OSI - Russia
Novokuznetsk
Children's
Home No. 1 - Abashevo
Shelter -
Graduate Home
- Novokuznetsk
City - Geography Click on the
photo for a larger image... Main entrance at the front of
the orphanage... Classrooms were converted into
dormitory-style sleeping rooms... Old school desks, along with
some benches made by staff, serve as tables... Events - Special events and excursions which OSI
has arranged for our Novokuznetsk children:
Black Sea Trip
(July, 2007) - A week at the seaside and surrounds... Projects - Special projects for Novokuznetsk Children's
Home #1 funded by OSI sponsors and donors:
Medical
and Vitamin Stock (August, 2007) - Year's supply of vitamins and
medications... Projects - Special projects for Abashevo Children's
Shelter funded by OSI sponsors and donors: Music/Community
Room (July, 2006) - Reconstruction of large
community/music room... OSI
supports a "Graduate Home" in Novokuznetsk, run by local charity
"Heart to Heart", and housing six of our children who have graduated out
of the orphanages system with no place to go. The home is a
wonderful, supervised environment where these older children may continue
to grow and study, and where they are assisted in preparing themselves for
secure and independent futures. Projects - Special projects for the Graduate Home funded by OSI sponsors and donors:
Remodel & Furnishing (August, 2007) - Remodel and
furnishing of the home... Novokuznetsk
is located about 400km south of
Kemerovo and is the second largest city in the Kemerovo region, with a
population of about half a million people. The history of the city
dates back
to1618. The native people that lived in the area were famous for
their blacksmith work. "Kuznets" is Russian for
"blacksmith." Thus, in 1622, the local settlement
officially became known as
Kuznetsk, or "Town of Blacksmiths." In 1932 the city was renamed into Stalinsk,
and only in 1961 did it finally gain the name of Novokuznetsk
(literally, "New Kuznetsk"). The city
experienced growth with the construction of the Kuznetsk Metallurgical
(Steel) Plant, which is where nearly all of the nation's military equipment was made
during World War II. Geographically, the city is very large and
spread-out. Many of the buildings in Novokuznetsk are very old, and
very grand, built primarily by prisoners of war and political prisoners in
Stalin's time. Most famous is the Kuznetsk Fortress, Novokuznetsk's
famous 17th century landmark. Click
on the photo for a larger image... Soviet version of a
multi-purpose auditorium... The refurbished main square in
the center of Novokuznetsk, with the Drama Theater on the left... In the old part of town...
It's just been
built...
Built in the 17th century to
counter threat of Mongolian invasion, it later served as a prison
for many famous Russian political prisoners, including Dostoevski... More
Photos - More photos of
Novokuznetsk, the orphanages, and the children!
Other OSI Program Site Pages:
Novokuznetsk
Children's Home #1 is a "new" orphanage, established to deal
with the growing local orphan population. At the moment, the
orphanage is home to about 30 children who have been transferred there
from other over-populated local orphanages. These children are
either orphans who's parents are deceased, or "social orphans," placed permanently in the orphanage system because their parents are
unable to care for them due to poverty, illness, or neglect. While
the orphanage itself is a new establishment, it is housed in a very old,
abandoned elementary school. While the building is in very poor
condition, the staff and director at the orphanage are very energetic and
creative, and we look forward to working with them to hopefully improve
the living situation for the children.
The
Orphanage
Children's
Sleeping Room
Cafeteria
Altai Mountain Camp
(July, 2007) - A week of hiking and camping...
Music
Band (August, 2006) - Electronic music equipment...
Sewing
Room (July, 2006) - Equipped sewing room...
Recreation
& Computer Room (August, 2005) - Reconstruction, furnishing, and
a new computer...
Sleeping
Room Remodel (July, 2005) - Remodel and furnishing of boys' sleeping
room...
Book
and Video Library (February, 2005) - Remodel, furnishing, and
stocking with books & videos...
About
20 kilometers from Novokuznetsk is the small village of Abashevo, where there is
a small "shelter" for needy children. Among these are about 20
children who are permanent orphans who's parents are deceased, or "social
orphans" placed permanently at the orphanage because their parents are
unable to care for them due to poverty, illness, or neglect. It is these
permanent residents that OSI is primarily involved with.
Recreation
& Computer Room (August, 2005) - Reconstruction,
furnishing, and a new computer...
Palace
of Culture
Main
Square
Orthdox
Church
City
Park
Kuznetsk
Fortress
More
Maps - See more maps of
Russia and of the Novokuznetsk/Kemerovo region...
The Weather in Novokuznetsk:
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