Child sponsorship update from Termitau, Kazakhstan

Update for child sponsors from the SOS Children's Village Termitau, Kazakhstan from Winter 2008.

First of all on behalf of all children and mothers and other staff of SOS Children’s Village Temirtau I would like to send you our sincere gratitude for your generous support. With pleasure I will share with you the latest happenings in village.
Since this autumn we have two pupils in the Village who attend school for the first time, 66 children attend nine public local schools, one studies in private school, one in boarding school, and the smallest three children attend kindergarten. Having different interests and talents our children attend music and art schools, sport classes, a journalist club, and studio for young actors. In the Village they can participate in the vocal group ‘Surprise’ and art class.

We have also held numerous events and holidays in cooperation with local organisations for children and youth. For example, ‘EcoMuseum’ held several trainings in open air where children planted the seeds and trees and they learned that each of them can make a considerable contribution to save our planet.

The day of June 13 became memorable for all our children, especially for those who participated in the great event, ‘Children Managing the Village’. It was a day of team work, when children took the place of SOS mothers, director, doctor, driver, and all other village co-workers. Through this challenging event, children experienced how to cooperate, to hold conversations on work issues, to solve problems as well as tried to manage and analyze the work behind the daily-life of SOS workers. At the end of the event, all interesting details were published in a special children’s edition of the newspaper called ‘Friday 13.

Growing up in Termitau, Kazakhstan

Through a year of preparation, coordination and planning with the Ecological Museum, National Guard and local Water Rescue Station, we were ready at last for our water-ecological tour. In July, two trained tourist teams from SOS Children’s Village Temirtau and SOS Children’s Village Astana went on the adventure trip. The participants were: village directors, teenagers, doctor, pedagogue, and experienced instructors. In rubber boats and canoes, two teams sailed 50-km of the Ishym River in the Karaganda region for a week. During this water-ecological tour all participants cleaned river banks, learned about the local flora, and gained some maritime traveling skills.

Some events were organised to strengthen the children’s health. Children had summer rest in Karkaralinsk and Temirtau rest zones, and to catch some rays and acquire a tan, they went to the city lake beach, ‘The Sunny Lagoon’.

We are very glad that some of our teenagers have already begun to think about future; who they want to be when they grow up, what profession they would like to obtain, and step by step they are seriously moving to aim. Besides school classes they are attending additional courses and work independently at home. These studies require great effort, but we have no doubts they will succeed. SOS families are always there for support.

Gabdolla attends the city group of journalists. He never loses an opportunity to perfect his skills. For example, he participated in a briefing with the Akim (the head of city administration), and participated in the 4th Annual International Youth Media Festival in Astana, where he attended master classes conducted by notable journalists.

Alyona has a variety of interests, including geometry and art. Her talents helped her fulfill a life-long dream of flying on a plane - one of her photomontages won a prize in an international SOS competition ‘My privacy! Don't look, don't poke about!’ Her work also received exposure at the International Film Festival for Children and Youth in the Czech city of Zlín. It was unforgettable voyage!

Events at Termitau, Kazakhstan

In the framework of additional support for SOS families, a two week theoretical course for SOS mothers and aunts was organised with assistance of outside specialists. SOS mothers and aunts attended lectures, presentations, and round tables, where they learned new valuable information, and discussed important issues concerning cooperation with biological relatives, child drug addiction, and many others.
On May 19, we celebrated the fourth birthday of our Village. It was a holiday for all children, co-workers and Village friends. The holiday’s concert was opened by the Village vocal group ‘Surprise’. We also received the lovely present of a circus show performance.

The Children’s Village is once again in a very emotional and happy period of the year, getting ready to celebrate the coming New Year. We are all preparing for a New Year holiday celebrations that will be accompanied with music and joy, honored with traditions, and celebrated with new and old friends!

Dear Friend,

We hope that our news have fulfilled your expectations. Let me once again thank you for all your generosity, for your kind heart, and for your warm feeling towards our children.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to You,
to all Your relatives and friends!

May the spirit of winter fill your home with love and joy!

Valeriy Dubrovskiy, Village Director