If you have a few minutes watch this video of a man named Alex Krutov. He was raised in the Russian orphanage system (which from what I can tell is very similar to Ukraine) He can shed some light on the sad things that await a child as they leave the system.
http://vimeo.com/79938810
Here are some updated facts about life in Ukraine
(Taken from Beauty from the ashes) :
Clearing up old/wrong information...
I've
heard quotes lately that there are 100,000 orphans living in orphanages
and another X amount living on the streets because the orphanages are
all full. This information is misleading and not correct. The orphanages are far from over-crowded in Ukraine,
if anything they are getting smaller as foster care is increasing and
many have been closed as kids have been shifted. Though there remain
street children issues in Ukraine, the problem is much less severe than
it was 10 years ago. Kids on the street have either run away from
orphanage situations or from negative home situations-- but it is not
because orphanages are full.
Graduated orphans....
5-10
years ago it used to be that at the age of 16, orphans would be
finished at the orphanage and turn to life on their own- who knows
where, with no money and no assistance in life. In the recent 3-5 years
this situation has drastically changed. Some orphanages have schooling
till grade 9 whereas others have schooling to grade 11 (up to age 18 in
some institutions). Upon completion it is the director's
responsibility to see that their graduates are placed in trade schools
and technical colleges in the nearest region. Though they are given
almost no choice as to what education they'd like to receive, the cost
of this education is covered by the government and they are given
housing and a living stipend. This stipend continues until they are 23
years old, as long as they continue to study. The stipend varies and
depends on the region and what is provided by the trade school. So some
trade schools provide clothing and food and a low stipend, and others
provide a higher stipend and no food and clothing. Personally we know of
kids getting 550 grivna--2,000grivna a month ($70-$250) depending on
the region they live and the basic provisions of the trade school.
However,
just because they are no longer "kicked out on the street" the
situations surrounding their post orphanage life is not much brighter...
Consequences of being raised in an institution
Only 16% of orphanage graduates have families
Only 25% of orphanage graduates have stable employment
Only 1% of orphanage graduates obtain higher education (University)
Only 44% of orphanage graduates receive some kind of technical training (completion)
What are children afraid of when they graduate from the orphanage?
76% of children are afraid to leave their institution
70 % believe that they will not be able to get a good education and obtain the profession of their dream
52 % are afraid that they will not have a place to live
54 % are afraid that they will not have enough money for transport, food, and other necessities.
50% think that they will not be able to find a job
30% are afraid that they will remain alone and have no support
27% are afraid they will succumb to bad influences
26% are afraid of the negative attitudes towards themselves in comparison to “home” children
10% are afraid to live with strangers (even if they are their relatives)
18% have no clue what it is to live independently
 | |||
| This is Olena and her best friend Svetlana with Me, Miranda, Lucy and the Orphanage teacher Melana. |
We understand that we can not help all of the orphans in the many Ukrainian orphanages. If only life was that easy! We have however taken the opportunity given to us by our loving Heavenly Father to change the lives of two of them. Join us for that journey!
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