Orphans Gain a New Sense of Hope

Igor Yakimiv spends all of his free time in the cowshed now. He even spent the night there when his favorite cow gave birth.

Igor is one of 101 orphans at the Liubin Boarding School for children with learning disabilities near Lviv, Ukraine, and he's undergone a transformation.

Since the school received animals from Heifer, Igor has changed from being irritable and detached to composed, easy-tempered and kind.

And, he's no exception. According to Heifer Ukraine Country Director Nadia Zholinska, all of the children's moods and attitudes have brightened with the arrival of 10 heifers and five cows. The students have a renewed sense of hope about their futures.

The project began in December 2000 when the animals were sent to the school to improve nutrition. Now, the orphans are learning valuable husbandry skills that will help them gain employment and self-reliance.

Since December, all of the animals have given birth and the offspring will be passed to an orphanage/boarding school in Lavriv this month. Animal manure and draft power are being used to increase crop yields, and the school will generate income through the sale of animal products and extra animals.

The orphans have also begun developing fodder for the upcoming winter, and have fertilized and seeded pastures themselves with materials provided by Heifer.

While the children's self esteem has improved, Heifer and the orphanage directors believed they could do more to help. All of the children's furniture, beds and equipment were worn out. Bed linens were torn and patched and hadn't been replaced in eight years.

Thanks to a generous gift from The Week of Compassion, the children now have new beds, mattresses, bed linens, furniture, medicine and vitamins.

According to Nadia Zholinska, "With the help of Heifer, all these children's lives have become a little easier, and that was the goal all along."