ODESSA, APRIL 3rd, 2015, CONTEXT-PRICHERNOMORIE — Chairman of the Odessa Regional Council Mikhail Shmushkovich has met with representatives of the international fund of Queen Silvia of Sweden “Childhood” Britta Holmberg and Susanne Drakborg, Context-Prichernomorie correspondent reports.

The press service of Odessa Regional Council noted today, 3 April.

According to the information, this fund was established by private individuals and companies in the late 90s of last century. It currently supports about 100 projects in dozens of countries, including Germany, Latvia, Estonia, Lithuania, Moldova, Poland, Thailand, Ukraine and the United States. The Foundation sponsors innovative programs, new methods of working with deprived children.

In Odessa “Childhood” is implementing a number of projects in cooperation with Charity Fund “The Way Home”, which goal is a rehabilitation and social adaptation of people of no fixed abode. First of all, their cooperation is aimed at improving lives of disadvantaged children; improve their education, providing quality health care, etc...

Mikhail Shmushkovich told guests about the priorities of regional authorities on the prevention of child neglect, work with families in crisis, orphans and children deprived of parental care.

“You are a reliable partner of the government in terms of experience, energy, willingness and ability to do your job in a professional manner. Thank you for your cooperation with state and public institutions,” the Head of the Regional Council noticed.

Fund representatives asked Mr Shmushkovich about authorities’ work on creating appropriate conditions for IDPs in the east of the country.

“This is really a problem,” he admitted. “Many of these people come to us with serious physical and psychological injuries. They need an adaptation to life. The government, volunteers, individuals take up issues of their life necessities. But if medical care is provided to IDPs, psychological counseling case is more complicated. It is good that you do similar problems. I hope that together we derive the job to the proper level,” the Head of the Regional Council assured.

Present at the meeting project manager of the Odessa Charity Fund “The Way Home” Natalia Vegryyan asked Mikhail Shmushkovich to promote a space for Odessa Center for Early Childhood Development from families in crisis. Center is provided with professional staff, necessary equipment, training methods. Even children’s nutrition adjusted. Each year experts of the agency assists about 200 boys and girls from all over the region.