Yevgeniy* is a boy of few words. He lives in Kiev with his two siblings and his parents, who quietly struggled to provide for their three children. It was Yevgeniy who started looking for a way out of the desperation his family was facing.
“Yevgeniy urged us to contact SOS Children’s Villages,” says his mother Inna. Yevgeniy became curious about the IT classes his schoolmate was taking at SOS Children's Villages. One day, he went to see what the classes were about. When he saw how the SOS family strengthening programme not only supports children with their computer literacy, but also their parents through a range of activities, he felt that his family could also benefit from this type of support. “You have to go, they can really help us,” he told his mother when he came home.
At first, Inna was reluctant to visit the office of SOS Children's Villages in Kiev. “Life taught me not to rely on strangers,” she says. Now she is glad that she reached out for support. “I’m so glad Yevgeniy pushed me.”
Changing perspectives
“I was only going to ask for help with school for my children, Yevgeniy, Igor and Ganna,” Inna adds. “There I met Yaroslava, a social worker. She asked about our life, about our struggles. She really listened. She asked me if I would like to work. For the first time in my life, I felt someone really cares about us.”
Yevgeniy often cooks for his family, even if they only have a modest kitchen. “I would really love to bake, but we don't have an oven,” he says. “Also, one day I hope to have a spice garden. I think it's so cool that when you add just a little bit of something, you can turn a plain dish into the tastiest delicacy.”