An article from the publication #Goznamy. The original is here.
“To make old age in Ukraine happier” – that’s exactly what five ordinary Ukrainian women set themselves as a goal and created the project “Starenki”.
It has already passed the sixth year. A lot has been done during this time: more than 6,000 food packages for lonely elderly people, 3 million hryvnias, have been collected for aid, a charity fund was created. The geography of the social initiative has also expanded. If previously pensioners from four Kyiv districts (Podilskyi, Shevchenkivskyi, Dniprovskyi and Obolonskyi) received help, now elderly residents of Lviv and Dnipro have found themselves under the volunteer wing. The plan is to look for like-minded people all over Ukraine so that helping the elderly becomes the norm for young people.
It all started when grandmothers and less often grandfathers began to appear en masse on the streets of the city, trying to sell something from their meager life: it was old books, tableware, flowers in vases, clothes. Obviously, these people did not have enough money for basic household needs, and they were forced to go to the subway station or the nearest crossing and sell something. It was 2014, when prices for products and utility bills rose sharply.
“At first, we didn’t have the goal of creating our own charity fund, we wanted to become volunteers specifically in organizations that take care of lonely ba and die, because obviously they had it worse than everyone else,” Iryna Baranenko, co-founder of the Fund, shares her memories. But after searching the Internet and among acquaintances for information about social projects that would help the elderly, they realized that there were no such projects in Ukraine at that time. That’s when we decided to act. Several of our girls had the experience of volunteering in projects to help children and animals. But none of them knew where to start the activities of such a social project, given the desire to be transparent and responsible from the first day. We started from scratch, relying only on professional experience and a sincere desire to act, not to complain.”
A standard grocery package given to elderlies costs UAH 350 on average. It includes several types of cereals, pasta, canned fish and meat, oil, tea, candies, marshmallows, washing powder and soap. If necessary, energy-saving light bulbs are added. Considering that the average pension of project wards today is UAH 2,000, this is a very significant help. It is given to those who do not have children or other close relatives who could take care of an old person. How do project volunteers learn about them?
“We have official contracts with social services,” explains Nadine Demydova, co-founder of the Starenki charity fund, “they direct us to those who really need help.” In addition, we bring our food packages only together with an employee of the social center, whom the pensioners know personally. Thanks to this, they feel comfortable and do not open the door to strangers.”
Of course, pensioners are very happy with goodies. But many lack communication. “When the girls come, we wait for them so much, they bring so much energy, joy, it gives such a good impulse. They help a lot, and most importantly, it’s interesting to work with them. They listen to us,” says one of the grandmothers whom the volunteers visit. “Old age has not become a burden, I do not feel it. Many thanks to the girls for this,” commented another.
Understanding the importance of communication, the founders of the “Starenki” project occasionally organize tea parties for their wards.
“Several times a month, we gather grandparents for a couple of hours. They drink tea with sweets, communicate with each other, listen to performances of volunteers who recite poems, play various musical instruments. We also hold master classes. Recently, for example, there were master classes on oral arithmetic and hug practice,” says Yulia Fituni, co-founder and Director of the Foundation. Within the framework of this social charity initiative, they also organize outings for bathing and dancing “into the world”. For example, a promotion called “Donate a clutch” was held. It contains a ticket to the theater.”
As you can see, the Starenki charitable foundation really does a lot to make old age happier. But the main dream of its founders is to ensure that in the future there will be no need for such a fund at all. “We are convinced that a happy old age is the result of responsible decisions that we, the younger generation, make every day,” the website states.