It has been a while since I posted, but rest assured our projects have continued in Ukraine. We have now been working for 12 years with our sister organisation in Ukraine, Happy Child Foundation, who facilitate our work with the disabled children and adults living in both state-run institutions and independent foster houses.

Four weeks ago our friend and colleague Albert Pavlov, of the foundation, needed urgent help to evacuate his own family of six and five foster children from where they live in south eastern Ukraine to safety in Germany. It was a long an arduous journey but they are now safe. Now begins the effort to help Albert care for his large extended family in the long-term so that they remain safe and well and so that he can concentrate on his on-going efforts to get help to those left behind.

The situation is dire, as I am sure you all know. So, please join us in helping Albert to help the 100s of other sick, disabled, displaced and traumatised Ukrainians with whom he is in touch.

We have brought together a wonderful mix of musicians who will play for you on Wednesday the 4th May in Edel Assanti’s fantastic new gallery space in Fitzrovia, in aid of Future Youth Project and Happy Child Foundation Ukraine.

It will be a heartwarming evening of solidarity – please join us by buying a ticket to the event by following the link below, or if you can’t make it along please donate using the “Donate but unable to attend fundraiser” option in the dropdown menu.

The gallery have also released a limited edition of my photos from Ukraine at a fantastic price with all proceeds going to Ukraine. For more details have a look at the “Ukraine Days” online exhibition also by following the link below.

Lots of love and solidarity, Vinca

LINK TO FUNDRAISER PAGE

Having stayed away from Ukraine because of the troubles there for the last few years, some of us at FYP have decided we must go and pay a visit to our project out there. During the last week of March seven of us will fly out for a five day visit to our project, educating 47 disabled men at Kalinovka orphanage. We will also visit the Happy Village to see the progress being made there. The Happy Village was set up by Happy Child Ukraine and represents the ideal ‘next stage’ in caring for our project members.

The Happy Village is slowly being built to accommodate families who foster people from the state run orphanages, giving them a real chance at family life. It was founded by Happy Child, the charity we have been working with in Ukraine for many years now.

FYP continues of course to support our group of men – see latest photos below – but will now also donate some funds to the Happy Village project.

We will report back with more photos on our return!

Vinca & Clare & all at FYP

Marina the FYP sponsored educator.

Our wonderful project members!

The new carer started working with our 47 boys and men in the Autumn. Her name is Sophia and both Clare and I have met her, myself several times. She is just lovely; always laughing and joking, kind and attentive to her pupils. She is just one of ‘those’ people that seems to have abounding energy and always able to see the funny side. In our opinion a perfect Teacher/Mentor/Friend for our men & boys.

We enjoy so much to read her monthly reports which contain the names of the men, how many hours they have spent in class and a summary of their activities. Here is a direct translation of the report for Igor:

Maramygin Igor
46 hours
Football, crafts, paper, gofrobumagi, checkers, writing in a notebook, the study of the New Year poems and crafts out of paper for the new year

Here is a picture of Sophia with the men and further pictures of their activities;

Thank you for your continued support with this class which would not exist without FYP donations and your standing orders!

All at FYP are delighted to announce a new project collaborating with Refugee Community Kitchen helping to feed over 2000 children & adults DAILY at the refugee camps in Calais and Dunkirk.

More information will follow soon but in the meantime if you want to support the kitchen feeding people over Christmas please donate through our ‘Donate’ page on this website.

We are of course also still supporting our children and adults in Kalinovka, Ukraine over Christmas and beyond!

Thank You and have a wonderful Christmas!

Here are some of the latest pictures and films of Natasha’s Class in Kalinovka, Ukraine. These 47 men had no one to teach them until FYP sponsored Natasha. She is now kept going by our supporters generous monthly donations and also other fundraising activities.

Natasha, with our help, has changed these men’s lives immeasurably. Well done Natasha!

Natasha told us the men need socks and plastic cups (not throw away sort). If anyone would like to send us some please send them to :

FYP, 47 Duncan Road, Ramsgate, Kent, CT119QH

Thanks!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQi1NaE9fs4&feature=youtu.be
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9XZrUV_8qs8&feature=youtu.be

On Saturday 4th October 18 FYP supporters took part in a grueling assault course up against some serious physical obstacles! With varying levels of fitness within the Rainbow Warriors team we decided that dressing up would make up for potential lack of speed – we definitely won the “Funniest Time” if not the “Fastest Time” of the day!

A huge thank you to those that took part and to those of you that kindly donated sponsorship money. Without people as generous and energetic as you FYP simply could not exist!

THANK YOU!

please like our facebook album & page

It was with great sadness that we decided we could not risk the welfare of our volunteers by visiting the group of disabled people we support in Ukraine this year. The war there does not currently affect the area where Kalinovka (Institute for the Disabled) is, but traveling to Ukraine seemed just too foolhardy, even for us.

Determined to continue to take FYP’s unique blend of fun & aid to those in need, at the last minute we set off for Bacau in Romania instead. The volunteers pulled out all the stops this year to create ‘fun days’ for children in Bacau and in a very poor and remote rural area called Podu Turcului. We worked with Fundatia de Sprijin Comunitar, a Bacau based charity who provides care, education and fun for children who lack all three. We worked with street children, isolated village children and Roma children.

Here are some photos of our latest journey :

What fun that was!We spent three days at the festival and people of all ages enjoyed the exhibition and made their mark on our gallery walls.

A massive thank you to the volunteers that spend hours looking after the gallery – you know who you are!