Project Spotlight: Tikva Children’s Home

The Fellowship  |  December 13, 2016

Fellowship-supported Tikva Children’s Home cares for homeless, abandoned, and abused Jewish children in Ukraine and neighboring regions of the former Soviet Union. Through their three children’s homes – an infants’ and toddlers’ home for ages 0-6, a girls’ home for ages 7-16, and a boys’ home for ages 7-16 – they provide loving care and a quality education that emphasizes Jewish faith. The goal is to empower the children to grow into self-sufficient individuals who give back to the community.

From Neglected to Hopeful

Sofia, 4, came to Fellowship-supported Tikva Children’s Home nearly starving, very undernourished, and with dirty, torn clothing. The medical team examined her right away and found that she only weighed as much as a 10 month old, but really she was 2 years old when she arrived.

Her father had abandoned the family and Sofia’s mother struggled with alcoholism, so neither parent provided food for Sofia. Also, her mother’s home had no water or electricity. Her brothers and sisters begged on the streets for food, but they didn’t receive much. With no one to support her, Sofia needed to be rescued.

Now Sofia lives in a home with staff that loves her. She is treated by the medical team to make sure she is developing properly and getting the right nutrition to help her grow. Over the past year, she has gained weight and started walking normally and playing nicely with the other children. She is a happy girl who, thanks to the generous support of Fellowship friends, has hopeful future.

Learn how you can help at-risk children and other needy populations in the former Soviet Union.