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Russia Aid

Murmansk Nanny/Sister Project Report

This program was started in 2001 for babies in orphanages to receive added attention from "babushka." Babushka in Russia means grandmother; while many of our so-called grandmothers are young students, the effect is the same. The babies and toddlers who participate in the program receive a visit one to four times per week from a granny or auntie. The same woman always visits the same child or children and the results have been wonderful. Even when children are hospitalized for any reason, their nannies continue to visit them while in the hospital, often this is the only familiar face they see while in the hospital.

Children are chosen for this program by the head doctor in each orphanage and are not necessarily children eligible for adoption, but are those children who for whatever reason can benefit greatly from some extra love and attention.

Murmansk Region Drug Abuse Prevention Program

For teens in Russia, alcohol and drug use can seem like a fact of life. But Norman Boucher, M.Ed., is finding a way to help them make better choices. Funded by MAPS, Norm travels to Russia twice a year to engage young people in three-day workshops that empower them to resist peer pressure and teach them to serve as peer educators who can help friends and schoolmates understand the risks of substance abuse. Norm volunteers his time and expertise, and MAPS covers all costs of the program, including instructors, site fees, and lodging for the students.