Chereshenskiy Orphanage (prounced: Chery esch in ski) is located near the northern boarder of Ukraine within the Chernigovskaya oblast, Koropsky region. The orphanage is approximately 4 hours north of the capital city of Kyiv. The setting is very rural and is adjacent to a small village. The closest city is Chernigov which is 2 hours away. Chernigov is a city of 300,000 and is home to the host Rotary Club for this project.
This International humanitarian project will not only improve childrens health but also their future. The project has two components which both directly impact the children of Chereshenskiy Orphanage. The first part addresses health and environmental issues, the second focuses on education.
EDUCATION
Rotarian Yuriy Kucherov of the Rotary Club of Chernigov Ukraine has identified an opportunity where we can provide humanitarian services of great value to these children in need, benefiting both the children and the community. Yuriy has led the way in assembling a Skills Training Program for the older orphans right at the Chereshenskiy orphanage. The children can participate in the program while still living within the safety and security of the orphanage community.
Proper course completion certification is key in obtaining employment. The Rotary Club of Chernigov has made arrangements to establish a satellite training center from a state certified trade school. The course curriculum will be provided by the sponsoring trade school and upon completion the children will receive certification of course completion.
For children in orphanages – education is the difference between life and death.
Take a look at these orphan statistics:
1. There are over 100,000 orphans in Ukraine.
2. The older an orphan gets the chances of his/her adoption drastically decreases.
3. Each year many orphans between the age of 15 to 18-years-old leave the orphanages.
4. Most of these orphans have no one to turn to for help.
5. About 10% of them will commit suicide after leaving the orphanage before their
eighteenth birthday.
6. 60% of the girls will end up in prostitution.
7. 70% of the boys will enter a life of crime.
8. Only 27% of these youth will find work.
These youth live in a country that labels them as “useless” and gives no assistance to turn their lives around. It’s a society that has created its own problem by placing thousands of children in orphanages, then when the children come of age, they give them no assistance to lead a successful life. It’s almost as if the system places children in trade schools to become “slaves of the State” to fill low-income jobs of unskilled labor and remain the under-trodden, second class citizens the majority of the population of Ukraine believes that they are.
COMMUNITY BENEFITS
This humanitarian project will directly benefit all of the children and staff of the Chereschenskiy orphanage and surrounding community in many ways. Hazardous septic waste will no longer pollute the river and drinking water supply. The entire community and ultimately our world will benefit from a clean water supply.
The community is strengthened by providing higher education to its residents. The trade school program at the orphanage will be available at no charge to all children over 16 years of age living in the surrounding community. This is especially important because these local children are often taking care of their families and farms and do not have an opportunity or money to go to the city to attend a trade school.
By providing specialized education to children within the safety of the orphanage we will better prepare these children for life and gainful employment and eliminate the negative aspects of living at a trade school. By educating orphans we are giving them a chance to become-self sufficient responsible members of their local community and society.
For more information please contact: Tom Mack, Rotary Club of Winter Springs
telephone: 407-359-2220 email tmack11@earthlink.net
