In mid-October, Herbert Stepic travelled to Russia to visit some of the H. Stepic CEE Charity's projects, namely the children's village and kindergarten in Vorontsovo and the orphanages in Opochka and Indritsa, as well as to get to know the godchildren in Pskov. All of these projects have been realized during the past years jointly with the charitable organization "kleine herzen".
The official opening ceremony of "My family, my hope" provided the occasion for the trip. The Charity co-financed the upgrade of the orphanage in Vorontsovo into a modern family-style care center based on the concept of the Austrian "SOS children's villages". Up to eight children live together with two "mothers", thereby getting the chance of growing up in a domestic and affectionate environment.
The dinner with the young orphans from Pskov was a special highlight. The juveniles have been supported by the Charity for a couple of years already with sponsorships that make studies possible and thereby a good start into adult life. Especially girls from precarious environments are often finding it very hard to achieve a higher education, which is why the Charity focuses on supporting young talented women.
The trip was a matter of the heart for Mr. Stepic, because he personally got in touch with the projects in whose development he played a decisive role. "I always find it a great experience to visit the initiatives we support. The direct contact with the children tremendously helps understanding their personal histories. Likewise, meetings such as the one with our Russian students, who are making their way into an independent and self-determined life in spite of their very tough starting conditions, are very touching. Knowing that the Charity had a crucial part in shaping their lives fills me with great pleasure! And finally, the playful afternoon in the kindergarten of Indritsa was great fun and proved that children open their hearts quite easily and linguistic differences become meaningless if we treat them with warmth and love."
