News and articles about Matveevka orphanage
During the work of the web-site I heard much about the orphanage in the village Matveevka. Most reviews were from foreign volunteer groups providing assistance to this orphanage. That’s why I wanted to visit Matveevka and to see everything by myself.
Finally, on Sunday September morning, I decided to realize my plans. The above-mentioned village is located in Vilnyansk area Zaporozhye Region, it is separated only by 5 kilometers from the regional center.
It was not difficult to find the orphanage. It was situated on the main street of the village - Lenin Street, one kilometer to the right from the road Simferopol-Moscow. The building looks like a typical school built in 1950-1960 years.
Teaching and administrative part of the orphanage
A signboard at the entrance
In the yard there were many neatly dressed children. As it turned out, every weekend the orphans went on the excursion to the city. When I asked the first woman whom I have met there, if I could talk to a senior teacher, as I was sure in absence of the director, I was surprised to discover that director was there and I could see her. Larisa Konstantinovna gathered children on an excursion.
The director Larisa Konstantinovna with children
Larisa Konstantinovna graciously invites me into her office. I explain her that I want to place information about all the asylums and boarding schools of Zaporozhie Region on our web-site. Larissa K. tells me about current situation in the boarding school. About 300 orphanes from 3 to 17 years live and learn in Matveevka. On February 2013 there are 276 children aged from 3 to 18 staying at the orphanage – 96 of them are orphans or deprived of parents’ care. After the graduation some orphans enter the college, university, military lyceum.
In cooperation with international volunteer organizations and churches, in my personal opinion, this boarding school is one of the leaders in Ukraine. Perhaps, many officials do not like such an enthusiastic director, many people around try to see a personal benefit. But, believe me, there are many other boarding schools, where everything is so perfect in documentation, they don’t cooperate with international organizations, but children there howl like wolves from boredom and need. In Matveevka everything is otherwise. Many children have already visited the American and the Italian families on the vocation. Many children are adopted. Of course, all this happens within the law and Larissa K. is not afraid of checkup. It would be great if other directors of the boarding schools had so much anthusiasm and fervor as the Director of the boarding school in Matveevka.
In addition to guest program, volunteers come to the boarding school to teach children English. Besides, with the help of the sponsors the old windows were replaced on the new plastic in the dormitory, the doors were changed in the rooms for children, new beds were bought.
The Director shows children’s bedroom
Then Larissa K. shows me the dormitory. Up to 6 children live in each room. The beds, the doors and the windows are almost new. The cleanliness, order and comfort strike the eye. I beg your pardon, there is no typical odor of "stinking socks and shoes worn all day" like in other bording schools. Children also behave more calmly. A kind of idyll. if comparing with that what I’ve seen in other places.
Nevertheless, Larissa K. recognizes, that you can try to create a comfortable atmosphere in the orphanage, but a child will always dream to live in the family, with parents. And it is hard to disagree with it.
I was returning home with a charge of positive energy - I suddenly wished to put all my heart into my work, like the director and staff of the orphanage in Matveevka. All we really need is our desire to change the things for better, but not to cry - and the results will not keep you waiting.
The room for leasure and watching TV
The director did not want to talk about the needs of the orphanage but I would like to add that in all orphanages they are standard:
- sports goods,
- to repair the asphalt in the yard,
- clothes, underwear and shoes,
- educational games,
- bicycles.
To get current information about the needs of the orphanage and to get to know how, the following information can help you:
Adress: 70012 Zaporozhie Region, Vilnyansk area, village Matveevka, Lenin Street, 71
Director Kon’kova Larisa Konstantinovna,
tel.: +3 806143 94-1-10, 94-1-11, 94-3-08
Albert Pavlov 2005
