St Gregory’s has funded Anna Cîșlaru, lead therapist at Rain Kids, Chișinău, Moldova, to strengthen her professional skills. She co-ordinates the therapy for children with autism and other developmental conditions. She explains how these sessions vary with the age of the children.
With children like Alex, who is nearly two years old, the focus is on stimulating his development across a range of areas including physical co-ordination. He needs help to learn to focus and concentrate, and Anna is laying down a foundation for communication and independence. All this is done through guided play in a way which is enjoyable for them both.
Meanwhile, with five years old Iulian she is helping develop some of the essential skills he will need for school. Together they are strengthening his communication, his ability to manage his emotions, and learning to follow instructions.
In both cases, their progress will be closely monitored so that an individual programme can be adjusted to their particular needs. Both Alex and Iulian and doing well!
Do you remember the musical Oliver Twist, with the song: “Who will buy my sweet red roses? Two blooms for a penny”?
Those words defined Lyuba’s childhood. From evening until morning, she walked the busy streets of central Tbilisi, selling flowers that had to be sold that day. Rain, wind, snow, or heat — she repeated the same call:
“Sir, please buy roses for your beautiful lady.”
Lyuba lived in a small basement with her sick mother and four sisters. Sometimes they had no home at all and spent nights in abandoned buildings with other homeless children. Later, they were taken to a shelter by Mkurnali. The famous Georgian writer Akka Morchiladze wrote of them:
“I could write complete horrors here. You wouldn’t sleep at night. Truly, not even for an hour. But I will not, because these boys and girls have no sense of personal tragedy. Perhaps they do — but this is life, teacher.”
Despite her hardships, Lyuba dreamed of a better life for her daughter Christina. At five, Christina discovered trampoline gymnastics and, with the support of friends, mentors, and journalists who shared her story, she joined coach Roza’s team. Christina went on to win every competition — multiple Georgian championships, the World Cup, the Champions Cup, and a bronze medal at the World Championship.
This Mother’s Day, we honour mothers like Lyuba, whose courage and love turn struggle into hope. You can help children and families like hers escape hardship and achieve their dreams. Every contribution gives them a chance of an education, shelter, and a brighter future.
Donate today and make a difference on this Mother’s Day — because every child deserves a chance to bloom.
Late in January a sewage pipe serving not only the Mkurnali homeless shelter but three other houses failed. Unfortunately, to say the least, when this happened the waste water gushed out into Mkurnali’s yard. The volume of water was so much that it washed away a set of steps and part of the kitchen wall collapsed.
Getting the sewer fixed was quite a saga. It took two companies and one failed fix to discover that the problem was actually not on Mkurnali property. It took three weeks more to finally fix the issue. First they had to persuade the company responsible to come out, then it took them several teams to locate the problem. Finally, they only hired an excavator for two hours, so Mkurnali volunteers worked through the night with shovels to dig up the street so a new pipe could be installed. After all this, they still had to complete work within our yard to reconnect us to the main drains.
This drama has taken its toll. While Mkurnali were appealing to the authorities for help, one of the children living at the shelter had to be hospitalised because of an infection. The leak also caused damage to the property. A kitchen wall partially collapsed and still needs reinforcement. The steps to our property also washed away and urgently need to be fixed. Unfortunately, Mkurnali are responsible for the damage to their property, even though it wasn’t their fault. It will cost £4,100 to make the essential repairs. Can you help?
Darius and David are curious little boys, but they struggled to join in with activities at their kindergarten. When they were little, their mother had already noticed that they didn’t respond to their names and didn’t play together. But it was when they hit three and started group activities at kindergarten that their difficulties became more obvious. They were unable to sit still, concentrate or socialise with the other children. Often distressed, their behaviour was difficult to manage within the class. However, fortunately, the director of the kindergarten recommended that their mother turn to our colleagues at The Wish for help.
Support from The Wish is important for the whole family. They live in a village 6 miles from Calarasi. Their father is abroad to earn enough to look after the family, so their mother has her hands full.
Fortunately, with the right support David and Darius have already made great progress. They go to The Wish once a week and take part in individual and group sessions. The aims at the moment are to help them improve their communication and social skills, their concentration and their coordination. Over time, their behaviour has become less impulsive, and they are building better relationships with children and adults. Now that they are six they are much more able to join in group activities, and their natural curiosity is helping them learn. The difference is now they understand some simple rules, they are able to follow up on their curiosity within the guidelines of the group.
In Moldova children start school at six. The coming years will no doubt present new challenges for Darius and David. We are grateful to all our supporters who help us fund the therapy that they need to be able to thrive and learn.
With support from St Gregory’s, our colleagues at Sunflower run support groups for young people living in children’s homes and those who have recently left. They have recently extended their service to offer home visits from a social worker to a few young mums who don’t yet feel ready to join their support group specifically for parents.
Polina* is one of those parents. She is mum to a one year old little girl, who she is raising on her own in a one room flat. Polina herself left home at 13 and was taken into care. Her older sister took custody of her when she was 16. At 20 she started living independently and very soon got pregnant. Polina is focussed on making sure that her daughter is fed and clothed, which she is doing well. Her daughter is physically healthy, but she finds it difficult to bond with her, and uses friends to babysit as often as she can.
Polina feels to anxious to visit the support group, so the home visits are an important way of keeping in touch. Our colleagues are teaching her to recognise how her daughter is communicating her needs. They are also helping Polina and other mums access help, particularly a nursery place for her daughter so that she can learn to socialise with other children. These are the first small steps on what we hope will be a longer journey, that will give Polina the confidence and the parenting skills she needs to break the cycle of disadvantage.
* Because of the family’s vulnerability, we have changed the name and appearance.
Mihai is 6 years old and lives with his parents in Chisinau. He is a gentle boy, attentive to details, with a remarkable memory and a special curiosity for colors, shapes, and neatly arranged objects. He loves building, sorting his toys by size, and watching his favorite cartoon over and over again. However, from an early age, his parents noticed that his development was different from that of other children his age. He didn’t respond when his name was called, avoided eye contact, and preferred to play alone in silence.
After several consultations with specialists, the family received the diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). It was a difficult moment, full of emotions and questions, but the parents did not let themselves be overwhelmed. They began searching for solutions, support programs, and centers that could help Mihai develop and gradually connect with the world around him.
For just two months Mihai has been attending the Rain Kids Center for Children with Rare Diseases and Autism in Chisinau. He is only at the beginning of his therapeutic journey, but small changes can already be seen. He attends daily sessions of behavioral therapy and adapted educational activities. At first, he cried often, refused to enter the room, and did not tolerate being touched, but gradually he started getting used to the therapists and even looking forward to some activities.
Today, Mihai can follow simple instructions, wait for his turn during games, and communicate through gestures or sounds. Although he does not speak yet, he expresses his wishes through looks, and his shy smile brings great joy to everyone who works with him. His greatest achievement so far is that he has started to seek his mother’s gaze and take her hand when he wants something; a small but essential step on the road to communication.
Mihai’s parents are deeply involved and eager to learn how to support him at home as well. His mother says that every new gesture, every look, and every calm moment is a victory. However, both the family and the specialists believe that Mihai needs more intensive and consistent therapy in order to make faster and more stable progress.
Mihai is a child with tremendous potential. He enjoys activities that involve order and repetition — puzzles, building blocks, drawing, and coloring. Loud noises frighten him, and sudden changes upset him, but in the safe environment of the center, surrounded by his therapists, he feels increasingly confident.
Even though his journey has just begun, every step Mihai takes is a sign of courage and hope. With the right support, he can learn to communicate, to express himself, and to discover the world at his own pace. You are helping us provide quality therapy to children like Mihai, by helping us build the skills of our team.
We are delighted that Serge Malaison, Honorary Consul of the Republic of Moldova in Quebec, has agreed to be an Ambassador for St Gregory’s Foundation. He has already visited our partners, Rain Kids, who support children with special needs in the capital Chişinău. They have sent this warm letter of thanks for his visit.
Dear Partners,
On behalf of the entire team at the Copiii Ploii Center, we would like to express our heartfelt gratitude for the visit of Mr. Serge and Mr. Matthieu, as well as for the time, interest, and openness with which they listened to us. Their presence in our center meant far more than a simple trip — it was a gesture of solidarity, respect, and compassion toward the children and families we support every day. We felt them as true friends of our community. They looked beyond statistics, spoke with the children, observed the therapists’ work, listened to the parents’ stories, and understood the reality faced by families of children with special educational needs. For us, this is the most valuable gift: an open heart and a genuine desire to do good. We are deeply grateful for their willingness to support us through fundraising campaigns. The support you intend to offer together is not only financial — it represents real opportunities for our children: opportunities for consistent therapy, opportunities for recovery, opportunities for inclusion, opportunities for a better life. We hope that this beginning of cooperation will grow into a stable partnership filled with meaningful and positive results. We remain open to ongoing communication, experience-sharing, joint projects, and everything that can bring more light into the lives of our children. Once again, we thank you all for your empathy, energy, kindness, and willingness to be part of our story.
With gratitude and respect, The Copiii Ploii Center Team
Our winter newsletter is out now. You’ll find stories of hope from our projects, and ways that you can get involved. Don’t miss our online lecture from a curator at the Hermitage, Professor Alexei Leporc, or a chance to have donations boosted on Giving Tuesday. Download the full version or scroll on to read online.
Mihai is a four-year-old boy from Călărași, the youngest in a family where he is adored. A quiet, attentive child, he has a natural talent for focusing on tasks and noticing visual details that others might miss. From an early age, his parents noticed that he was developing differently from other children. After a series of assessments, Mihai was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
The diagnosis was overwhelming, but his parents faced it with courage and commitment. Since the age of three, Mihai has attended kindergarten, and twice a week he visits the Wish Centre in Călărași, where he is supported with speech therapy, occupational therapy, and educational activities tailored to his needs. Mihai still does not speak; he makes a few sounds and reacts strongly to sudden changes or when a favourite object is taken away. He struggles to communicate and to manage his emotions, which makes specialised support essential.
Despite these challenges, Mihai has made remarkable progress. He is more attentive, follows rules better, and is learning to communicate through gestures and eye contact. His family, especially his sisters, are deeply involved in supporting him, celebrating every small success along the way.
Specialists at the Wish Centre believe that Mihai has so much to offer and that he could go even further with the right support and a few more therapy sessions each week. But with local funding dropping over the past year, it is getting harder to give kids like Mihai the help they deserve.
Thanks to the generosity of St Gregory’s donors, children at the Wish Centre have benefited from three years of free therapy — support that has made a real and lasting difference in their lives. But the need continues to grow, and we don’t want to turn any child away. There are many ways you can help us raise more funds and make a difference — here are a few ideas to get involved! Will you help us give Mihai — and children like him — the chance to shine?
Our partners, Mkurnali, provide a home and skills training for young people who have experienced homelessness. One of their most challenging tasks has been completing a loft extension. The work took much longer than anyone expected — materials have become more expensive and finding skilled craftsmen at a fair price has become increasingly difficult. But despite every setback, they never gave up. Now the loft has been completely transformed. Bright, cozy, and furnished, it stands as one of Mkurnali’s proudest achievements. The late George Guest and his group helped make it possible, and his legacy continues to inspire everyone here.
Today, British volunteer Rachel Lewis uses the large study room to support children who have fallen behind at school, helping them with their English and homework — giving the space new life and purpose. This room can also serve as temporary accommodation for families. Two residents are currently staying in two converted bedrooms nearby, and Mkurnali’s next plans include upgrading the kitchen and enclosing a small balcony.
Mkurnali is home to seven adults and five children, with two older boys visiting daily for homework. Having missed school, the boys are learning to read and write, while many adults are gaining skills and confidence through the shelter’s support.
