The children's program works in Pavlodar Hesed since 2004. Already for almost five years the program "Children's initiative" helps children and teenagers from the Jewish families, all those, who need the emergency help, who appeared in a heavy life situation.

In connection with ecological problems in our region the majority of children have the serious diseases: respiratory tracts, neurological character, cardiovascular system, gastrointestinal tract and orthopedic. As basically these are children from needy families, their parents have no an opportunity to pay expensive inspections. With these problems families came to us in Hesed. We had helped them - directed to the Diagnostic centre. There practically at all children the diseases were revealed which require urgent treatment. Due to our program, the families could get necessary medicines free-of-charge or with 50 % discount.

The majority of the grateful parents became our constant volunteers, help, as much as they can: conduct circles, clubs, participate in all community measures.

Five years that is not a little. To many people managed to help our program: to someone by products of meal, medicines, treatment in sanatoriums, and to someone and simply by kind advice. For this time children had time to bring up, began their adult life. Many from them try to receive worthy education and to be arranged in life.

A vivid example of such family is the Mikhaylenko. The clients of our program they became practically since the first day of its creation. In their family there are three children, all of them are boys, the youngest was born in 2004. After carried out survey and inspection of family on children's medico-social council the decision was accepted to help them. The family was in a very hard situation: worked only father (in individual order repaired apartments - work was not always), mother was on maternity leave, the senior boys studied at school, one of them - had a number of serious diseases. For an apartment the huge debts were collected, some times money did not suffice even for bread. And in this difficult for family period our program came to help.

We helped, as we could: purchased a children's carriage, bought a children's meal, transferred children's clothes under the program "Second hands", for the middle son - bought medicines, paid massage, organized meetings with the psychologist. From the party all family always actively participated in all community measures, studied traditions and customs of the people, the parents - are active volunteers. Mikhaylenko helped us in fine repair of Hesed, any request, the assignment always carried out bona fide. The guys grew up at us on eyes, participated in our measures, in all circles, clubs. They well know traditions and culture of the people. The senior son even was at us the coordinator of the religious program, and now he is leader of our youth organization.

Having graduated from school, senior sons send to study in college, plan to get higher education. Now in family the situation was stabilized - both parents work, and the boys after lessons earn additionally, try that the family in anything did not require.

The support of our program was for Mikhaylenko really "lifesaver" in a crisis situation. And there are not few of such stories.

Due to the program "Children's initiative" in our community the voices of happy, healthy and grateful children are audible!

Helena Petrova