. Today.
Contact information:
Blahodiyniy Fond “Tovarystvo “Pryateli Ditey”
Maryna Krysa, the President
ukrhuhtc[at]iptelecom.net.ua
www.HelpTheChildren.com.ua
