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Aired on Vostok TV every top of the hour during the news breaks on 04/16/04.
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Video (Russian Only)
 Higher quality movie in WMV (Window Media Video) Format ("rotary_vladivostok_768k.wmv", 2:23 mins, 12MB)
Lower quality movie in WMV (Window Media Video) Format ("rotary_vladivostok_256k.wmv", 2:23 mins, 4MB)
Transcript
Kirill Bogouslavski , a president of an American charitable foundation Ascent, does not consider himself an eccentric. However, nine months ago he had an important insight: a person lives not just to make money. Eight years ago his view of this matter was exactly the opposite, which was really the reason the native of Vladivostok had moved to America : to make money and have a good life. However, life had corrected the ideals.
"How much does one need for oneself ? A million ? Better still, two million ? .And there is no end to this. All American policy, all propaganda, the American dream is based on this."
Hence this ex-businessman has founded a charitable foundation and is trying to help Russian orphans, or, more precisely, orphanages. His goal is to collect hard-earned dollars from affluent Americans, and forward them to the destitute. According to public reports available to all on his site, Kirill does not get paid for his own work-for the time being, he lives off his savings. Besides actual help (purchasing household appliances, toys, medicine), he explains the basics of international charity to Russian orphanage directors: money goes not necessarily to the neediest, but to those most resourceful. Some creativity certainly helps.
"What is the standard practice for a shelter ? They need living quarters for their kids. So, they write up a budget: please give us $100,000. Here is another approach that I prefer, a real example. Shelter president contacts the Russian Railroads Ministry that agreed to donate a decommissioned railroad sleeper car. The local Railroad management agreed to transport the car to a station near the orphanage. Local authorities have helped to fix the road and manage transporting the car. As a result, all he is asking is $1,500 to purchase and install foundation blocks."
The project Kirill is bringing to his hometown is aimed at attracting attention of Rotary clubs to the needs of orphans. However, because Rotary clubs have their own policies, they prefer to know in advance where every dollar will go. So, Kirill came to Vladivostok to assess the needs of the orphanages. He is not even trying to collect money in Russia ; people either do not give, or give very little, or give in rubles..
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