Ukraine's Orphans
What happens to orphans after 16?
Around the age of 16, orphans must leave the orphanage. There is no further funding for them to remain in the orphanage and because of overcrowding, it is not possible for them to stay longer in most cases. Sometimes, this happens even younger - children as young as 14 have had to leave our older kids' orphanage, the Internat. They are without the basic skills to protect themselves and provide for themselves.
Orphans are given the option to attend some sort of further education according to Ukrainian law. They can also live in a government-run dormitory if space is available, and as long as they study - usually one to two years. The conditions in these dorms are far worse than in the orphanage - they are usually violent, dangerous and worse, these orphans spend a great deal of time alone and without encouragement and love.
When an orphan leaves the orphanage, they must secure housing, food, warm clothes and shoes and other basics for living if they are not able to go on to further education, or after that education is done. Internat directors are charged with helping these students as they leave the orphanage, but in a country with few social programs to help and where jobs are very scarce, this is a monumental, daunting task.
Without intervention programs, the statistics are extremely sad:
- 60-70% of boys leaving the orphanage will become involved in crime for survival.
- 60-70% of girls leaving the orphanage will become involved in prostitution for survival.
- About 1 in 6 of these children will commit suicide before their mid-20's because of hopelessness.
Learn more by reading the pages below:
Why are there so many orphans?
What is life like for these orphans?
Operation Ukraine works to prepare teens for further education and future employment by sponsoring a computer lab and teachers for the lab as well as an English language program for young children.
Contact us to find out how you can help us do this!