Vital Emergency Fostering for Children in Ukraine

They cannot save the whole world, but they can surely make the one they live in better. Since 2010 the Gursky family – our real-life fostering superheroes – have provided care and support for 10 children. All of them were in need of urgent protection due to domestic or parental issues which prevented them from living at home for a certain period of time. Their saga continued: by the end of June 2014 with the help of your generous donations Tetyana and Taras Gursky have managed to save 18-month-old Matviy from going into an orphanage, and at the beginning of July 2014 they were helping another child, 12-year-old Vita*.

On June 12^th Vita was delivered to the Burn Unit of the Kyiv Regional Clinical Hospital with electric shock after falling down from the train carriage wagon. "The last picture on Vita’s phone was a self-taken photo of her standing on the stairs of a waggon with the danger arrow clearly seen on the background. She must have climbed further on top of the waggon for another photo and most probably got caught in wires where electric voltage was over 20,000 V” – Mrs Gurska recalls that tragic day. The girl suffered a fracture of the frontal skull bone, brain contusion, lung injury and numberless electrothermal burns of the head, neck, trunk, right arm and leg (48% of the girl’s body surface). “The doctors did not guarantee any positive outcomes at all” – Tetyana adds. But after a skull surgery and restorative skin treatment in a month’s time Vita was placed in foster care with the Gursky.

“This would not have happened had the girl be looked after and not be neglected”, – says project worker Larysa.“Vita was living with her father and aunt who barely made ends due to disability and temporary jobs with insufficient earnings. Three adult brothers have left home ages ago, and not much is  known about Vita’s mother. The girl and her relatives withhold most of the information about her. Vita was told to be seen on her own or with a bunch of boys, hanging around abandoned construction sites, industrial areas or engine sheds.”

When Vita met the Gursky for the first time she was all covered in bandages “stuck to her open wounds and scars”. On top of providing a safe and secure loving home, the Gursky took immediately to ensuring the girl was on a quick mend and speedy recovery: applying ointments, changing bandages, treating the wounds and skin grafts. Positive atmosphere, emotional support and rehabilitation were needed for Vita to return back to normal life and to restore her relations with the family. “The child seemed to suffer from the situation that prevailed in the family; she was living in a hope to change everything for the better and to eventually see her Mom”, - Tetyana Gurska says. In September Vita started local Jewish community school that supported the girl immensely. Vita’s healthy glowing look wouldn’t even give the accident away but for the short hair that remained after the June surgery. On October 18^th Vita overcame a three-month threshold of staying in foster care with the Gursky. While case workers are looking into improving Vita’s Dad employment opportunities, tracing Vita’s Mom – unfortunately caught in the middle of a full-scale war actions in the East of Ukraine where she lives – remains impossible.

“I keep saying to Vita: not all the time everything in life goes according to the plan, but we have to stay strong and to accept the reality as it is. No matter how many times you get knocked down, keep getting back up”, - Taras Gursky sums up. On behalf of Vita and the looked-after children like her we thank you all for supporting this project so that the children in our care can “get back” after being knocked down by the difficulties, abuse and neglect, get the best start in life and have a chance to reach their full potential. Please don't let your generosity end - help us raise awareness by simply spreading the word and sharing this report through your network. Wherever there is a human being, there is always an opportunity for a kindness.