Disability Rights International Report

Following a 3 year investigation from 2012 to February 2015 “DisabilityRights International” (DRI) found: - new economic hardships are increasing pressures on families in Ukraine to give up their children to orphanages - abusive conditions, exploitation and trafficking taking place throughout Ukraine’s orphanages This echoes much of what ChildAid has identified and written about for several years, and sadly there is no easing of the pain.

As the report identifies, being sent to an orphanage can lead to “irreversible psychological damage in all children”. A child needs a family to build emotional attachments and social development skills. Without this strong foundation they will grow up with life long difficulties.

“And I will be a father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to me, says the Lord Almighty” (2 Cor 6:18).

Appallingly no one really knows how many children (with or without a disability) are in State care. UNICEF estimate 82,000, some NGOs suggest 200,000. The government say 29,000 but this is unrealistic as their method of data collection is suspect to say the least.


The disturbing DRI report indicates that children in care are seriously threatened, with many known to be suffering basic human rights abuses. For children living with a disability these abuses are even greater.

Physically restrained in beds or cribs their limbs simply cease to operate. Children are raped, beaten and subjected to force labour. Such abuse seems to start from age 13: “Sex at 13 or 14 between kids is normal. We all did it … some ended up pregnant and had to have an abortion since a pregnant teenager would cause a lot of problems for the director” (Oleg, an orphan graduate).

Orphanages can be recruitment venues to find vulnerable children for sexual exploitation, organ harvesting or child pornography


ChildAid's Eureka Campaign aims to easy the suffering of children and vulnerable families in the conflict-stricken regions of Ukraine.

You can support our appeal here - http://bitly.com/17gjS9C

Alexander's Story - How House of Light Changed His Life

Dneprodzerzhinsk, Ukraine.

Alexander's story mirrors so many other young people in Ukraine. He was born into a family of two alcoholic parents, neither of which we employed. Any small bits of income were spent on alcohol. Alexander's and his two brothers and one sister grew up suffering at the hands of their parents. 

Each parent slipped in and out of the childrens' lives, with a step-father eventually appearing. The step-father was violent, physically abusing the children on a daily basis leaving Alexander with a facial scar from an iron. He had tried to protect his mother and suffered the consequences, leaving a further scar on his forehead from being struck with a belt. His body was so badly beaten that on arrival to hospital the nurses contact social services and luckily he was taken into care.

Since 2013 Alexander studied at a vocational school in Dneprodzerzhinsk. His speciality is as a painter-decorator. He wanted to become a soldier or an athlete.

When his life was in a crisis a friend invited to come to the House of Light funded by ChildAid's supporters. Alexander’s life has dramatically changed since then. He began to engage in sports such as weight-lifting. He became a part of the Cossacks group, even the squad leader. He is being praised for his behaviour as the best student in the dormitory. He also got involved in the football team and athletics. 

Alexander's life has changed for the better thanks to House of Light. ChildAid's local volunteers who run the centre provide a safe, nurturing and stimulating environment for young people like Alexander to develop and grow. This life changing centre would not be possible without the donations from our supporters for which we are eternally grateful.

Thank you for changing lives.

To support ChildAid's work visit - http://bit.ly/18bCwjE