Children's Charitable Fund

Charitable “Children’s Fund”---Projects completed in 2003
07 Dec 2007

1. In 2003 we have completed the project of delivering hygienic materials to 10 orphanages located in the republic of Bashkortostan. These orphanages were 100% provided with hygienic means for the whole year. When we visited the orphanages we told the children how important it was for personal care to clean teeth twice a day and how to use deodorants. The project was completed exclusively by the employees of the Fund during the whole year.

2. The Fund also collected money for a complex operation on the spine of a girl from orphanage #10 located in Ufa. The
girl’s name is Katya Shcherban. Katya was 14 when we met her in 2002. She suffered from a difficult congenital disease called vertebral scoliosis of the 4th degree. She had an ugly hump at that time. As a girl Katya was very troubled by the congenital ugliness. It seemed to her that she would look like that for the rest of her life. But the Lord is merciful to His children. The Fund managed to collect money for the operation. It was performed in one of the best Russian clinics specializing in such operations. The clinic is located in Novosibirsk (Siberia). Katya underwent a most difficult six-hour operation. She was even-keeled and optimistic. After the operation she repented of her sins right in the clinic. It was her own decision. Now we can hardly recognize Katya. She is a very cheerful and lovely girl. Besides, she has a straight back now like other people do.

3. Ilgina Mirasova is a fifteen-year old girl from the orphanage in Petrovskoye located 160 km from Ufa. She corresponded with an American family for two and a half years. In 2003 the Skeltons decided to invite Ilgina to their place for the summer holidays and sent an official invitation for her. It was necessary to draw up a lot of documents so that Ilgina could go to the USA. The orphans here are under the jurisdiction of the Ministry for Education in Russia. But the Ministry Office refused to deal with the matter. And the Fund decided to help the girl to see another more beautiful part of the world. The Fund was collecting all the necessary papers from February to June. We had to go twice to the USA Embassy in Ekaterinburg. Fortunately all problems were solved and Ilgina managed to go overseas to visit her pen pal friends.

4. One of the most important projects of the Fund ever realized since the Fund's inception is the organization and building of a practical training centre in orphanage # 9 in Ufa. Today orphanages have two principle serious issues: poor gov't support and lack of opportunity to fill the spare time of their children. This project is aimed at solving both problems. The orphanage had two garage spaces. So, it was decided to make a workshop for vehicle repair. The garages underwent major repairs. They also purchased special equipment for vehicle repair and installed water lines and heating pipes. Mechanics were invited and now they successfully work in the workshop. In November 2003 the workshop earned the first profit of $400 for the orphanage. In December the profit grew to $600. It is expected that profits will reach $1,000 as soon as the project is fully completed. A couple of months afterwards, a training class will be set up on the basis of the workshop. The boys will be able to master the profession of mechanic there.

5. In 2002 the Fund received a few foreign volunteers to work in orphanages. In 2003 we received even more. 1) Rachel Bell is a volunteer from Great Britain. She came to help the orphanage in Durtuli for three weeks. She collected money and purchased nice school bags, rucksacks and stationery for the children. 2) Matthew Binder graduated from the University. He became a constructor of racing cars. Matthew decided to help orphanage # 9 to repair their broken car. By his arrival the workshop had been opened already. He purchased all the necessary spare parts for the car on the money he had collected on
his own. Now the car perfectly works for the orphanage. 3) A group of six people headed by Kit Miller came to the orphanage in Aurgazi to decorate a room in order to brighten up the environment for the children.

6. For several years already the Fund has been helping the graduates of orphanages who study in Ufa. The Fund supports and encourages them. The children have an opportunity to have a meal or a shower in the office of the Fund if they need it. Some children come just for a bit of advice as for how they should act in this or that case. But more
often the children come to work on the computer since they have to write a lot of theses, course papers and diploma papers, simple reports, and essays. They must do all these on the computer. Since they do not have their own computers they have to go to our office.

7. The Fund has been helping children from different orphanages to correspond with kids from the USA. Now more than a hundred children have an opportunity to have pen pals. In 2004 the Fund plans to help the boarding school in Zilair to rebuild a shower and build a Bath house. This boarding school is one of the poorest in the Republic. Retarded and mentally handicapped children live there. Even now they do not have an adequate bathroom. Once a week the children have the only opportunity to wash themselves in an old, poor working shower. It is so old that even according to the Sanitation Epidemic Center’s instructions it is to be closed. In 2004 the Fund plans to organize repairs for a modern dentistry room to address dental needs of the children from orphanages and children’s homes. In 2004 the Fund also plans to keep on providing aid packages to the
orphanages. The Fund intends to expand its activities and to help also an orphanage for deaf kids and a boarding school for blind children. Since the activities of the Fund are expanding we plan to attract Russian volunteers. These will be believers who would like to help children.

Our needs

In 2004 the Fund is able to pay a) the leasing charge – 100%, b) telephone – 100%, c) wages to the employees – 50 % d) the car – 0%.

Josie Moon giving a word of
encouragement to workers at the orphanage.

1. We need an amount of dollars monthly to cover the other 50% of the wages, so that the employees of the Fund have an opportunity to work as effectively as they did last year and their families have enough money for a living.

2. We need also an amount of dollars to provide all the necessary spare parts for the car. The work of the Fund is mostly connected with business trips to different orphanages several times a year. The most remote orphanage is situated 450 km from Ufa. The car travels 30,000-40,000 km a year (18,000-24,000 miles) . Oil needs to be changed 4 times a year, brake pads, spherical bearings, stabilizer bars and tie rods need to be changed at least once a year because of the condition of Russian roads. The tires are need to be changed every 50,000 km. (30,000 miles)

3. We need people who would like to correspond with children from orphanages. These may be teenagers and grown ups. Those who correspond with the orphans render a huge and invaluable assistance. First, every letter is a great joy for a child who has never received one. Second, letters help children to improve their self-esteem. Third, such kinds of correspondence enrich a child’s mental outlook. It helps children to learn more about the world in which we live.

We are asking you to pray for our needs. We would be very grateful to you for any help.

Charitable "Children’s Fund"

Our ministry is comprised of a small team of three nationals:

Director Mark Ignatichev

Assistant director Lydia Moldovanzeva

You can contact us at: blagoufa@mailandnews.com

Mendeleev St 201-97, 450071, Ufa, Bashkortostan, Russia

Tel. 011-7-3472-39-77-68