COVID-19 IN UKRAINE: AN UNEXPECTED OPPORTUNITY
You know, one of our hopes is to get every child out of an orphanage and into a home: family of origin, then extended family, and then foster family, far better choices than an institution.
When COVID-19 hit. The government feared the virus in orphanages, and to everyone's surprise, half the kids in orphanages got sent home. That's about 50,000 kids.
You may not know that over 90% of kids in orphanages have a parent somewhere. Some single mom's in poverty just can't cope. Special needs kids get sent to orphanages. Yes, there can be drug problems and abuse.
It's not going to be easy, those families will need help. Aid agencies will provide food and meds etc. But the help we offer is emotional, psychological and practical, like skills in good parenting. Even with simple tools: time out, listening skills, a daily schedule, there's lots of options besides the ruler on the backside.
DO YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT THIS MEANS? THE VERY THING WE ARE HOPING TO ACCOMPLISH JUST GOT HANDED TO US. HALF THE KIDS WENT HOME.
We are already visiting those families. This is our chance. We want those families to keep those kids when life is again semi-normal. We call it our Reconciliation Project.
We work alongside Heritage Ukraine who supplies transportation, food and meds. Here's the 1 minute Youtube video shot by Alla Soroka, our Project Manager.
Youtube:The Reconciliation Project
It is what life is like in many rural areas. It's the place a beautiful thing can happen for a child and a family.
We hope to make it happen.
