Verkhnaya Salda - home for gypsy kids

In 2019 it was brought to Giving Hearts' attention that a group of nine (9) gypsy children in the Stavrpol’ region in southern Russia were living in extremely destitute conditions. The vacant home they lived in had no heating, furniture, nor electricity. Their young single mother aged 30 was not in capacity to take care of the children nor was she or the children literate and had their identity and basic documentation. GHI partnered with local humanitarian groups and purchased a plot of land with an old house which was completely remodelled. These children had a distant aunt living in Verkhnyaya Salda, Sverdlovsk region. They were transferred to this new home where their aunt and other caretakers were hired to feed, educate, and nurse. Initially, the mother travelled with the children to this home and was excited about this second chance in life; however, shortly after she left the children to caretakers and continued to live a carefree and kids free life, thus these children truly “social orphans” with a father in prison and a mother sixteen hours away were taken up with love by partner GHI humanitarian teams to care and support. GHI continues to provide this family-style orphan home with funding for electricity, food bills, and gas heating (as of February 2022).