RUSSIA

Making a difference in the orphanages
The Russian way of life is a hard one for the average person, but conditions are far worse for those in orphanages, especially the orphanages designated for children with disabilities. These orphanages typically have several hundred children each with some housing as many as 600 children. These children rarely receive any individual attention and many in their society believe they possess little or no value. Child Development International is an advocate for these children and believes they possess great value and great potential! Child Development International provides humanitarian aid including food, clothing, medical supplies, diapers, books and other educational materials, and developmental toys and equipment on an ongoing basis. Neurodevelopmental services for these children and training for the orphanage staff is also available. The need in these orphanages is great and there is much work to be done.

"My Family" Center
The "My Family" Center, located just outside of St. Petersburg, Russia, is an organization run by and for families who have children with disabilities. These families are unique as they have gone against societal norms and chosen to keep their children who have disabilities at home instead of sending them to an orphanage. Life for these families is very challenging as many live in homes with no running water. Child Development International is privileged to work with these families by providing neurodevelopmental services for the children at the center as well as providing for the physical needs of the families.