THE ABANDONED

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THE ABANDONED
Service above self
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A long-term RotaryProject
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InitiatorsTallinn International Rotary Club,
Tallinn, EstoniaKaris/Karjaa Rotary Club,
Karis, FinlandUmeå Rotaryklubb Umeå Sweden
Norway Denmark Germany
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In Estonia there is a group of children that
tends to be forgotten - children who have been
abandoned by their parents due to alcohol and
other drug abuse.In Tallinn and surrounding the
situation today is getting better with the help
of the society and foreign aid - in the
countryside, however, the situation is mostly
very bad.Especially in the eastern regions with
a big Russian speaking population the need for
help is big .Without education and the Estonian
language, abandoned Russian speaking children
grow up without nationality or any perspectives
for their future.
Service above self
Background
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Private initiative is rare but there are
exceptionsMaria Minhof is an Ukrainian woman
who is running a orphanage in Tudulinna, East
Estonia.She has as the Estonian Mother
Theresa devoted her life to taking care of
abandoned children.Maria adopts children and is
until now the mother of 28 children, the
youngest being 9 months old.Maria operates the
orphanage in her private home.
Service above self
There is hope
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Service above self
Where?
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Where?
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Service above self
There is hope
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Maria, who is Russian speaking, also speaks
fluent Estonian and some Finnish. She teaches the
children the Estonian language and sends them all
to local Estonian schools.Tallinn International
Rotary Club has over a number of year supported
Maria and her children with clothes, toys, a
washing machine, a TV-set and other essential
commodities.Providing Birthday cakes and
Christmas presents has become a Rotarian
tradition.Now it is time to take the next step.
Service above self
What has been done?
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Maria
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The orphanage
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The children get 100 150 per month for
food, clothing and other necessities from the
government.Maria has a state pension of 190
per month.Piano lessons cost 60 per month.
Service above self
The situation today
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There are two main fields where help is
needed1. Short term there is urgent need for
renovation of the house and completion of a shed
with additional bedrooms.
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What has to be done?
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Service above self
Short term
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2. Long term The children grow older and
the oldest have already reached the age when its
soon time leave home.Before leaving home they
need education or training for a job in order to
be able to support themselves.The region has an
unemployment rate exceeding 60 .Alcoholism and
drug abuse is very common.
Service above self
What has to be done?
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Service above self
First to leave the nest
Alexander is 15 and has two years left before he
will leave home. He is doing ok in School. but
sometimes I am a bit lazy. Alexander is dreaming
of a good job - he would love to work with
computers.
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The challenge
We, the initiators, have taken the challenge to
help Maria and her children. Now we are looking
for support from our domestic as well as our
international Rotary sisters and brothers. Can
you find someone in your club who is prepared to
sign up as an evangelist for the project?
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CoordinatorsIlvi Joe-Cannon Tallinn
International Rotary Club - ilvi.joe-cannon_at_enut.e
e Nils-GustavNile Höglund Karis/Karjaa Rotary
Club - nile_at_karisrotary.org
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Forma arbetsgrupp för genomförande Möte i
Tallinn med Ilvi Joe-Cannon (President Tallinn
international Rotary Club verksamhetsåret
2007-2008)Ilvi Cannon - Acting Administrative
Director
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Bestämma projektets omfattningJuridiska
förutsättningarByggtekniska förutsättningarFinan
siella förutsättningarPersonella
tillgångarInternationalisering