Ukraine's Orphans
It is a crisis. But there's hope.
Imagine being a child living in an orphanage. Abandoned by your parents. Receiving inadequate nutrition. Few or no medicines to relieve your suffering when you are sick. No one who is dedicated just to you - to tell you how special you are, to help you learn to walk and talk and encourage you as you study and grow. Even if the caretakers at your orphanage are caring and loving, there are just too many children and too little money to change the situation.
Your future doesn't look too bright. When you are 16, you will have to leave the orphanage. You don't have family to turn to. There are few jobs in your country. There are few programs to feed you or house you. And your self esteem is very low for all you've been through.
Right now, there are over 100,000 children living in orphanages in Ukraine. Official numbers vary, and it is difficult to pinpoint the exact number. Reports from 100,000 to 150,000 exist, with 120,000 being the most commonly cited number. There are officially another 100,000 in state care, such as semi-orphanages and other forms of care.
Whatever the final number, the reality for these children is bleak. Because the Ukrainian government provides extremely inadequate funds for clothing, shoes or other basics, and the budget for food is grossly inadequate as well, many children suffer from poor nutrition, medical issues that result from this like rickets, hunger, cold and lack of medicines. Orphanages depend on interational aid for survival. This is why Operation Ukraine exists!
Two Types of Orphans
There are two types of children who make up the orphan population in Ukraine:
- Full orphans. In this situation, both of the children's parents are dead. The child is in state care because no other family is available to care for them.
- Social orphans. In this situation, which is more common, one or both of the child's parents are alive but either unable or unwilling to care for the child. This can be due to a variety of reasons. Some of the children in orphanages, perhaps 10%, still have a living parent who hopes to live with them again one day. These children live at the orphanage until their parents can find a way to support them. Sometimes these parents visit children or take them home on weekends, and sometimes this is not the case.
Why are there so many orphans?
What is life like for these orphans?
What happens to orphans once they turn 16?
There are some 120,000 orphaned children in Ukraine. Although we are not able to help each of them, we believe we can help many.
By joining together, we can help to make the lives of the children in Ukraine healthier and their futures more full of potential.
Interested in helping us? Click here to find out just how easy it is!