Child sponsorship update from Kandalaksha (Murmansk), Russia

Update for child sponsors from the SOS Children's Village Kandalaksha (Murmansk), Russia from Summer 2008.

There are 75 children living in the SOS CV Kandalaksha now. 56 of them are pupils of primary and secondary schools. The rest attend nursery schools. One of the pupils has got only excellent marks and ten of them good and excellent marks. In September 2008 eleven children will start school. The SOS children also go in for sports. Naturbahn section is very popular among them. The children take an active part in all competitions and even win prizes. Mainly girls attend the sections and clubs of beadwork, music, art and equestrian schools. Different excursions are often organized for the SOS children. The kids actively participate in all town festivities being marked as talented artists.

In November 2007 a very interesting excursion to a bread-baking plant was held for the SOS children. The children were told how bread is baked and were treated with fresh baked rolls. Many children are now dreaming of working at this plant.

November 21 was celebrated in the CV as Mother’s Day. Every year every inhabitant of the CV is getting ready for the fest thoroughly trying to invent something unusual. This time little plays written by the SOS children themselves were staged, then some of the kids read their poems.

On December 21 a charitable auction of children’s drawings took place. The aim of the auction was to gather money both for the CV and the painters who helped to organize this auction. One of the Kandalaksha SOS children Andrey L. won the first prize at the Regional exhibition and was awarded with a trip to Governor’s Fir Tree Festivity in Murmansk.

On January 11 our children visited Father Frost residence situated in the middle of Lapponian forest reserve. The most intriguing thing was that the children had to look for Father Frost seeking him along the “ecological” paths and going down icy hills. When they found him they recited poems to him and played games with him.

On January 13 an Orthodox Sunday school performed a Christmas play for the SOS children. The children of the SOS CV also attend this Sunday school during the year studying the Bible with great interest.

On January 26 there was a mutual meeting of the SOS children and the children of the local ecological-biological station. Our children are also members of this station. The children discussed the ecological problems of the world demonstrating brilliant knowledge of the life of animals. There was also a quiz about year seasons.

Events at Kandalaksha (Murmansk), Russia

February 23 was marked by elections to Children’s Public Council. There were 8 candidates older than 12. It was necessary to elect 5 members of the Council). Those children who were older than 9 had a right to vote (39 in all). As a result of voting Anastasia (SOS House # 8) became chairman of the Council, Alexey being her Deputy. Alyona was appointed responsible for CV history records, Olga became chief editor and Ekaterina became responsible for sport and cultural activities. The Council was named “Five Starts” and started its feverish activity the next day visiting the editorial office of the local newspapers to gather some information for publishing their own new paper.

On March 9 there was a festivity of seeing off the winter. There were many guests present among whom was a bayan-player who didn’t let anybody feel blue. The SOS children and the guests sang and danced in a ring, ate delicious pan cakes of different tastes and burnt a straw Winter at the end of the day.

On March 22-26 the SOS children aged 9-13 went to a camp of psychological help “Treasure Island Pirates” where they made articles with their own hands and then sold them for “piastres”.

On March 25 a group of the elder SOS children visited a Nuclear Power Station to learn more about electricity. They were shown an artificial lightning which delighted them immensely.

Those who showed good results at school were awarded with an aqua park visit. The kids were delighted to spend a day in such an interesting place having returned home full of strength.

In April two girls - Valeria and Alexandra - returned to live with their biological mother who was restored in her parental rights due to her good behaviour. We were happy for the girls but sad at the same time to part with them (especially their SOS Mother).

One of the things we are mostly proud of is that our girl Ekaterina S. won the International essay competition “My World”, having written an essay about how she sees her inner world and her life. Her story was exclusively exciting and interesting. The prize of the competition was a trip to the Czech Republic.

In May the end of a successful school year came. During May the SOS Mothers and children were getting ready for the summer rest. The elder children mostly go to summer camps and sanatoriums, the little ones with their SOS Mothers travel to the seaside or to their SOS Mother’s relatives.