When Nicolae Ceausescu’s reign ended in Romania, the world was shocked by images of more than 100,000 children crammed into bleak institutions. Those pictures marked the beginning of our decades-long effort to end orphanages in Romania.

Today, thanks to your support, another dark chapter has closed. Ion Holban – Romania’s largest orphanage – has finally shut its doors.

Why Ion Holban mattered

Back in 2012, Iași County had the most children in institutions in Romania. The biggest was Ion Holban, housing over 215 children and young people at that time. Over the years, another 192 children passed through its gates – 403 in total who needed our help.

Closing Ion Holban became our priority. But it wasn’t easy. It took years of negotiation with local authorities, training staff, supporting families, and helping young adults transition to independence.

And now, after 11 years of hard work, every single child has been rehomed.

• 148 children are now safe with families (birth families, foster families, or kinship care).
• 158 young people are living independently or preparing to do so.
• The rest are thriving in family-style homes or community-based services.

The children behind the numbers

One of those young people is Flavia*. With our team’s support, and encouragement from her mentor Mălina, she has secured an apartment, a job, and a place at college to train as a nurse.

“Through the intervention and support of Hope and Homes for Children, I have become more determined and responsible, with the courage to move forward. Recently, my wings have been polished by Mrs. Mălina, who helps me continue in this new stage. Wings that fly thanks to these wonderful people.” – Flavia, former resident of Ion Holban

Flavia’s story is just one example of how children’s lives are transformed when they are freed from institutions and supported to grow in families or independent living.

Why this work is so important

It might surprise you to learn that 80% of children in orphanages worldwide are not orphans. Most have at least one living parent, but poverty, disability or discrimination forced them into institutions.

Orphanages can never replace the love and security of a family. Children raised in institutions can suffer developmental delays, trauma, and lifelong scars. That’s why closing orphanages is about more than shutting buildings – it’s about giving children back their childhoods.

With your help we can finish the job

The closure of Ion Holban is a huge milestone and brings us closer to the day when every child in Romania can grow up in the love of a family – but it’s not the end. There are still orphanages left in Romania, and the children inside them can’t wait.

At the start of 2025 we started to work on the closure of 12 institutions. So far, we have successfully closed five of them.

• We have helped 206 out of 331 children Back to Family.
• We have prevented 290 children out of 300 children from entering state care.
• We have helped 52 children and young adults out of 80 to transition out of state care.

Thanks to your support, and our Romania team’s tireless effort since 1998, there are now fewer that 1,000 children left in Romania’s institutions.

With your help, we can finish the job. You made the closure of Romania’s biggest orphanage possible. Now, will you help us close the last? Together, we can ensure that no child grows up without the love of a family.

• Read more about the amazing work of our team in Romania

_{*To ensure the safety and privacy of the people we support, the names of the children and relatives featured in this story have been changed.}

The post Romania’s largest orphanage is finally closed appeared first on Hope and Homes for Children.

Last month, your donations changed lives. Because of your continued generosity, our team successfully shut down the ‘Home for Medical and Social Care for Children’ orphanage in Kardjali, South Bulgaria. Now, there are only three institutions left. And we’re going to close them all.

Behind every story of an orphanage closure are the stories of the children living inside. Stories of the parents they were separated from. Of their happiness when they finally came back to family.

Stories like Ivanka’s.

Meet Ivanka

When Ivanka was born, her mum, Elena*, didn’t know what to do. She was struggling to get by, and single by the time Ivanka was three months old. Elena was only 16.

Ivanka needed surgery, but Elena was too unwell to care for her. Her grandmother, Petya*, did everything she could to help, but Ivanka’s health became critical. The authorities found out. Quickly, they sent her to live in the ‘Home for Medical and Social Care for Children’ orphanage nearby. She was just a baby.

Why do children get placed in orphanages?

Like Ivanka, 80% of children in orphanages aren’t actually orphans. They’ve been separated from their families. Families who just needed help.

Lack of access to medical support is a key driver of family separation. Instead of getting the support they need, struggling parents have their children taken away and placed in institutions. 

Just like what happened to Ivanka.

Find out more about how children end up in orphanages.

Life inside the orphanage

Up to 40 children lived at Ivanka’s orphanage. Several had disabilities and needed round-the-clock care. There was no laughter, no joy.

“I always have a picture in my mind of this orphanage,” says Kremena Stoyanova, National Coordinator for Hope and Homes for Children South Bulgaria. “Long and very wide corridors and a rehabilitation therapist holding the hand of a two-year-old child. Footsteps clanging in the empty space. Those sounds in the darkness are the picture I want to erase.” 

“Those sounds in the darkness are the picture I want to erase.” 

But that’s not the worst part. Institutional care exposes children to violence, abuse and neglect. As a result, for every three months spent in an orphanage, children lose one month’s development.

That’s why we work to bring children back to family.

Find out more about how orphanages harm children.

Bringing Ivanka back to family

Thanks to your donations, our team started helping Ivanka’s family to bring her home.

Elena attended parenting classes, and Petya was supported to find a new job, renovate the home, and create a new safe space for her granddaughter. With our team by their side, we worked with the local authorities to bring Ivanka out of the orphanage and back to family.

But our work doesn’t end there.

Sustainable change

It’s one thing bringing children back to family. It’s another to ensure they’ll stay there. Working with Elena and Petya, we created an action plan for Ivanka’s long-term care. Elena agreed it would be best for Ivanka to grow up with her grandmother.

Thanks to your donations, we helped Petya become a foster parent, inviting her to training sessions while providing emotional and financial support to the family as they adapted to the change.

Now, everything’s different. Ivanka’s three years old, happy and healthy, and growing up with her grandmother. Elena visits all the time, bonding with her daughter while making money to support herself. And Petya couldn’t be happier with a new baby in her home.

Shutting down the orphanage

We’ve been working on closing the ‘Home for Medical and Social Care for Children’ orphanage in Kardjali since 2015. This year, after nearly a decade of hard work, we completed the process.

Thanks to your support, each of the children living inside – including Ivanka – were either brought back to family, or into family-based alternative care solutions. You can read more about the full process here.

What’s next?

Riding on our success, our team in Bulgaria is gearing up for the next big win. With your support, we’re ready to shut down the last three orphanages in the country and bring every child home to a loving family.

But we can’t do it without you.

Will you help us close the last remaining orphanages in Bulgaria and bring the children living inside back to family? Donate today.

The post New beginnings: How you helped bring Ivanka* back to family appeared first on Hope and Homes for Children.

After years of tireless work, our team in Bulgaria has successfully closed the ‘Home for Medical and Social Care for Children’ orphanage in Kardjali.

Also known as a ‘baby home’, the orphanage housed up to 40 children. Now, thanks to you, all these children are no longer shut away. No longer afraid. No longer alone.

This orphanage closure marks another huge milestone for our team in Bulgaria. Now, there are only three orphanages left to close. Thanks to your donations, Bulgaria is heading toward an orphanage-free future.

We’re on a mission to bring children out of orphanages and back to family. Donate today.

How many children lived inside the orphanage?

Around 40 children were shut away inside the ‘Home for Medical and Social Care for Children’ institution. Most were under three. Several had disabilities.

Many struggling parents of children with disabilities can’t access the support they need. As a result, they feel pushed to place their children in orphanages. Just to find them care.

Find out more about why children end up in orphanages here.

Sadly, orphanages don’t protect children. They put them in harm’s way. The majority of children in institutional care will face violence, abuse and neglect. Children with disabilities are at an even higher risk.

Find out more about how orphanages harm children.

What was it like inside the orphanage?

One of the last remaining orphanages in Bulgaria, the ‘Home for Medical and Social Care for Children’ institution was dilapidated, with no natural light and broken play equipment. But the worst part, as remembered by Kremena Stoyanova, National Coordinator for Hope and Homes for Children South Bulgaria, was the silence.

“I always have a picture in my mind of this home. Long and very wide corridors and a rehabilitation therapist holding the hand of a two-year-old child. Footsteps clanging in the empty space. Those sounds in the darkness are the picture I want to erase.” 

Kremena Stoyanova, National Coordinator for Hope and Homes for Children South Bulgaria

Well-meaning members of the community used to raise funds for the orphanage. But as with many orphanages, it was hard to see how these efforts benefited the children. Ivanka Taushanova, our Regional Coordinator in Kardjali, remembers the first time she realised this:

“I was a teacher in a local school, and every year we did a campaign to buy toys for the children in the orphanage. When I first went to the orphanage there were no toys. Everything was quiet. There wasn’t even any childlike curiosity.” 

“Everything was quiet. There wasn’t even any childlike curiosity.” 

Ivanka Taushanova, Regional Coordinator in Kardjali

How do we bring children back to family?

After signing an MOU with the regional government in 2015, we started working on getting the children out of the orphanage and back to family, or into family-based care.

To do this, we pursue four main options:

• Reunite children with their birth families. The ideal solution, especially when 80% of children in orphanages around the world aren’t orphans.
• Reunite children with their relatives. When parents aren’t able to care for their children, we can support their immediate family members to raise them at home.
• Create new families. Through fostering or adoption, we can find children from orphanages loving new families to grow up in.
• Bring children into community-based care. Sometimes, it’s necessary for children to live in alternative community-based care spaces. This is a great solution when children have complicated or round-the-clock support needs. We ensure these spaces are family-style solutions, with a specific amount of carers to children to ensure everyone’s getting the love and attention they need.

For more information on how we bring children back to family, read more about our solutions here.

Closing down the orphanage

Thanks to your support, on August 1st 2024, the orphanage was finally closed down. Boryana Klimentova, Programme Director of Hope and Homes for Children Bulgaria, remembers the day well.

“It was a beautiful hot day, and the sun seemed to be showing us the right way. I felt joy”

We ensured each of the children living inside were safe, secure and in loving family-style homes – through being reunited with their birth families, adoption, fostering or placement in medical centres for disabled children with 24/7 care.

What’s next?

Riding on our success, our team in Bulgaria is gearing up for the next big win. With your support, we’re ready to shut down the last three orphanages in the country and bring every child home to a loving family.

But we can’t do it without you.

Will you help us close the last remaining orphanages in Bulgaria and bring the children living inside back to family? Donate today.

The post SUCCESS: Our team closes another orphanage in Bulgaria appeared first on Hope and Homes for Children.

“If the children are not enrolled in school and if your living conditions don’t improve, we have no other option but to put all children in a local placement centre,” said the representative from the Child Protection Department (CPD) upon meeting the Mihaescu family.

These are the words that rocked Ion* and Cristina’s* life. Loving parents of five children, they found out they were at risk of having each of their children taken away from them and placed in an orphanage.

Like millions of parents around the world – parents who are struggling, parents who need support – Ion and Cristina were faced with an unthinkable situation. Losing their children. Until people like you helped bring them bring strength back to family. This is their story.

How we help keep families together

Our team in Romania discovered the Mihaescu’s situation back in 2021.

Andreea, our social worker, remembers what it was like hearing the announcement from the authorities that the children would be taken away.

“It was a clear warning. I was there, I heard it first-hand. It made my heart skip a beat. Almost reflex-like, I covered Federica’s* ears when he said it. I knew the family’s situation needed rapid improvement.”

At the time, all five children and both parents were living in just one nine-square-meter room. Somehow, two tattered beds and a small table managed to fit in.

Ion used to work in construction as a day labourer, but, after lockdown and with construction sites being on and off, he couldn’t find work.

Cristina was taking care of the children. She used to work for a dry cleaner, but was now at home nursing baby Gabriela*, with minimum pay. Her low salary and the children’s social benefits – that’s all there was. And that was supposed to be enough for baby food, diapers, meds, food for the entire family, and clothes. It simply wasn’t.

The Mihăescus were living without electricity or access to any other utilities: no heat, no gas. They got water from a nearby well.

Stepping in to help

Thanks to your donations, Andreea was able to make a plan. She knew Ion and Cristina were great parents. They just needed help.

“I had to propose a plan to the Child Protection Department,” Andrea explains. “We’ll help with improving the living conditions and with enrolling the kids in school. ‘Will that work as a rapid intervention?’, I asked. Luckily, they were on board.”

The CPD and the local City Hall helped with enrolling all the children in school. Only Federica had ever gone to school, but she had dropped out. She wanted to go back. “What would I wear? I don’t have any shoes,” she said.

Our team started by getting the family basic staples: food, clothing, and hygiene items. With no electricity there was no fridge, so we focused on canned items, flour, oil, and cornflower. And then shoes and clothing for the kids.

We then focused on bringing electricity in. It took two months, but the family has electricity now. We bought a fridge, a washing machine, and a wood-burning stove. For the first time, there was heat inside the home.

“Ion did everything. He was a brick mason, a carpenter, a roofer, a concrete finisher, depending on what was needed,” says Andreea. He kept repeating, “Ma’am, I’ll do whatever it takes, just don’t let them take our kids away.”

“Ma’am, I’ll do whatever it takes, just don’t let them take our kids away.”

Ion

Together, at last

Thanks to your donations and the tireless work of our team, everything’s different for the Mihaescu’s now.

Their house is warm, safe and comfortable. Ion’s out working every day. Gabriel*, the oldest son, works alongside Ion on weekends, helping his dad support the family. Cristina will return to her job when Gina* turns two. But for now, she’s enjoying being together, at home, with her babies.

“We wouldn’t have made it without you. God bless you. I would never let go of my children.”

Cristina

Looking to the future, we want to ensure the children stay in school. They still need our support, especially around those moments when any family spends a bit more than usual. When schools started, for example, we helped with supplies, notebooks, pens, and backpacks. But no matter what, we want to stay by their side to make sure this family stays united.

As they deserve to.

If you’d like to hear more inspiring stories about families being helped to stay together, as well as more heartwarming examples of the impact of your donations, sign up to our Mailing List. We’ll keep you up-to-date as we bring strength and stability #BackToFamily.

Join the Mailing List

* Names changed to protect identity.

The post “I’ll do whatever it takes – just don’t let them take our kids away.” appeared first on Hope and Homes for Children.

For years, Galina was desperate to escape her abusive marriage. But she knew that if she left with nowhere to go, her son Ivan* would be at risk of being sent to an orphanage.

But thanks to the pioneering family support services we’ve developed in Ukraine, Galina and Ivan were given the temporary safe haven they needed to make a fresh start and specialist support to rebuild their life together.

Galina’s story

For years, Galina was trapped in an abusive marriage.

“I had violence in my home,” she told us, “I didn’t feel like a person. So, I wanted to save our family but we fought all the time, and I didn’t know what to do. I thought about taking my life”. She knew that if she left with nowhere to live, Ivan and her older son, Roman*, might both be taken from her and sent to live in an orphanage with no one to love or protect them.

“I had violence in my home. I didn’t feel like a person.”

Refusing to be separated from her boys, she stayed put.

Over time, Galina witnessed the impact the violence was having on her children.

“The boys were beginning to imitate their father’s behaviour. They treated me as if I wasn’t human.”

That was the final straw. Galina knew she needed out. But she had nowhere to go.

Reaching out

Eventually, Galina called social services and asked for help. Thankfully, they referred her to one of our Family Support Centres.

Our Family Support Centres were developed in partnership with the local authorities in Ukraine. They’re designed to be a net for families at risk of falling through the cracks – protecting any children from being sent to an orphanage.

Twenty-four hours after arriving at our centre, we brought Galina, Ivan and Roman to stay in the Centre’s Mother and Baby Unit. This was the lifeline Galina had been praying for. Now, she had somewhere safe to stay with her children while she worked out what to do next.

Healing

As well as a comfortable room of their own and access to a shared kitchen, bathroom and living facilities, Galina and the boys received counselling to help them overcome the trauma they’d experienced and improve their relationships with one another.

“Now they hug and kiss me. We can talk together and discuss problems. We have started to learn English together”

Galina says she was scared when her husband discovered where she was and tried to see her. But staff at the Centre reassured her that she was safe and helped her find the courage to stick by her decision. Now, she says she feels much stronger. She has divorced her husband, and he must pay maintenance for the boys.

Looking to the future

Now, Galina works long hours in a factory that makes train wheels. She wishes she had more time to spend with her sons, but her job means she has been able to take a loan to buy a small flat. Staff at the Family Centre have helped to raise funds to pay for the property to be refurbished. With that added support, Galina was able to build a new beginning for her boys.

“I feel more positive now,” Galina says with a big smile, adding “I will be grateful all my life for the help I’ve been given. Here help is not just words. It’s real”.

Want to hear more incredible stories about the impact of your donations? Sign up to our Mailing List and receive more heartwarming and inspiring examples of children finding their way #BackToFamily.

Join the Mailing List

* Names changed to protect identities.

The post “Here, help is not just words. It’s real” – Galina’s story appeared first on Hope and Homes for Children.

Stoyan* will never forget the night Ivan*, his three-year-old son, was taken from him. 

“A policeman came to the door and entered my home without asking and just took him. No warning, no support”, he remembers. “It was terrible.” 

Ivan had cerebral palsy, and the authorities decided Stoyan, a single dad on low income, wasn’t fit to care for him. As a result, Ivan spent two years inside an orphanage. Lonely. Afraid. Until people like you brought him safely back to family. 

The pain of separation 

Overnight, Stoyan’s life changed forever. After his wife left, he’d worked night and day to care for their son. But now, everything was ripped away. 
 
“It was horrible”, Stoyan remembers. “I’m a labourer and I was working 12 to 15 hours a day because I couldn’t sleep. My friend told me, ‘If you carry on like this, you’ll kill yourself.’ I was waking up in the night and crying because Ivan wasn’t with me.” 

“I was waking up in the night and crying because Ivan wasn’t with me.” 

Sadly, Ivan was suffering too.

Inside the orphanage 

Ivan spent the next two years heavily medicated. Confined to a cot in a darkened room on the top floor of the orphanage, he’d wait for his dad to visit. 

“The institution would allow me to visit only once a week for 15 minutes, between 1030 and 1130 when Ivan was tired and hungry”, Stoyan remembers. And worse, every time he came, he saw his boy’s condition getting worse. 

“How was the care? Total zero care,” he recalls. “They tied him into a wheelchair. Before then, Ivan was beginning to stand and walk with support and he had started to speak. He could say mummy and daddy.” 

“They tied him to a wheelchair.” 

For two years, Stoyan fought a lonely battle against red-tape, prejudice and indifference. The odds were stacked against him.

“First, if I take my boy home, the institution loses income”, he explains. “Then, even when I went to court and won full custody of my son, the institution just ignored it.” 

Ivan was stuck.  

Family first 

Ivan’s experience is all too common. Around the world, 80% of the 5.4 million children in orphanages have living parents. And one in three children in orphanages have disabilities. 

One in three children in orphanages have disabilities. 

European Disability Forum

The one-size-fits-all model of institutional care doesn’t help children. It harms them. Above all, children need love, care and personal attention. Something even the “best” orphanages can’t provide. 

Stoyan knew he had to get his boy home. And thanks to your generosity, he found the help he needed. 

The fight begins for Stoyan

Since 2011, our team in Bulgaria has been working to close orphanages and bring children living inside back to family. Children like Ivan.

Elitsa Ivanova, one of our support workers, discovered Ivan’s case, and immediately started working to help Stoyan. 

“The local child protection department lied to him,” Elitsa remembers. “They kept setting him tasks and challenges but when he met them, each time the authorities let him down again. Because he is a man on his own, people could not see him as the parent for a child with a disability.” 

“Because he is a man on his own, people could not see him as the parent for a child with a disability. 

Elitsa knew that Stoyan was a loving father. She knew all he needed was some help. And thanks to your support, that’s what he finally received. Help. 

Helping Stoyan change the tide

Your donations helped Stoyan convince the authorities he was the best option for Ivan. They helped him find a better place to live, as well as all the essentials he needed to support Ivan and his disabilities.

With your help, and Elitsa’s team by his side, Stoyan brought Ivan back to family. 

“It was the happiest day of my life, when I took my boy back,” Stoyan remembers. “Now, we like to do everything together. He is very affectionate, he hugs and kisses me. He likes my stubbly chin so I don’t shave for him!”

Read more about how your donations help parents bring their children back to family.

Looking to the future

Today, Ivan’s doing much better. Stoyan says he has seen a rapid improvement since Ivan stopped taking the drugs that were prescribed by the institution. Now, he can stand and walk by himself, and is slowly learning to speak again. 

When we asked Stoyan about the challenges he faces, he told us simply, “There are no challenges now. I just love my boy and I am not interested in anything else.” 

“There are no challenges now. I just love my boy and I am not interested in anything else.” 

Thank you

Thanks to your continued support, our team was able to support more children like Ivan – standing up for their right to a loving, family home. Today, the orphanage has been shut down. And that’s all thanks to your help.

Want to hear more incredible stories about the impact of your donations? Sign up to our Mailing List and receive more heartwarming and inspiring examples of children finding their way back to family.

Join the Mailing List

The post “It was the happiest day of my life, when I took my boy back” – Ivan* and Stoyan’s* story appeared first on Hope and Homes for Children.

Welcome to Disability Pride Month 2024. Join us as we raise awareness, foster inclusivity, and advocate for the rights of all people with disabilities around the world.

At Hope and Homes for Children, we believe every child deserves a loving, family home. Yet sadly, one in three children living in orphanages have disabilities.

Whoever they are, wherever they are, every child deserves the chance to thrive. That’s why, this Disability Pride Month, we’re championing these children and their right to come back to family.

Disability Pride Month Facts & Tips

What is Disability Pride Month?

You might be wondering, ‘What is Disability Pride Month?’

It’s celebrated every July and marks the anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) signed in 1990. This landmark legislation was a significant step towards ensuring the rights and freedoms of people with disabilities.

Now, we dedicate the month to highlighting the incredible achievements of the disabled community and standing up for their rights to equality, inclusion, and visibility.

When is Disability Pride Month?

Disability Pride Month takes place every July – a perfect time to reflect on the progress made since the ADA was enacted.

How to Observe Disability Pride Month

Wondering how to observe this year’s Disability Pride Month?

• Get engaged – There’s plenty happening this month. From flying the Disability Pride Flag to taking place in some local Disability Pride parades and events in your community, there’s always great ways to get engaged.
• Get educated – Read up on what it means to be part of the disabled community, and how you can be an ally.
• Get involved – The best way to observe Disability Pride Month is to engage in fundraising. We’re always looking out for fundraisers and volunteers on our Get Involved page. Head over to find out how you can help out this month.

No matter what you plan on doing, make sure you take some time out for reflection and research. Above all it’s a month for solidarity and celebration. Overall, it’s a month to get involved.

Disability Pride Month 2024

For Disability Pride Month 2024, a huge suite of workshops, events, and demonstrations will take place. Reach out to your local community hub to see what’s on for Disability Pride Month in the UK.

Why Disability Pride Month Matters

People with disabilities can face huge barriers in our society, as well as unfair discrimination and prejudice.

Disability Pride Month reminds us of how important the fight for inclusion and equality is. Celebrating Disability Pride Month helps us break down stereotypes, creating a society where everyone thrives. No matter who they are.

Supporting children with disabilities

This Disability Pride Month, we’re platforming our ongoing commitment to supporting children and young people with disabilities all around the world. Every child deserves a home. Every child deserves to find their way back to family.

Orphanages and children with disabilities

The UN Convention of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities states the right of all people (including children) with disabilities to independent-living, family life and to access the highest standard of health care, and inclusive education without discrimination. 

Yet still, young people with disabilities are among the most vulnerable in society.

Did you know?

• One in three children in orphanages have disabilities.
• Without the right support, struggling parents may feel like their only option to get their children the care they need is inside an orphanage. Sadly, it’s not true.
• Orphanages can neglect children and young people with disabilities, exposing them to violence, abuse, and even trafficking.
• Young people with disabilities in orphanages don’t get the individualised support they need, depriving them of their chance to grow with their disabilities.

You can read more about how orphanages harm children and why children with disabilities need loving family homes on our website.

How are we helping?

It’s our mission to bring every child living in orphanages back to family. Including children with disabilities. We work tirelessly to dismantle orphanages and reform childcare systems globally, ensuring every child, regardless of ability, grows up in a nurturing family environment.

Our work proves that young people with disabilities always thrive when they return to their families. Young people like Divine*.

Divine’s story

Divine, born with disabilities, was placed in an orphanage because her mother, Ruwera, fell sick and couldn’t afford to care for her anymore. She prayed she’d receive the support she needed. Instead, Divine suffered for nine long years.

Thankfully, your donations helped bring Divine out of the orphanage and back to family. Now, she’s happy, healthy and surrounded by family.

“In years to come, I’ll become a journalist or a lawyer. I want to advocate for people living through injustice, like people with disabilities.”

Divine

Read Divine’s full story here.

How You Can Make a Difference

1. Read their stories: Learn more about what life for children living with disabilities. Children like Uwase* and Ivan*.
2. Spread the word: Share information on social media and in your community. Use the hashtag #DisabilityPrideMonth to join the conversation.
3. Donate today: Your contributions help us continue our vital work in reuniting children with disabilities with their families. Every donation makes a significant impact.

Subscribe to our Mailing List

Thanks to your support, we’re making waves for children with disabilities, all around the world.

Want a regular dose of impact straight to your inbox? Subscribe to our mailing list—it’s jam-packed with heartwarming stories, interesting facts and exciting ways to get involved. Welcome to our movement.

Join the mailing list

The post Disability Pride Month 2024: Empower, Nurture and Celebrate appeared first on Hope and Homes for Children.

Russia’s war on Ukraine has created one of the largest humanitarian disasters Europe has seen since World War II. But through the chaos of war, we’re hearing stories of support, warmth and solidarity. Stories of people bringing strength back to family.

Your continued generosity has helped thousands of children throughout the war. Often, it’s been the lifeline that’s helped families on their road to recovery. Families like Olga’s.

Olga’s story

Olga, 41, lives in Fastiv, Kyiv Oblast. Since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Olga has been doing everything she can to protect her four young children, including five-year-old Nikita*.

“The war has scared my children a lot. My eldest two know what a war is. They’ve felt it since 2014.”  

Olga, a mother and former police officer.

Like countless families across Ukraine, Olga’s has endured Russian aggression for nearly a decade. In 2016, tragedy struck when her two eldest daughters lost their dad to the fighting. Years later, Olga re-married and gave birth to two sons, Nikita and Natan*.

But then, in March 2022, everything changed when Russian aggression escalated into an all-out invasion. 

How Olga escaped the Russian invasion

When Russia invaded Olga’s hometown, the family was forced to flee. Overnight, Olga became a refugee.

“When the full-scale war started last year, to protect my children, I went to Poland with all four of them,” says Olga. “My younger children were very frightened by all the explosions and all the chaos that followed, and having to hide in air raid shelters just to save their lives.”

Her husband, Matvii*, stayed behind in Fastiv, volunteering psychological support for the Ukrainian military. Alone in a new country with four children, Olga bravely held her family together.

A refugee crisis

According to UNHCR, one in three people in Ukraine have been forced to flee their homes. 6.3 million became refugees, like Olga. And 14.6 million still need urgent humanitarian support.

Thankfully, because of the generosity of people like you, we’ve been there. On the ground. Day in, day out. Helping families in crisis.

Head to our Ukraine: Two Years On report to see how your donations have been helping children and families through the war.

The psychological impact of war

Sadly, the exposure to violence and war took its toll on all of Olga’s children. Over time, Olga noticed how much it was impacting Nikita.

“He was very scared, his psychological state was not okay,” remembers Olga. “When we returned to Ukraine, I could see his speech development was delayed. He couldn’t speak like other children.”

The trauma of war can permanently damage a child’s development, even their ability to speak. In Ukraine, this poses an even greater threat because authorities frequently place children needing specialist education in orphanages, even if they have living parents.

The Children’s Spot

To support children like Nikita, our team opened a Children’s Spot in Fastiv – a community centre on the grounds of Fastiv Hospital where parents can access free psychological support for their children.

Without this, our community would have a mental health crisis. Hundreds of children would face the risk of being placed in an orphanage.

Iryna Pustovii, Head of the Children’s Spot, Fastiv.

Learn more about the Children’s Spot and how your donations are helping children through the war.

Nikita’s road to recovery

Olga started taking Nikita to the Children’s Spot once a week, where he saw a psychologist and attended sensory therapy and speech therapy. Soon after, he’d improved drastically.

“As a result of our visits to the Children’s Spot, I noticed Nikita started to get better. He can even sleep well at night now. He’s not afraid of the air sirens and attacks.”

Olga, Nikita’s mother.

Thanks to his speech therapy sessions, Nikita was able to develop his communication skills. “He can completely understand me now, and can give me a meaningful answer,” says Olga. “He can tell me a story. This means I can better understand his behaviour and know how to react.” 

A brighter future for Ukrainian children

Thanks to the Children’s Spot, 383 other children like Nikita have received the support they needed to recover from their traumas. In this way, we’re helping to secure a brighter future for the youngest generation of Ukrainians.

“The Children’s Spot is so important because every child’s mental health has been impacted by the war,” explains Olga. “I want my child, my Niki, to go to school and have good knowledge. But my first and foremost dream is what all Ukrainians dream of. Our victory.”

Thank you

Inspired by Olga’s journey of resilience and hope? Be part of a movement that transforms lives and supports families in their toughest times.

By signing up for our mailing list, you’ll receive powerful stories, urgent updates, and exclusive opportunities to get involved. Together, we can create a world where no family has to face hardship alone.

Join the mailing list

The post “Being a mum is difficult even when everything’s normal. It’s even more difficult during a war” – Olga’s* story appeared first on Hope and Homes for Children.

For over a decade, our partners CCF Moldova have been at the helm of the Social Creches. These community childcare facilities offer free support to vulnerable families, families with children at risk of being placed in orphanages. 

Now, our Social Creche model is growing, keeping families together throughout Moldova. Our team sets them up, before passing the reigns to local authorities who fund and operate them. Thanks to your continued support, these creches are getting children off the path to orphanages and back to family. 

Will you help bring millions of separated children back to family? Donate today.

Why were the Social Creches started?

The Social Creches were started in 2011 in Chișinău. 

Dr. Liliana Rotaru, Director of CCF Moldova, remembers the sad conversation that led to its creation.

“We were working with seven mums, five of whom had very young babies. They were single mums with no support from their families. All of them said the same thing to us, ‘we have no choice. Either I leave my child in an orphanage and go abroad to earn some money, or we both starve.” 

In Moldova, accessing support for child care is a huge challenge. State childcare only starts at three years old. Until then, many parents struggle. 

“If you’re a single parent and you don’t have resources to pay for private child care, or if you don’t have extended family who can help, then how do you live?”, explains Pete Garratt, our Director of Global Programmes.  

Many parents in Moldova feel pressured to move across the border to Russia to earn money. They leave their children in orphanages, hoping one day they’ll be able to take them back. But all too often, that day never comes. And children lose their childhoods inside orphanages.

This is just one of many reasons why 80% of children in orphanages aren’t even orphans. They have families. Families who just needed support. 

Opening the first Social Creche 

With support from the local Child Protection Department, CCF Moldova opened the first Social Creche in a local community building. 

Each of those mums Liliana’s team were working with, who were once forced to choose between food and family, finally had help to keep their children at home. They were able to leave their children in the morning, go to work to earn money, then pick them up at the end of the day. Many of the parents didn’t even know this was a service that existed.

Since then, our team has opened ten similar Social Creches across Moldova. As of April 2024, 577 children have attended our creches. That’s 577 children supported to stay at home. Where they belong. 

Opening a creche in Rezina County 

This year, our team opened the newest Social Creche in Rezina County. In collaboration with the local Mayor, Town Council and Child Protection Department, the Social Creche currently provides care for nine local children.  

Ala Nosatii, Programme Manager, explains how essential the centre has become to the community since opening in March. 

“It’s all about the needs of the family. Kindergarten is expensive. You need nappies, clothes, food and school supplies. But the parents we support don’t have any resources.” 

To support these parents, the creche ensures their children have everything they need during the day. This gives parents the chance to find employment, earn money, and strengthen their families for the future. And, most importantly, it’s giving the children the chance to get a solid start in life. Today,

“The creche is wonderful,” says Ala proudly. “Not all of these children have toys and food in their house. But now, they’re fed, happy and playing together.” 

What’s next?

Eleven years since creating this model, our creche system has been recognised by UNICEF and received both domestic and international awards. Now, Liliana’s team is supporting it to grow even further. 

“It’s not just enough to have a pilot project, even ten creches,” says Liliana. “We need to help authorities to develop more creches by themselves.” 

Now, our team is creating a toolkit so the Moldovan government can carry the torch. Already, they’ve supported the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection to develop new policies and will continue to assist with costing and licensing. Eventually, this will mean Local Public authorities can replicate our social creche model. All across the country.

The Social Creches are just one way your donations are helping children in Moldova. Donate today and help bring strength back to family.

The post “Either I leave my child in an orphanage, or we both starve” – Behind the Social Creches supporting parents in Moldova appeared first on Hope and Homes for Children.

“There is no love there. Children have food, clothes and maybe even toys, but they lack affection and care.” 

These are the words of Kseniia, a nurse turned whistleblower. For five years, she saw children in an orphanage in Ukraine endure violence, abuse and neglect, before being evacuated to safety in the Russian invasion.

Two years on, Kseniia wants to get these children back to family, as 80% have parents who could care for them at home. And she wants the doors to her old orphanage to remain closed forever.

Because in times of war, there’s nothing more important than family. 

Will you help us bring separated children back to family? Donate today. 

Orphanages exposed 

Kseniia started working as a nurse in an orphanage ten years ago. The living conditions shocked her immediately. “The children were not treated well there,’ Kseniia remembers. “They were hit on their hands, legs and backside with rods.”

Understaffed and overcrowded, Kseniia’s orphanage often had just one carer to fifteen children. The results were often violent. 

“When they were shouting or crying too much, the children were put under cold water. Or, they would turn the kids upside down, hold them by their feet and shake them.” 

The orphanage was also known as a ‘baby home.’ All children living inside were aged between zero and four. 

Abuse inside orphanages

For the next five years, Kseniia tried to protect the children under her care. But whenever she spoke out, she was silenced.

“Some colleagues didn’t like how I treated the children kindly and softly,” she says. “They said I was spoiling them. As a result, I was treated cruelly, and surely the kids were too.” 

Several children had disabilities and needed specialist support. But without the proper equipment or enough resources, the staff would strap them down. 

“We’d get visits from children living in other orphanages,” Kseniia remembers. “They told us that older children were being sexually violent with smaller ones.”

“Seeing some members of staff abusing children, and knowing about the physical, sexual or psychological violence, I felt very bad because I knew I couldn’t prevent it. All I could do was leave my job.” 

A broken system

Sadly, Kseniia orphanage was just one of 700 state-run institutions operating in Ukraine before the war.

Over 100,000 children lived inside them, an estimated 90% of whom had living parents who could take care of them. Instead of supporting families to overcome poverty or other challenges, a broken system separates children from their parents. Parents like Olena*.

Olena’s children were taken away from her and placed in an orphanage in Ukraine for two years, all because she couldn’t afford child care. “They didn’t even ask me if I wanted to send my children to an orphanage,” she says. “I grew up in one myself. I know how hard it really is.”

Olena, 41, holding her youngest daughter, Zlata*, one.
Halyna Kravets / Hope and Homes for Children

Read more about why children end up in orphanages on our website.

The importance of family

Unable to change the system from within, since quitting Kseniia is committed to raising awareness of the harms of orphanages.

“As a mother, I can’t even imagine how it’d feel if my children were taken away and placed in an orphanage,” she says. “They’d be mistreated, and there’d be nothing I could do about it.” 

“In orphanages, children feel like they’re in a prison,” Kseniia continues. “They’re fed, taken care of and put to bed, but it’s all on a very strict schedule. There were people there who treat children well, who love them and come to work for the sake of children, but you also have those who think it’s only a job.”

Even the best orphanages can’t provide what children need more than anything. Individual love and care. 

“It doesn’t matter how many toys there are, how clean it is, or how well the children are fed. In an orphanage, they’ll still lack the support that exists in any family where children are loved.” 

How the war impacts children inside orphanages

“During the war, making sure children get into families and receive psychological protection is more important than ever,” Kseniia says. “These children were already suffering because they weren’t with their parents.”

“When the war started, most of the orphanages closed in one day,” explains Yana Polishko, one of our case workers in Ukraine. “Some children were evacuated abroad, or to safe spaces in Ukraine. And some were evacuated home to their families. Where possible, we want these children to stay home. From violence to abandonment, children should not be subjected to the horrible impacts of institutions.” 

“Institutions are full of defenceless children who are lonely and scared. In wartime, it’s not safe to have children in large groups at one place. It’s much better for children to be with parents who can always take care of them.” 

How can you help support children from orphanages? 

As of February 2024, our team in Ukraine has prevented the separation of 12,958 children from 6,474 families due to the war in Ukraine. But as countless families still endure violence, displacement, and the loss of loved ones, there’s still a need for urgent support to help keep families together.

“It’s very difficult for some families to manage,” explains Yana. “They lost their jobs, there’s problems with electricity, and the prices for food and utilities almost doubled. Some and children have had to flee war.” 

That’s why we’re providing war-torn families with urgent financial, humanitarian and psychological support – whatever they need to stay together in times of crisis.

Will you help us protect children from being separated from their families? Donate today. 

Your help is helping keep families together. Thank you. 

“I dream that children will grow up in families with love, understanding and good treatment and that those loving families will help children change it all, bounce back, and grow up healthily.” 

The post Exposed: Former orphanage employee reveals rampant abuse inside baby home in Ukraine appeared first on Hope and Homes for Children.