Russian Childrens Welfare Society Inc

Programs: Medical programsamong our many programs, rcws improves the lives of a great number of children at risk in russia by funding their medical care and assisting in the training of russian doctors. Give beauty back to the children - pediatric maxillofacial surgery fundthe russian children's welfare society (rcws) has been involved in several medical assistance projects helping to equip hospitals, promote training of russian doctors in the latest medical advancements, and co-sponsoring the treatment of children. Over six years ago, rcws launched the "give beauty back to the children" project in partnership with prof. Vitaly roginsky, head of the moscow center for children's maxillofacial surgery (mccms), and lev ambinder, head of the russian aid foundation (rusfond), a charity established by the russian newspaper kommersant. Thousands of children are burdened by unsightly facial deformities as a result of congenital defects, tumors, cleft lips, cleft palates, and other traumas. Mccms is one of the most innovative facilities in russia providing treatment and rehabilitation for children with facial deformities. The "give beauty back to the children" program has forever altered the lives of over 700 children suffering from facial deformities. Helping children with hiv/aidsofficial government statistics indicate that there are 333,332 russians infected with hiv making russia home to the highest number of people living with hiv/aids in europe today. Since many more are unaware of their hiv status, international organizations believe that the true figure may be somewhere between 800,000 to 1. 5 million. In 2007, rcws started working with the foundation future without hiv/aids and the all russia pediatric aids center in st. Petersburg, which provides assistance to infected orphans and pregnant women. At the pediatric aids center there is a community of 40 sick and orphaned children who receive the attention of a dedicated staff of medical and educational professionals who foster their emotional development and integration into society. The society commends the pediatric aids center for its commitment to children that many regard as a lost cause. Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis project a program that helps children who are stricken with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. Over the last several years, rcws has purchased specialized arthritis equipment for the moscow institute of rheumatology and sechenov medical academy. The society has also helped facilitate training for russian rheumatologists in new york and in russia. Many medical professional have been instrumental in the success of this project and advise and guides rcws on how best to help russian children suffering from jra

educational scholarshipsince 2003, rcws has provided financial aid and guidance to help selected russian orphans attain higher education and successfully transition to independent adulthood. During the 2012-2013 academic year, 45 students received monthly rcws scholarships in the pskov, yaroslavl, moscow and velikiy novgorod regions. To date, the rcws scholarship program has been enormously successful in providing a support structure to help students complete their studies and receive a college diploma. Rcws requires academic transcripts from each scholarship recipient, as well as reports on the use of the stipend to assure accountability. Rcws is planning to expand the scholarship program to assist more students. The society also supports secondary education. The society also supports secondary education. The st. Alexis school and orphanage near yaroslavl, for example, offers rigorous programs in liberal arts, math and science, preparing students for university enrollment. Children who are not college-bound have the opportunity to learn trade skills through apprenticeships, while disabled children participate in classes specially designed to meet their needs. Another example is the st. Nicholas classical school in kislovodsk. The 192 students enrolled at the school receive education in academic subjects as well as practical skills such as computer training. All instruction is oriented to instill values that will help the children make positive choices throughout their lifetime. Rcws has supported the st. Nicholas school for several years allocating funds for food, computer equipment, textbooks and other supplies

rehabilitation centers for the disabled or mentally challengedtreatment for children with mental or physical disabilities is currently limited in russia, and societal prejudices do not allow for their integration into society. Parents often give up disabled children at birth, and for those who keep their children, there is little outside support in the form of special schools or services. To help foster the type of services and protection these children need, rcws has supported several excellent programs that are trying attend to children with special needs. The "inspiration" rehabilitation center outside of moscow is one such organization that has received rcws assistance. This facility offers a unique approach to treating children and teens with psychiatric and psychological issues. The center's programs include art therapy sessions, educational activities, music lessons, and sports activities. The center plans to help patients to further their education, secure housing and receive legal advice. Inspiration's goal is to help the youngsters to deal with their problems, and to develop positive behaviors that will help prepare them for independent living. Many of the children are orphans, or have escaped abusive home environments and need stability and treatment options beyond the means of the local psychiatric hospital. Because nothing can replace a real home and loving parents, we also support an innovative program by father ilya dorogoychenko that seeks local adoptive parents for children in crisis. Father ilya feels it is important that we do not "create one more shelter that will just increase the number of abandoned children. Even in our poor little township it is possible to find adoptive parents for our kids. "

orphanages and homeless sheltersrcws is committed to giving orphans a sense of care and love once absent in their lives while also preparing them for the future. Many of the estimated 700,000 orphans in russia are currently unprepared to take care of themselves or find a job, factors greatly contribute to the high rate of suicide, homelessness, prostitution and crime amongst former orphans. Donations translate to gifts of heat, transportation, improved living conditions, vocational training programs and other educational initiatives that prepare children to lead productive lives. Our goal is to help orphanages to meet basic needs as well as promote comprehensive programs that help children develop into healthy and independent adults. Fifteen years ago, the russian children's welfare society (rcws) organized its first "yelka", a modest russian christmas and new year's party in moscow. It has grown to become one of russia's most important yelka celebrations. Each year, from 1,000 to over 2,000 children participate in rcws's yelka festivities. In 2014, the celebrations were held at the cathedral of christ the saviour's concert hall. Rcws covered the costs for 1,000 children to attend the holiday music show "snowflake" and surprised each of them with a gift. Some of the children traveled great distances to attend, coming from orphanages in novomoskovsk, yaroslavl, ryazan, kislovodsk, veliky novgorod, and the smolensk, tula pskov and moscow regions. A trip to the yelka celebration and the opportunity to see the capital is something that every participant truly cherishes. Children from the following organizations came for the festivities: the solba orphanage for girls, the st. Nicolas gymnasium, spivakov foundation, children's rehabilitation center "krug", the orphanage in shatura, center for hearing impaired children in smolensk, severnaya korona foundation, children's center "rostok", the pushkin school, the st. Alexei school, rehabilitation center "detstvo", st. Nicolas sunday school, center "nelishnie deti", rehabilitation center "victoria", gymnasium in tutaev, center for children with down syndrome in ryazan, the orphanage in kolomna, the center "preodolenie l", the orphanage in sergiyev posad to name a few. Rcws personnel and volunteers, together with "ded moroz" (russian santa claus), also went to visit 110 little patients who were unable to travel at the moscow center for maxillofacial surgery and the sechenov academy in moscow to distribute gifts and bring some magic to their holiday. In spite of their debilitating conditions, and in some cases severe diagnoses, the children enthusiastically anticipate a visit from the rcws's ded moroz and touchingly come alive with pure joy. The playful distraction from their difficult predicaments is a memory they hold dear and the gifts are oftentimes the only ones they receive throughout the year. Beslan relief fund in 2004, the civilized world was disgusted by the terrorist attack on a school in beslan, russia, that resulted in the deaths of 186 children. While this tragedy quickly turned into yesterday's news, the people of beslan are still suffering from psychological trauma today. Many individuals and organizations were moved to offer donations to help the victims of this heinous crime, including rcws and its generous supporters. The approximately $50,000 raised by the society has covered the cost of operations and medical treatment for children hurt during the terrorist siege, many of whom needed to undergo bomb fragment extractions. Additionally, the society funded the purchase of crucial medical equipment to assist a pediatric hospital in moscow that cared for the majority of the victims and supported rehabilitation programs to help families cope with post-traumatic stress