mental health

Dima is 22 years old and he has lived in a children’s home since he was four.  This January he left and our partner organisation, Sunflower, was with him all the year.  The preparation year was an anxious one.  Dima was worried that something would go wrong with the accommodation he was promised.  When his room was ready he didn’t move into it straight away.  To start with he was only let out at weekends, which made his angry with his teachers.  He fell out with his girl-friend too because she wouldn’t come shopping with him for his new room.  Dima’s anxiety worried the staff at his children’s home so much that he was sent to the educational psychologist to establish whether he was capable of living independently.

Dima knows almost nothing about his family, just the names of his parents and that he had a brother who died before he was born.  He also found out that he has a heart condition, but not how serious it is.  He only knew “that I have something terrible wrong with my heart.  The doctor at the children’s home said that it is dangerous.  I could die at any moment.”  Step by step Dima gathered all the necessary documents, was passed by the educational psychologist, and was given his medical records.  All through he would come to Sunflower with his questions.  Each time he was given some new information he would think about it carefully. Now he says, “it turns out that my illness isn’t that terrible.  I simply have to avoid putting a heavy strain on my heart.  I was given all the necessary treatment when I was little”.

When Dima finally moved into his bed-sit, he had difficulties which he wasn’t prepared for.  He is frightened to take decisions, is scared to break into his small savings, and finds it difficult to be alone after work.  He discusses these worries with Sunflower and they are teaching him how to manage a budget and helping him find ways to spend his spare time.

Dima comes to Sunflower’s support group and is beginning to open up with his peers.  He’s also started chatting to his colleagues, not just to the lads from his children’s home.  He says, “when I first came to Sunflower, I thought that it wasn’t for me.  I kept quiet and was scared of the teachers.  Now I see how the new guys behave and I even try to help them a bit so that they can get used to it.  Before I would just think about how other people were reacting to me, but now I’m learning to pay attention to other people and to be interested in how they live and what they are thinking.”

Dima’s story shows how vital it is to look after the mental health of young people leaving the orphanage system.  Sunflower listens to their fears and we also give them the skills to tackle their problems head on.  None of this is quick or easy, but, thanks to their support, Dima will still be benefitting for many years to come.

If you’d like to help Sunflower continue their vital work you can donate at any time.  However, if you donate via our page on Global Giving between 9th and 13th April, 2018 a 50% bonus may be added to your donation up to £35 or $50.