Orphans

Many of the kids that come on the summer camps are orphans, either literally without a father or mother, or by having an orphan spirit, from being raised in an unsafe or abusive environment. Tragically this means:

• 700 000 children live in large, government run orphanages
• 4 million children are classed as ‘latent orphans’ whose parents are unable to care for them
• There are 3 million homeless children
• 250,000 under the age of 18 are in prison
• 4-6% of children aged 8-16 years earn a living from prostitution
• 8000 children and teenagers commit suicide every year
• children must leave an orphanage at age 16 – 10% of these children commit suicide

Source:  Russian Census 2005

Once you come into the camps and spend some time with the kids you see their faces light up, and lives begin to transform.