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Vladivostok Children Aid Society, "Family Hearth Village" Project

Contact: Oleg Petruk, President
E-mail:
Phone/Fax: (+7)4232-364-116
Web site: www.vladchildhelp.org
Address: 6 Ilicheva St, Vladivostok, Primorsky Region, 690018 Russia

See Completed Projects

Vladivostok Society for Assistance to Children is united by a common goal of helping the most vulnerable group on the planet, the children. Our focus is on assisting neglected children and prevention of child abandonment. Abandoned children (also known in Russia as "social orphans") are a relatively new phenomenon that has become one of the most worrisome trends of the contemporary Russian society. According to our Charter, the main objectives of the organization are:

Financial, material and other assistance to orphanages, shelters, and other child welfare organizations;

Arranging help to abandoned children and assisting in their development and integration into society; search for prospective foster and adoptive parents in cooperation with the state child protection and custody organizations, when stipulated by law.

In addition, the scope of our activities includes assistance to other groups: the disabled, large families, and the destitute. Youth outreach is our priority.

We are a non-profit, non-governmental organization. If you heart compels you to help others, we can assist you to act on it. Do not hesitate to help someone today. Our motto is "Make children happy today, and they will make you happy tomorrow." To care about a child is to care about your community, region, country, and about the whole world.

Project "Family Hearth Village"
Introduction
Accomplishments
Project Goal
Objectives
The project outcomes

Introduction

Raising child abandonment has become a national problem. For example, Primorskii Region has over 70 institutions for non-custodial children without parental care (at the end of 1980s, the region only had 8 such institutions). The state constantly addresses problems of orphans; more and more institutions for orphans and abandoned children are being open. Yet most of their alumni leave unprepared for real life, without the skills of independent living. Because of that, the Vladivostok Society for Assistance to Children has developed a project to create a village "The Family Hearth." The project's objective is to help an orphan to have a family, for family experience is irreplaceable to a child who went through orphanage.

"The Family Hearth" began construction in the fall of 2003 at the site of a former military base #20, in the village of Razdolnoye, Nadezhdinsky district, Primorskii Region (address: Lazo, 57). The project is being completed in collaboration with the Regional Administration. On October 29, 2003, The State Property Management Committee has signed a 49-year lease agreement with minimal rent amounts. Vladivostok City government supports the project and assists with family placement paperwork. The village invites families willing to provide care for orphans and abandoned children to relocate. Four families with children are already living there. The forms of family placement differ: from adoptive families, to group home, to foster care and guardianship. On weekends, the village is visited by high school students from the region's boarding schools and orphanage alumni who currently attend vocational schools. For six months, "The Family Hearth" has been running a follow-up program for orphanage alumni from Primorskii Region.

Accomplishments

A two story apartment building has been remodeled; families and pupils live there. Sewage, water, and heating lines are rebuilt, windows, and internal walls restored, and rooms painted.

Adjacent property is cleaned up and organized. A small subsistence farm wit h c ows, goats, chickens and rabbits is created and equipped with a well and water supply.

Living conditions are continually improving; a two-story school building will be restored shortly.

We want to create conditions for education involved citizens, creative thinkers and people prepared for adult life. Work ethics and environmental awareness are very important aims. The kids who live in the village cannot be called well-behaved; many are repeated escapees from orphanages. We were concerned that they would have difficulties staying in a regular school. However, kind treatment and country side environment help many orphans who live in "The Family Hearth." Many have visibly changed, willingly help wit h c hores and get A's and B's at school; kids want to stay in the village.

"The Family Hearth" is gradually creating its own complex infrastructure that includes animal farming facility, carpenter, painter, and mechanical workshops, car repair and sawing facilities, a botanical garden named "The Earth, our home," sport and recreation complex, and other venues. "The Family Hearth" will develop a number of vocational training programs. Kids who grew up in "The Family Hearth" will receive homes and jobs in the village.

Project Goal

To offer a gift of family to children, to provide them with skills of family relationships, to raise concerned citizens. We believe that family is a force capable of rebuilding Russia.

Objectives

Reduction in number of orphans and abandoned children by placing them in families living in "The Family Hearth":

Preparing children of the village for adult life, providing them with vocational training;

Raising full-fledged, active citizens; breaking the cycle of dependence;

Elevating the role of family;

Raising awareness of child welfare and abandonment issues among Primorkii region population.

The project outcomes

The number of street orphans and abandoned children is decreasing.

Children growing up in "The Family Hearth" will receive the skills needed to build a family and will gain civic awareness.

The village project and families who accepted orphans will serve as role models for other potential Russian foster families.

We are convinced that the project such as "The Family Hearth" is saving state funds.

It is our belief that this pilot project, if successful, will spread to other parts of the Primorkii region.

We will be thankful for any ideas, suggestions, and advice you may have on how to develop and run out village. Any material and financial assistance will also be deeply appreciated.

News Coverage

04/22/2004: Village for Orphans opens doors and hearts

More News in Russian only

04/09/2004: Metamorphoses or return of "Old Russian"

03/05/2004: Great mood in the "Great Village"

12/03/2003: "Family Hearth" was fired up

09/10/2003: Unrealistic dreams

08/29/2003: Help Orphans!

02/20/2003: Looking for a cow and happiness