 |  | In Russia, like many other countries, the government will only fund orphanages to care for children until they reach age 17-18 years old . Afterwards, many are forced to live independently without having been given to life-tools to do so. In fact, it has been estimated that within the first two years of life outside of an orphanage, 15% of these young adults commit suicide, and 70% are otherwise unable to care for themselves (many become criminals or prostitutes).
OUR PARTNERS
BTTN partners with international orphan outreach organizations in the United States to reach out to orphan children who have “aged out” of the orphanages in the various regions of Russia. One part of our partner’s operating method is to develop and operate regional outreach centers in Russia to serve as a base for orphan children who have reached the age of 18 and thus are no longer cared for in the state-run orphanages. These outreach centers help these children (or young adults) by providing shelter, food and dental care, and they provide education and education support services to prepare them for life as an adult.
NEW OUTREACH IN IVANOVO
Bridge To The Nations® is a financial sponsor for a newly developed dental clinic in the outreach center in Ivanovo Russia, and provides direct financial support for educational and medical needs of the orphans who have left the state-run orphanages. In 2006, we had the opportunity to bring the first team to this regional center, to provide educational classes and programs for these young adults, to help them on their journey to gain the tools necessary to face living independently. In 2007, we returned and conducted an intensive “Life Skills Conference” for 66 orphan boys aged 17-20 from Ivanovo, Vladimir and Kostroma, and in 2008 we returned for further instruction and life skills training to the young orphan men and women in these regions. The goals of these conferences were to help them understand how to respect themselves and each other, and how to manage basic life skills such as budgeting, communication, and healthy decision making.
LOOKING TO THE FUTURE
Over the next few years, we will continue these health education and life-skills outreach efforts to the young orphan children and the orphans who have aged-out of the orphanages,in the Ivanovo, Vladimir and Kostroma regions. |