ChildAid to Eastern Europe

‘ChildAid to Eastern Europe’

Martin Wilcox, Charity Manager at ‘ChildAid to Eastern Europe’, gave an overview of the organisation’s work to members of the Rotary Club of South Foreland at a recent meeting.  Established in 1973, ChildAid works with local partners to support abandoned babies, children living in vulnerable families, orphans and children with disabilities at centres in Belarus, Moldova, Russia and Ukraine. Projects cover the areas of education, healthcare, vulnerability and abandonment, with 2,500 children, their families and communities benefiting from the charity.

As well as providing care the organisation raises awareness of the need to help vulnerable and needy children in order to create a fairer society.  In Soviet times, disabled children were never seen but consigned to forbidding state institutions.  The ChildAid approach is to care for and integrate the poor, vulnerable and disabled into their local communities and help them to make the most of their lives.  Provision of children’s services, rehabilitation, prevention of abandonment, and family support services help protect vulnerable children from abuse.  In Moldova 10% of orphans in state care commit suicide and many become involved in crime and prostitution.  Martin gave the example of Brigette: sold into a life of exploitation at the age of 4 by her mother, she was later rescued and is now fostered by a ChildAid partner and living in a caring family. 

One of the partners ChildAid works with is the Rotary Organisation: Helen Perkins from the West Midland Rotary District, who accompanied Martin, has visited the Terry Hawkes Centre in Moldova where Rotary Grants have supported the introduction of paediatric occupational therapies to help children with disabilities.  The Rotary Club of South Foreland will be supporting the provision of a sensory room for these children.

More information can be found at: www.childaidee.org.uk