Russia

In Russia Star of Hope supports children who currently reside in institutions as well as youth / young adults who grew up in an institution. We also support projects that work to improve the situation of children with special needs. Specifically, we include training of health professionals, government agencies and parents so that they can take care of and give children with special needs the opportunity to develop in the best possible way.

Star of Hope primarily supports activities that enable children to live in a family be it their own biological family or foster family, believing that is better than growing up in institutions. In Russia, we have nevertheless chosen to support orphaned children in institutional care. At these institutions the children are cared for by trained, dedicated staff that see the children's needs and wants to give them a better life. We put an emphasis on the future, life after the institution.

Grace Family Center

When young people leave institutions in Russia (at age 18) they encounter multiple problems. Many are met with various types of prejudice because they come from an institution, they have no adults who care about them and they often lack the everyday knowledge that others may learn in their family, such as washing clothes, cooking, managing household cash, finding suitable accommodations in which to live and more. Most have no parents or other relatives to turn to, so they often feel lonely and left out, and in reality, they are. At Grace Family Center, these young people meet and spend time with adults who give them support and encouragement and help them develop into independent people with strong self-worth. The staff, at the project, prepare an individual plan for each young person who comes to it. The work is based on Christian principles. They live and work in an environment where they can meet and know the saving grace of Jesus.