We have already made a significant difference to the lives of the families who have received items such as washing machines, pushchairs and prams. This can be read about in our 2007 report. However, we are looking to help more families in this way.
Pushchairs and prams are available in Belarus but are expensive, ranging from £30 to over £100. Ones costing over £100 have the advantage of being better constructed and able to be converted from prams into car/carry seats and pushchairs through the various stages of the child's growth. These can also be passed on from family to family as the children out-grow the need for them. The cheaper items are still useful, but are not able to change with the child's needs and may not last as long.
One of the more expensive models was given to Katya for her son Danila and has completely opened up a world that she would not otherwise be able to access. We also try to target mothers who have problems with their own health affecting their arms and/or legs, who would not be able to carry their children or transport them any other way.
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Providing larger pushchairs and wheelchairs for disabled children is more difficult and expensive, but still possible. For these items, the cost is usually more than £100.
One of the most basic of items that families struggle to afford is a bed. This is especially a problem for families who adopt children or who have large families.
Space in houses, particularly when there are lots of children living there, is always a problem. Sofa-beds are readily available in the shops in Belarus, but cost £100-£200, far beyond the reach of most families.
We bought one such sofa-bed for a family with five adopted children.
A gas cooker provides warm food and drinks to a whole family - a must when winter temperatures can fall as low as minus 40 degree Celsius.
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We have received an anonymous donation to pay for a cooker for Galina's family (pictured above) but many more families continue to struggle without. We would like to provide cookers for them as well.
Anyone who has had their washing machine break down on them knows how inconvenient this can be. So now imagine that you don't have a washing machine at all. Now imagine that you have five children. Add on top of that, three of your children are doubly incontinent due to disabilities and you have no access to disposable nappies or protection for them. If you now add on the extreme temperatures and the fact that you cannot use your hands because you have a cancer that affects them, you might be getting close to the situation that Lena found herself in. So imagine her joy when we provided her with one!
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Lena and Galina with the washing machine |
We also try to provide washing machines for families with many children and/or children with significant disabilities which mean they are incontinent and immobile, either permanently or when recovering from frequent operations.
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Whilst we have provided some washing machines, there are many more families who would benefit enormously from them. Some of these are specifically mentioned in the 2007 report.
The cost of a washing machine is £200-£250 each. When many families are struggling to survive on £7.50 per month, there is clearly no way that they can afford to buy this themselves.
If you would like to sponsor any of the above items, please contact us. We can often provide you with photographs of the children and families who will receive your gift and information about why they were chosen to receive it.