Leaves of Hope - Latest about Nastya

Befriending - Project Number 3

September 2008

In the last update I said I would not be seeking external funding for another project. I felt that I had done all that I could for Belarus and that, while I would stay involved with Val, supporting her in the work in the orphanages, my active involvement would be minimal. But it hasn’t quite worked out like that. Others have had different ideas!

Kind friends seeing the success of the Prevention Project have raised more money ‘to help me to continue working possibly for another 2 years’! It isn’t a vast amount but does provide an opportunity to think about other ways of encouraging more child centred approaches for children especially those with disabilities. So last week I returned briefly to Minsk to explore possibilities with Elena Titova and BelAPDIiMI

The Prevention Project was wonderfully successful – exceeding our most optimistic expectations. The rate of abandonment has fallen markedly, not that we claim in any way that this was solely as a result of our intervention, there are lots of contributory initiatives, but there are still occasions when the threat of abandonment needs a response from one of the project workers. We have agreed, therefore, to use some of the money to maintain this service at a reduced level. The project workers will continue to be available to maternity hospitals to offer material and emotional support and information.

In addition we are going to build on Val’s work in Zhodino to extend befriending for children in Orphanages who have no contact with their families. We have identified 2 other orphanages keen to work with us and are going to begin preliminary discussions with them as soon as possible.

We want to encourage families to do what Val has done with Ilya, to get to know specific children and befriend them by either visiting regularly, inviting them to tea at home and, when the paper work is sorted to spend weekends with them. We are aware that similar ad hoc initiatives are gaining currency in a number of areas of the country but Minsk has been a bit slow in becoming involved.

We are confident that attitudes in orphanages are changing and there is a willingness to consider trying different ways of caring. The time is right to try more informal approaches. The concept isn’t new and we hope others will share their experiences with us. We have written a simple project proposal and will seek the approval of the relevant

Ministries, and support from UNICEF and key individuals to ensure that our work (as with the fostering and prevention projects) becomes embedded in national child care policy.

As with everything it depends on money. The weak dollar exchange rate over the past four years has ensured we have enough money for the salaries of the project workers for 2 years but this will not last; already the dollar is strengthening and we will need to find extra funding to undertake preparation courses for orphanage staff and potential family befrienders. We need to ensure we do everything possible to ensure safe and successful placements.

We hope we can continue to count on your wonderful support

Margaret Bamford

With Thanks to …………

There are so many people to whom we owe thanks for helping us in so many different ways and for raising additional funds. We are so grateful to everyone but the following are just a few individuals and organisations we must mention:

Marianne Griffiths and John Dixon, Bronagh and Simon Hartwell, Breda and Bernard Blount, and Jennifer Champion West Sussex County Council, Price Waterhouse, Coopers, McKinsey and Co, and Cap Gemini Chichester Festival Theatre, Bailliffscourt Hotel, Spread Eagle Hotel, White Horse Pub, and The Old Forge Restaurant, Fr. Chris Ingle, Graham Eccles, Norman Robson, Lynn and Bevis Ingram, Judith Hartwell, , Laurie Figgis, Rebecca Sparks, Sara and Adam Carnegie Brown, Barbara Green, Alison Lorimer, Angela Macadam, The Automatic, Jane at Creations Hairdressers, and Samantha Jayne Finlayson. Hurtwood Jazz