ADRA Ukraine Nourishes Hungry Street Children
Posted Date: May 28, 2003
ADRA Ukraine Nourishes Hungry Street Children
Silver Spring, Maryland - Each week 200 street children living in the Ukrainian capital of Kiev, enjoy five hot, nutritious meals provided by the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA). According to official statistics provided by the Ukrainian government, approximately 50,000 street children live in Ukraine, 12,000 of those in Kiev. Started in November 2002, with funding from ADRA Germany and support from the local government, the street children receive food each week and medical aid, if needed.
"Street children live in abhorrent conditions including basements, abandoned buildings, city garbage sites, and sewage systems. ADRA is not only trying to feed the children, but also seeks to create positive changes in their lives," said Andriy Chuprikov, country director for ADRA Ukraine.
The majority of street children suffer from various diseases caused by their living conditions and lifestyles. ADRA Ukraine has organized groups of medical specialists that visit and treat street children. For complicated cases ADRA works with local hospitals to provide additional medical examinations and care. ADRA has also partnered with psychologists from local state youth centers that provide consultations to the children twice a week.
Local youth volunteers organize special programs for the children every Sunday involving games, quiz competitions, skits, and plays. ADRA also discusses sanitation, hygiene, and the dangers of smoking and drugs.
Providing individual and community development and disaster relief without regard to political or religious association, age or ethnicity, ADRA is present in more than 120 countries.
Additional information about ADRA can be found on its website at www.adra.org.
