The charitable organization known as "Ravnovesie" (translated as "Balance" or "Equilibrium"), occupied with adaptation orphan children of Karelia was founded in Petrozavodsk in 1999. Ravnovesie has already achieved great results in five years of its being in existence. Today the "Ravnovesie" organization provides assistance and support to ten orphan institutions of Petrozavodsk. It works in several different directions.
Ravnovesie delivers necessary equipment, furniture, clothes, and toys to the orphan institutions. Our organization takes part in leading cultural activities for orphans. A symphonic concert, holidays (for example New Year's Day), competitions of children's pictures and stories, literary parties, visiting cinemas and discos were organized for kids. Thanks to Ravnovesie orphans have an opportunity to go to the church and join Orthodoxy. In 2002 in cooperation with the Alexander Nevskey Cathedral Ioann Bogoslov's chapel was built. Taking care of children's health Ravnovesie provided vaccinations against the flu and successful actions against smoking and drugs. Different sport events are held among children of boarding schools. The Olympic games in seven sports were organized by Ravnovesie, Ministry of Education and State Committee.
The organization takes an active part in Mass media to show orphan's problems to the society. Every month newspaper "Ravnovesie" holds an adopt-action ("Looking for a mum") for kids without parents. The main purpose of the organization is social adaptation of graduates from orphan's institutes. Lack of work and habitation (a place to live) are the most serious problems for them. So, the help in looking for a job and house is an object of Ravnovesie. The organization plans to take part in training graduates for entering different institutions including universities. Learning and understanding the laws, financial and psychological problems of orphans is one of the aims of Ravnovesie.
Ravnovesie works with maternity hospitals to reduce the levels of refusals of newborn children. Also it visits young prisoners in Petrozavodsk insulator and helps them.
Ravnovesie is looking for partners in activity, cultural change, helping orphans and in combined work for the prosperity of children from orphans institutions. Orphans institutions need clothes, shoes, and all types of technical equipment very much. Primary problems include living habitation, lack of work, and no possibility to enter and study at the universities because of low educational levels. The President of Ravnovesie, Alexander Gezalov, was a foster of one of the orphans institution. He created the organization in 1999. The main purpose of Ravnovesie is the adoption (or adaptation) of graduates of orphans institutes. Alexander has theatrical education. He is a master in boxing and football. He has an experience in fund-raising.
In 2002-2003 the Ravnovesie organization launched the public canteen "Support for Homeless People" (there are 2,500 people in the town). Every day 50 people get a hot meal. Also the project "Children of the Street" an organization of support centers for children of poor families began working. 100 children are drawn in the work. This spring the Ravnovesie plans to launch the "Street Canteen for All Who Have Needs". The canteen can feed about 150 people at a time. The Ravnovesie organization actively cooperates with Finnish colleagues on searching for new methods of work with homeless children and people, orphans and convicts. The Ravnovesie organization hold humane actions on support of social - exposed people. For that "military canteen" was bought.
Great friend and assistant is the organization "All our children" and personally Ella Lazareva. We greatly thank them for their help and support.
We are searching for new friends. You can send your questions and proposals to "Ravnovesie":
Adress: 183035, Russia, Karelia, Petrozavodsk, Ul. Krupskoy 12, KROMO "Ravnovesie"
Phone (english speaking): +358 50 486 04 66
URL: http://sirotinka.ru
e-mail: gezalov(at)yandex.ru
