NewsThe Dnipro Appeal Christmas Update As many of you will know, we at the Appeal have been feverishly working away to gather funds for the Charity. On January the 3rd 2007, when many of us will be heading back to work after the festive holidays, Stevie Carr and Alix Stewart will be heading off on another long haul journey taking donations to the orphans in Dnipropetrovsk.As usual, the journey is very much a planes, trains and automobiles trip, starting with a flight to Frankfurt and an overnight stay, then a flight to Kiev, followed by an overnight train journey through the frozen Steppes to Dnipro, returning the same route three days later. Laden on the outward journey with six cases of donated items, it's the same journey that was taken in late summer so we do not envy them one kilometre of the arduous trip. Where we are now As some of you will now know we have expanded the charities role to support not only the Predniprovsk TB Sanatorium but also the Odinkovka orphanage and the Bear Child Clinic. Many of you will remember that the orphans at the Predniprovsk TB Clinic were the first kids taken on by the Dnipro Appeal and we continue to support them as much as we can. The Odinkovka orphanage was a facility Stevie, Alix and Mark first visited for the first time in September and it was felt we should take this facility on and let the kids see that there good people out there, who care about them and their future. We continue to support the Bear Child Clinic, which helps young mums look after their babies at a time when the general lack of State assistance can leave them very vulnerable. It is a great testament to the fans of Hibernian Football Club, and many other individuals, that the continued support for the Dnipro Appeal allows us to continue our assistance for these organisations. It may surprise people that the majority of the Ukraine generally celebrates Christmas on January 7th. This is the preferred date by the Orthodox Christian faith with is the most widespread faith in the Ukraine. With this in mind the Dnipro Appeal decided to make this trip coincide with Christmas day in Ukraine and try to make it special for the kids we help by ensuring they had a special Christmas gift delivered. We have arranged for every kid to get some sweets and a toy. Basic though it may sound, the orphanage assistance provided by the State does not include luxuries such as sweets. We have purchased Barbie dolls which we will be taking over for the girls, this was a specific request as the Barbie brand is very hard to get in Ukraine and would make the gift much more special. The boys have been purchased a variety of items and we’d also had a request from the director for some good quality footballs so we’ve packed those as well. For the younger children and the babies at the Bear Child there is a good selection of soft toys which Alix and Stevie intend to pass to the kids personally whilst visiting. To help with their schooling we have packed a nice selection of scientific calculators kindly donated by Graham Mitchell of PaperPlus. We recently held a very successful race night and we would like to thank all the sponsors, horse owners and those that came along. With the funds collected at this event, and the kind donations from everyone, we now have a very clear shopping list of items which Stevie and Alix will spend a day or two in Dnipro purchasing. The kind of items we buy may seem surprisingly basic but without them you could imagine how much harder the children’s lives would be. To give you all an idea of what we intend to purchase in January, we have listed below our shopping list: The Odinkovka Orphanage This facility is based in the suburbs of the city across the River Dnepr from the city centre, a good few miles on bumpy back roads. It supports around 50 kids, aged 4 to 16, and whilst the property is in a reasonable state of repair, the children really do not have anything other than the care and attention of a few dedicated staff. We visited this orphanage for the first time in September to look around and on that visit we passed out Hibs shirts for all the kids, along with new trainers, underwear and lots of toys. We have already mentioned the sweets and toys we will be taking for their Christmas but we have also been asked if we can provide the following: A) Dishes, cups, glasses, new knives for the cooks, daft as it may sound asking for essentials we take for granted, but the State provides very little and cups and dishes can sometimes get broken. B) Two boxes of 200 bulbs. They are given 100 Bulbs a year from the state but with regular electricity surges these are soon used up, and when they go, it stays dark. C) Sponges, toothbrushes and toothpaste for all the kids D) An Ironing Table & Iron for the laundry E) Underwear for all 50 kids F) Jumpers for the older girls G) Hand/ face towels and Face Towels/ Hankies for all the kids H) Pairs of jeans for older boys I) School shirts for the younger boys J) Jotters and Exercise Books of different kinds and sizes for all the kids The Bear Child Centre To update everyone, and maybe inform others that are new to the Charity’s work, the Bear Child Clinic is a small organisation situated in Dnipropetrovsk. Its main role is to help mothers with babies who have little or no income or support. What the centre tries to do is help the mums look after the wee ones by supplying all the day-to-day babies needs as well as offering help and advice to new mothers who are struggling to cope. Our hope is that the babies can stay within a family unit and not end up as orphans like many of the other kids we now help. The majority of the kids clothes donated in Scotland are passed to the Bear Child Centre, along with numerous soft toys and games. In addition, every few months we spend around £500 on nappies, soap, talc, cream, powdered milk, shampoo and baby oil, bibs, dummies etc. This generally stocks the clinic with everything they need for the next few months or so, although we do have a facility to 'top up' funds if any special needs arise. The Predniprovsk T.B. Sanatorium This facility is again based on the opposite side of the river to the centre of the city, around 12 miles from the town centre and adjacent to FC Dnipro’s impressive Training Facility. The Sanatorium caters for kids with traces of TB, and has a mixture of both orphaned children and other children from poorer families in deprived areas. This was the first facility we visited before the charity was established and we are very proud of what the Hibs supporters money and kindness has achieved in just over a year. From the day we arrived with Hibs scarves and tops for the kids, we have managed to help to re-floor bedrooms, redecorate the facility, provide TV's and DVD’s for the kids communal areas, provided important medical equipment which has proven vital in curing the kids of Tuberculosis, blackboards, desks and school books for their classrooms, new seating for their auditorium, games, toys, footwear and clothing for all the seasons. We have developed a strong working relationship with the Sanatoriums Director, indeed we now consider him a good friend and we consult him directly on how best we support the facility. This year, in addition to the Christmas presents, we have agreed to supply the following equipment: A) Vacuum Massage equipment for the kids B) Aroma-phono therapy equipment for the kids C) 3 medical couches D) 2 more tables and 12chairs for the younger kids room common room E) Toys for the all the different children's age groups Predniprovsk is in a poor state of repair and there is so much we would like to do. Obviously we have to select what we think is best for both the kids and the facility. In 2005 we purchased an expensive specialist heat lamp, which kills the TB infections, and has proven to be a great success. The Director has requested a second lamp, however we cannot always provide everything we are asked for and have postponed this until September 2007 when hopefully more funds are available. Sponsor a Child In late November we began the sponsor a child campaign, for the kids at the Odinkovka orphanage. The child sponsorship scheme allows those who want a more regular and personal involvement the ability to give a monthly donation of just £10. Once on board the Dnipro Appeal Committee will ensure anyone that commits to a monthly payment will be allocated one of the orphans at the Odinkovka orphanage. You will receive regular updates and photos of your allocated child showing how they are progressing in life and how your donation is helping. The updates will be managed by the Dnipro Team here in Scotland, supported by our Dnipropetrovsk based team, who visit the kids regularly and updating us on their progress. This has all been possible using items such as the digital camera, purchased on our recent trip over, and items such as the laptops that have been kindly donated to us and used to store details and email updates back to Scotland. How do you sign up? You can contact us by clicking HERE. We will then collect your details and help you to set up a standing order with your bank. Once on board we will get you started with a photo and details of the orphan your monthly donation will be assisting. Further updates will follow on a regular basis and hopefully let you see exactly how much of a difference your monthly donation can make. If requested we may also be able to pass on letters to your sponsored child and have a kind Hibby ready to translate them on your behalf. I'm sure it would make an orphan feel much better knowing that there is someone here in Scotland looking out for their well being. All that is left to say is thanks for the support you have given us, we are immensely proud of our fellow Hibernian fans for their continued generosity. Please give serious consideration to our Adopt a Child plan, it will go a long way to helping the orphans short term as well as establishing their long-term future. |
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