Food Parcels & Humanitarian Aid
Living Hope also works alongside the children and their families as much as possible to help rebuild the family relationships so vital to young lives.
Living Hope believes that by working in families, they can make a difference between a child running away to live on the streets or staying with their families. Importance is placed on helping the parents change too, which provides the children with
a more welcoming and hospitable home. In many cases, children begin their path on the streets as a result of simply being unable to find food at home.
In Russia it is difficult to work without documents such as a passport. If the husband dies and the wife has no papers, she is unable to provide for the children. Often several trips to get working papers and a nominal court fee can get a family on its feet and restore hope. In some cases, LIVINGHOPE also works to find employment for older children and parents.
Passports
By Russian law, each child must obtain a passport at the age of 14. A passport enables them to be registered in a place, so they can get into school, higher education or training and employment.
Passports are usually obtained by parents, but obviously this is rare in the case of street kids. Living Hope helps with all the necessary paperwork to ensure the child obtains the passport, including hours of work and considerable travelling to other communities and villages to acquire birth certificates and trace families. This can often include getting their Mother her first passport. The average time taken to complete the process is around 30 hours, including expenses up to NZ$300, not including wages.
Medical Check Ups
All the children who come to us for the first time are taken for a medical check up. Children as young as six years old have been found to have sexual diseases and for many AIDS.
The children at this tiime are also de-loused, which often requires cutting away matted hair.
Clothings and Shoes
In a climate where winter temperatures drop to -30 deg C with a wind chill factor far greater, the risk of exposure to Hyperthermia and other cold related disease and illness greatly increases.
Children can often be found sleeping on top of the hot water pipes which go under the city streets and basements, or many huddled together under one blanket trying to stay warm.
Living Hope provides children wherever they can with Winter Clothes and Shoes to keep warm against these harsh conditions.
Christmas celebrations
At Christmas and New Year Living Hope buys gifts for over 500 children.
Christmas Gift for a Child
Includes: Toothbrush, toiletries, a small toy, confectionary, warm gloves or socks and fruit.
Christmas Food parcels for families in need
Given to families who would otherwise not be able to celebrate at this time of year
Christmas Party at the Shelter
A time of year to celebrate with the kids we work.
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