Centre for struggling mothers aims to break the cycle of child abandonment in Ukraine

According to the statistical data, the number of Ukrainian children placed in institutions has doubled to 65,000 in the past 10 years, despite the government’s efforts to prevent it. Poverty, unemployment, alcoholism and drug use have made child abandonment a common phenomenon in Ukraine. Without an alternative, it is likely that a struggling mother would give up her baby and leave the child in institution.

The Mother and Child Together Centre for Social and Psychological Rehabilitation in Fastiv (Kyiv Oblast), which provides shelter, child care and psychosocial support, is just one of many projects that aim to help mothers and prevent them from abandoning their babies. Similar projects are implemented by the non-governmental organization Hope and Homes for Children, with support from UNICEF.

Mother-and-child centres offer a protective environment and help young mothers gain strength from each other. Counselling and job training are available, along with support to help solve relationship problems.

 

The whole article telling the story of Oksana and her daughter Marynka is to be found on the webpage if UNICEF Ukraine.

http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/ukraine_40326.html

 

 



Submitted by admin on Mon, 2007-09-03 14:55.