Ruslana has been alone since 18 -
her mother imprisoned for killing her
step-father, her father sold their
house and walked away.
She ended up on the streets, forced
into prostitution. She lived with a
businessman, who soon abused her,
especially after the birth of her
daughter, Dasha.
Escaping, she lived in rubbish bins.
She met a decent man, but he began
to drink heavily and she had to leave
- now with Vanya as well!
She lives on just £50 per month in a
flat borrowed from a friend who is in
prison, but will soon be released.
Ruslana is very kind, a good mother,
but overly trusting of people. The
Children’s Hearts shelter could be
her only refuge.
This work has been achieved solely
through ChildAid’s funds, so it is
thanks to you that we can provide this
essential facility - thank you!
Tanya
has attended the Isle of Hope for 17
years. Tanya was always denied
access to any other place because of
the severity of her disability, with
constant care required.
Her mother says it all:
“… everyone looked at us as a hopeless
case, as a burden. I knocked on every door
for help, but opened only one, as it turned
out the most necessary. I thank God for
it. I am very happy, my daughter is very happy.
Our broken down family is back together.
My daughter shows clear progress. She
learned a lot.
She can now look after her hygiene and
began to paint.
Tanya is happy to go to her favourite Isle
of Hope every day. She has friends here and
a full life.
I thank God, I thank all those who took
part in the fate of my family. We are happy
as much as you can be with such a problem
in our country”.
ChildAid has multiple projects in Belarus as we aim to provide some assistance to the troubled country. To find out how you can help or to donate visit our website.
The Isle of Hope brings relief and
laughter for all the families and young
people who are involved.
Alena has been coming to Isle of Hope for 1 year. Previously she
attended a centre in the education
system. Once she left there no social
institutions were ready to accept
Alena as they said she needed too
much care and her disabilities were
too complex.
Her mother was on the verge of a
nervous breakdown. She didn’t know
what to do until Alena's grandmother
helped.
She came to the Isle of Hope and
immediately felt that her
granddaughter will find her second
home there.
Today Alena has made many friends,
she is very happy, participates in all
activities, likes to listen to music and
to walk in the park.
Her mother says that she has even
physically changed a lot, developed
an interest in life, and every day when
she goes to the centre she is so
cheerful.
“Thank you all for the fact that my life
and my daughter's life goes on and we
are happy” says Alena’s mother.
ChildAid has multiple projects in Belarus as we aim to provide some assistance to the troubled country. To find out how you can help or to donate visit our website.
Petya’s family of 8 lives in a two
bedroom apartment in Minsk, Belarus.
The family includes his elder brother
with his wife and three children.
Petya has a severe learning disability
and physical difficulties.
He and his
father had a wonderful relationship.
His dad knew how to deal with Petya’s
epileptic fits and always took him to
and from the Isle of Hope centre
where Petya has stimulation, care,
support, and friendship.
Petya and his father especially
enjoyed their summer breaks at the
grandfather’s summer dacha - small
but a lovely retreat.
Last year his paternal grandfather died
and to everyone’s surprise the dacha
was left to Petya’s uncle. Was this a
reflection of social attitudes against
disability in Belarus?
His father sunk into depression at this
injustice, and even the offer of
compensating cash from the brother
did not appease.
Pensions are received at a relatively
early age and these are taken to
supplement wages, however, with the
current crisis many pensioners are
now losing their jobs. Petya’s father
was one such victim - deepening his
depression.
On Christmas Day our partner met
Petya and his father at the Catholic
church for mass. All seemed well.
But, on 5th January his father jumped
from a high-up window and killed
himself.
The full impact of this devastation is
not yet known, but Petya is constantly
crying and it seems his immunity
system is being affected by his own
sadness.
But, he is still at Isle of Hope
who are doing all they can to comfort
him.
The father’s pension will stopped (there is
no widow’s pension) so further financial
pressures are inevitable. The services
Isle of Hope provide are totally free to
users - ChildAid meets virtually all of
their costs of £2,500 per month.
ChildAid has multiple projects in Belarus as we aim to provide some assistance to the troubled country. To find out how you can help or to donate visit our website.
Isle of Hope was established 20 years
ago largely in response to the news
that 2 mothers had committed suicide.
They could not bear to face the fears
and distress of bringing up their
severely disabled children in a country
which rejected all forms of “weakness”
in society and made little or no
provision of support other than
institutionalisation.
Sadly, today it seems that only limited
progress has been made.
Economically, Belarus is going through
great hardship. In this last year the
Belarussian rouble has fallen in value
by 75% and inflation has run at 11%.
Recent economic growth has been
tentative, even negative.
Average wages of £250/month are
under pressure as prices soar. Our
partners report that they cannot
remember a time when people have
felt so desperate making life much
harder for the families we support.
ChildAid has multiple projects in Belarus as we aim to provide some assistance to the troubled country. To find out how you can help or to donate visit our website.
