News

Home visits stop Polina and family slipping through the net

Posted on By Sarah.SGF

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.

How therapy is helping 6-year-old Mihai

Posted on By Sarah.SGF

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. 

Thanks to our Ambassador, Serge Malaison

Posted on By Sarah.SGF

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

Where hope begins: Mihai’s story

Posted on By Sarah.SGF

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).

Read more: Where hope begins: Mihai’s story

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?

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Mkurnali’s attic extension complete at last

Posted on By Sarah.SGF

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.

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Sunflower summer camps

Posted on By Sarah.SGF

This photo represents a touching moment in the life of Sunflower’s summer camp. Six families: mothers who grew up in children’s homes, one grandad who is raising his grandaughter, and their young children went away for six days to work on their parenting skills. This vital work helps prevent the next generation suffering from their parent’s childhood trauma.

Read more: Sunflower summer camps

At the start there was some tension. Everyone was getting used to the new conditions, and the weather meant they were all cooped up indoors. The children didn’t listen to their parents, and also didn’t turn to them when they needed help. They preferred to play on their own and would argue or run off when they were brought together. Yet, by the end of the summer camp, they shared this impromptu moment of togetherness. Tolya had found a ‘treasure’ and his friends were all eager to see what it was.

To get to this point took a lot of work, work which started right at the start of this year when the parents articulated what they wanted to get out of it. They all expressed the difficulty they had in getting their children to listen. During the six days of the camp, a key goal was to help the parents observe their children more closely, to read the signs that show what they need physically and emotionally. One mother said at the end, ‘I have begun to notice where I put pressure on my child. For now it’s difficult to do differently, but the main thing is that I notice those moments.’ Through play therapy and creative activities, the parents were helped to understand why their children refused to play with them, or got angry. Rather than mirroring their children’s behaviour, they learned ways to gently draw their children into the game.

Meanwhile, in the children’s group, the children were also encouraged to recognise and name their emotions. They began to take turns and even tried to resolve their own conflicts. When the group met up back in St Petersburg, they could all look back on many happy and creative moments. All are working hard to carry what they learned into their daily lives.

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A review of our finances – 2024

Posted on By Sarah.SGF

Each year we publish a review of our finances along with reports on how we spent the donations that we have been trusted with. Here is a short summary. For the full accounts, you can check out our Annual Report.

Read more: A review of our finances – 2024

Summary

2024 was a challenging year due to internal and external factors. Fundraising difficulties for our Russian partner organisations, along with a growing number of retired and lapsed donors, significantly affected our income. Despite this, we fully funded our approved projects in Russia and increased support for our Moldovan and Georgian partners. The charity closed the year with a deficit of £41,061 (2023: £36,558 surplus). After asset reevaluation, the net movement of funds was £2,356 (2023: £43,778).

Key highlights from 2024:

  • Total income: £116,424
  • Donations and legacies: 65% of income
  • Investment returns: £17,165
  • Total expenditure: £157,485
  • Charitable project costs: £99,534

Despite the income decline, grants to Russia
were sent throughout the year in a fully vetted, Charity Commission-approved manner, with minimal impact on our reputation. Thank you to everyone who made our work possible. Your regular giving enables us to continue delivering life-changing support to families in Georgia, Moldova, and Russia. Every £ counts — please continue to support St Gregory’s Foundation!
Jyoti Tandel and Julia Ashmore

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Introducing Alternative Communication

Posted on By Sarah.SGF

Our partners at Communication Space in Moscow continue their core work of teaching disabled young people to communicate. Here a communication book is enabling a chat about dinosaurs.

Excitingly, in the last year our colleagues have had the opportunity to teach others their methods. After an online training session on adapting books for non-verbal children, a specialist went away with plans to create a reading corner full of adapted books at her centre. Their teaching session at a conference on alternative communication was praised by delegates as one of the best of the conference. They continue to work too on guidelines aiming at more consistent use of alternative communication for those who need it across Russia.

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