Changing the Course of Orphans

Tragedies can be found in the orphanages located in the Soviet-era, state run institutions formally USSR.  Fellow Rotarian and President / CEO of the International Orphan Resource, Center Gregory P. Gulley Sr. was our guest speaker on January 11th.   

"The fact is, each child currently living in one of these old, rundown facilities faces a bleak future, unless someone actively and with determination intervenes, " stated Mr. Gully.  "Thousands of children in Russia also run away from home, usually to escape alcoholic parents who rarely try to find their offspring."

"The number of children (abandoned) are increasing every year, and the system is overburdened. Resources are stretched to the limit and we have no staff to bring up these children properly."

Mr. Gulley explained his five-year 'Life Skills' curriculum, he has been abe to utilize his contacts and relationships to assemble and international team of experts from the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom and Russ, as well as orphanage professionals from Ukraine, Belarus, as well as orphanage professionals from Ukraine, Belarus and Latvia.

Some 15,000 young people 'graduate' from state-run orphanages in Russia each year, according to the Russian Procuracy General. Within the first few years, 5,000 will be unemployed, 6,000 will be homeless, 3,000 will have criminal records, and 1,500 o10% will have committed suicide.

Mr. Gulley has worked extensively on projects throughout the countries of the former Soviet Union an Eastern Europe, including school, youth camps and orphanages.  The established with the purpose of developing a long-term strategy designed to effectively make a difference an positively change the course of orphans' lives, both while in the state run institution, and providing transition help once they age out'