On Monday, Feb. 17, 2014, Rotary’s guest speaker, Mr. Kerry Allison of World Hope, was introduced by Rotarian Bob Black.
Kerry is a retired School Vice Principal. He spoke of Ukraine as a beautiful country located on the Black Sea and has a population of 45 million people. In 1991 the Ukrainian parliament adopted the Act of Independence. Since independence, Ukraine’s economy has struggled as it moved from a planned economy to a market economy and consequently, the people are having difficulties...
According to UNICEF, Ukraine has 80,000 children living in state-run orphanages with countless others living on the streets. They are the most vulnerable group in a fragile nation, at high risk of drug addiction, HIV/AIDS and human trafficking.
Since 2001, World Hope Canada has been working with its partner organization, World Hope Ukraine, to help alleviate this problem. Based in the port city of Odesa, World Hope Canada has launched a series of interventions to address the issues facing vulnerable children, Ukraine.
Since Ukraine’s independence, an estimated 120,000 young women have been trafficked from Ukraine, mostly for the sex trade. One of the most vulnerable groups to trafficking are young women who are graduated from state-run orphanages at 16 years of age or who are living on the street.
Hope House is a transition home for young women, a place to belong and learn life skills, a place where others believe in you, as you complete your education. Under the loving supervision of a caring house mother, the girls who live here blossom in this positive environment. Upon completion of their formal education, each girl is better prepared to live a successful life as a contributing member of Ukrainian society.
The program has been very successful, as evidenced by some of the graduates. In June 2010, four of the original girls graduated from university or college and have moved out. Two have continued to Bible College.
The need to provide for vulnerable children, especially girls, continues to be tremendous, and Kerry and his team stay on this valuable mission. With the success of the program becoming well known locally, they regularly receive requests to place girls at Hope House. They take new girls each spring/summer but receive more applications than they can accommodate. To continue to meet the needs, they are building a second home.
Rhoda Wilson thanked Kerry for his interesting discussion on the World Hope Organization and his work on the Hope House in Ukraine. She presented him with a gift as a token of the Club’s appreciation.