[mschweber]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/russia/article/0,2763,1685562,00.html

Russian orphanages spending less than a penny a day on each child

Tom Parfitt in Moscow
Friday January 13, 2006
The Guardian


An investigation by the Russian general prosecutor's office into violations of the law in state orphanages has found some institutions allocate as little as 30 kopecks (0.6p) a day for each child's care.
The report reveals catastrophic conditions in thousands of children's homes across the country, many of them crumbling buildings where children go barefoot or without adequate clothing. ...

[Hopeful_Jen]

Thanks for posting the article. Reading it makes me want to hurry up and get through this process. It sure puts our paperwork chase headaches into prospective!

[RBSVARCHER]

Now this I can believe now that I've seen what I've seen and been where I've been!

Susan

[sickmeig]

i am so proud of my agency for making trips in the summer to hand deliver aid and to personally buy things for the orphanges. my social worker told me during the homestudy - "it's the ones you leave behind that will haunt you". i will never forget those wild eyed boys and those sad little girls. i'm sorry i could only bring home one and i would encourage anyone who could, to adopt 2 at once. and don't forget those toddlers and older children

[RBSVARCHER]

OMGosh! I am so glad we only saw David! I would have wanted to bring all of them home! I still wish I could become involved in going to Russia and helping those children full time.

Susan
Bham AL

[SingleMama2B]

Oh My... I read this last night russian news on line. It truly does NOT surprise me!!! My DD's orphanage was ATTROCIOUS (sp??), and I got sick eating the food that the kids ate, twice!!! NO HOT water, not the normal "heat" as in other Russian facilities, NO TP (I bought them 36 rolls before I left), cracked or missing steps inside, the worse clothes I've ever seen (think of the movie Oliver), and it was 10 times worst!!! Her orphanage was in the Moscow Region, but 62 miles from Moscow..... 3.5 to 4 hours one way... truly back to a Third World Country! NO MONEY at all was spent on the children, but the caretakers, director, deputy, inspector.... dressed to the NINES everyday!!! I thank God every day, afternoon, and night that my DD is Home FOREVER! I would hope that these articles would do some good, but this is about the 3rd or 4th one I have read in the past year, and from friends over there, they haven't seen anything change or the DUMA approaching this subject at all!!!!

[angelkisses0102]

It varies so much based on the region and it's wealth and attitude toward the orphans.

Samara has the highest per capita income in all of Russia...the orphanage was good when we went...they have since remodeled it and it is great now. But...they get donations from locals...someone donates ALL of the diapers...there were cases and cases of them. The director ensures that the kids are well taken care of and stimulated...the babies were wearing Carters outfits...the toddlers all dressed...bows for the girls even. They kids all went outside daily...they had age appropriate toys...the babies rooms were all bright and happy...full of age appropriate toys. Here are some shots of the Tolyatti orphanage while undergoing construction...

The hospital is Tomsk was the opposite...Arianna had basically nothing...not even a diaper. But she was loved by the nurses and doctors and for that I am grateful.

The children from the hospital in Tomsk haunt me still...