Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Ukrainian Orphanages Continued

Through my research on orphanages in Ukraine, I continue to come across even more startling statistics. Included are the following:

  • there are approximately 105 000 orphans in 473 orhpanges in Ukraine
  • an estimated 100 000 more children live on the streets, with vacancies in the orphanage being few and far between
  • the chance of being adopted after 5 years old drops to 20%
  • orphan children "graduate" from the orphanage at 16 years old, and are often forced to leave earlier than this (around 14 years)
  • Only 27% of orphans find work once graduated
  • 70% of boys enter a life of crime
  • 60% of girls enter prositution
  • 10% commit suicide before the age of 18, 16% commit suicide by their mid-twenties

I am not really sure what more to say about these numbers, but it is heart-breaking for me to even consider. I am so incredibly lucky just to have parents who love me, and a house to live in.

Some Links on Ukrainian orphanges, explanations to the factors which have given rise to an exorbitant amount of child poverty and orphans, and more can be found in the links below:

http://www.operation-ukraine.org/Ukraine

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TSj4WwZ-N-M

http://www.orphans.com/faq_e.html

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6 comments:

  1. Jess DBFebruary 27, 2009 at 12:10 PM

    Jess, these numbers are serisouly jaw dropping.
    I had no idea how bad it really was in Ukraine, I never expected it to be this bad. It's as if these kids have no where to turn. Really makes you think.

    ReplyDelete
  2. KateMarch 13, 2009 at 4:32 PM

    Have you had a chance or interested in comparing those numbers with N American stats?

    ReplyDelete
  3. UnknownSeptember 30, 2009 at 7:21 PM

    Hello--

    I'm currently working on a research project very similar to what you have been doing. Would you mind sending me links to where you got those statistics? Many of the links that you've posted don't work anymore, and the ones that do provide information that doesn't seem very reliable as they don't provide sources from where they got their information.

    You're doing a really great service. Keep it up!

    ReplyDelete
  4. AlexJanuary 19, 2010 at 5:29 PM

    i was one of those kids in the ukrianian orphanage till i came to U.S.

    ReplyDelete
  5. AnonymousApril 12, 2011 at 11:35 PM

    Have you seen what www.redlineunited.org is doing to help some of these orphans? It is awesome and only a small group of young people run this while working full time jobs. It is amazing what can be done with the right heart! They need famlies interested in hosting in the summer and of course families willing to adopt these older kids.

    Tammy

    ReplyDelete
  6. UnknownMay 11, 2011 at 6:22 AM

    Hi there- thank for this. Like Jessica- would be great to have the links for where you got these stats from for some research I'm doing.

    Thanks!

    Mary

    ReplyDelete

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