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The New Year holidays in Russia traditionally mark the peak of charitable activity of companies and individuals in favor of orphanages and boarding schools. In the orphanages there are streams of gifts and visitors, which do not contribute to solving the problems of orphans. Why is this happening and how it should be, the correspondent of the Change One Life Foundation asked the experts.
Buy yourself an indulgence
The motives of people who suddenly begin to flood orphans with gifts are clear: on the one hand, they want to help deprived children, on the other — to get a sense of satisfaction from their own good deed. Donators don’t really think about whether they really benefit children.
«People who sponsor orphanages, like, get an indulgence, the opportunity to consider themselves pious. Even if this feeling occurs only once a year, – he believesSvetlana Pronina, Chairman of the association “Positive Childhood”. — From the point of view of a morally deprived society, this is not the most terrible trend. However, few people want to think systematically. In Moscow, orphanages are quite packed, but 200 km from the capital there is always something missing. The local orphanages are happy to accept any gifts, although it is no longer customary to give old things, as was customary in the 1990s. The children are clothed, shod, and, fortunately, not in need.”
If gifts, then at least with meaning
More and more experts and charitable foundations engaged in the “orphan theme” are speaking out against senseless New Year’s sponsorship. Volunteers and businessmen who continue to carry gifts “from the bottom of their hearts” often react painfully to such calls.
The head of the volunteer movement “Danilovtsy” Yuri Belanovsky offers them a “Solomon’s solution”: to make useful, intellectual gifts and promotions.
“Many children are engaged in creativity, draw. And gifts can and should be made in this direction. Buy sports equipment. It is necessary to approach this question, first of all, with pedagogical wisdom, – Belanovsky believes. — But it is better to come up with an educational program, but not in the form of songs or scenes, but educational game programs. Employees of companies can be divided into groups in the following areas: household, interesting geography, useful applied tips, and so on. It is important to let the children know that they are just like us.”
Help the family, not the system
Among the main problems of the orphan system in Russia is not the lack of a holiday in the lives of children, but on the contrary — a permanent holiday. And yet-poor preparation of children for independent life outside the walls of the orphanage and the constant influx of new orphans in orphanages. And mostly-social orphans, that is, with living parents.
Therefore, experts believe, the efforts of sponsors should not be aimed at maintaining such a system with gifts and money, but at changing it: social adaptation of orphans and support for “problem families”, from which new orphanages come. Well, the main gift to the orphan is a new family.
«The money that is spent every year on these gifts can be used to help blood families that are on the verge of disintegration, to help in the family arrangement of orphans, ” he says.Elena Alshanskaya, President of the Charity Foundation “Volunteers to Help Orphans”. — I would pay special attention to the support of disabled orphans. They have little chance to go to the family, and yet they need high-tech medical care, care. In short, corporate charity funds could be spent more efficiently. But so far, no one has thought of it. I suggest it…»
“The Right of the Child Foundation, which sponsored the holidays in the host family, has a curious experience, “he cites another example of smart helpSvetlana Pronina from the association “Positive Childhood”. — As a rule, children are taken on vacation by poor families. They are not able to organize a full-fledged (from the point of view of entertainment) holiday. And in this case, the Foundation is looking for money to make the New Year’s holidays in the family a real fairy tale. In the family, children were taught cooking, some simple household things. Believe me, the children were seriously impressed.”