For two local families, it is very important to support Oksana’s Harvest, a private charitable outreach program that is engaged with seven orphanages in the Odessa region, Ukraine.
These families have both adopted children from the Ukraine. Marcel and Kym van Staveren have adopted three children. The most recent additions were sisters Alina, age 13 and Oksana, age 15.
Clair Vilcu have adopted siblings Olya, age 13 and Oleg, age 15. These siblings recently immigrated to Canada, joining the Vilcu family, in May.
Oksana attends the Weyburn Comp, while the other three go to the Weyburn Junior High. They are all enjoying being active in after-school activities.
Oleg is involved in football, while Oksana, Alina and Olya are all involved in their school choirs.
They have all enjoyed making new friends since moving to Weyburn.
Before coming to Weyburn, all four of these children had stayed in the same orphanage. So they are very familiar with the conditions of the facilities, and the needs of the children who are still unadopted.
The van Staveren and Vilcu families are currently raising funds to improve conditions at the orphanage in Balta.
They have recently purchased a commercial size fridge and are now raising funds to purchase new windows for the orphanage.
Many of the windows in children’s bedrooms do not open, and they would like to replace them. There are 10-12 children in a bedroom and just over 200 children in the orphanage.
“They have three levels (in the orphanage), and in the top level is really bad so it gets really cold,” said Oksana. “Every year they tape the windows to keep the cold out.”
“In the winter it can be pretty freezing.”
Improving the facility conditions of the orphanage just one of the ways that the families try to help. Last year, they collected blankets and warm clothing for the orphanage.
The the average standard of living in the Ukraine has decreased by 80 per cent over the last 20 years. Poverty and sickness are brought on by the inability to provide adequate nutrition and healthcare.
There are 100,000 orphans who live in Ukraine’s 450 orphanages. Also, there are 100,000 more children who are living on the streets because the orphanages are full.
Especially during last year because of the conflict in Eastern Ukraine, the need was great for Oksana’s Harvest.
The organization worked with a number of organizations that stretched the supplies and funds as far as possible to provide basic necessities to the orphans, needy and refugees.
Those residents who want to donate to Oksana’s Harvest can drop off monetary donations Dynasty Hair Designs in Weyburn, located at 136 Third Street.
One of the projects that Oksana’s Harvest is also working on is to raise funds for an agriculture project at one of their orphanages, which includes planting 100 fruit trees, building a greenhouse, and planting a vegetable garden.
