Website Shushkovo.org
Who created website Shushkovo.org?
This website was created by me, Anton Galin. I was born in Leningrad (Saint Petersburg), Russia,
but for the past 10 years I have lived in NJ, USA.
If you have any comments or ideas regarding the website, you can contact me at
The Goal for This Website
The idea of this site was born when I visited Idrica's boarding school in the fall of 2008.
I was greatly shocked by what I saw. The living conditions of the children are way below any
reasonable expectations. Total poverty can be seen in everything - the walls are cracked and
the paint is coming off; doors and windows have holes. There is no bathroom inside.
The toilet cabin is located outside the building. I could not help but ask myself -
how do these children survive in the winter? The children themselves are very nice and polite;
they say hello to strangers and smile at them.
Even before the economic crisis hit Russia last year, when the money from oil trading was
flawing to Moscow, Russian government did not fund schools like this one. Fortunately, the school
does not have any concern with food, but it has concerns with pretty much everything else.
There is not enough clothe, shoes, sport equipment, office supplies, and other items.
And the school has bigger problems to think about - fixing leaks in the roof, replacing doors and
windows, creating a playground.
Idrica's boarding school survives exclusively with donations from foreigners or Russian
emigrants living abroad. But there are not enough of these people.
When I came back to New Jersey after my vacation, I decided to do something to help. We are here,
I though, rich and happy in comparison to those miserable children who have no real home and no family
to go to, no summer to look forward too, no presents to expect for Christmas... Why won't we, the
lucky ones, help those children and make their life a little bit lighter and more joyful?
How Can YOU Help Those Children?
As of today, the only way to help is by donating money to Idrica's boarding school.
It can be done through Russian fund
Восхождение (Ascent Russian Orphan Aid Foundation),
that is designed specifically to help Russian orphans.
The fund is registered in California as a non-profit charity organization of 501(3)(c) type
- Ascent Russian Orphan Aid Foundation, EIN #91-2192371. All donations, according to the laws of the USA,
are fully tax deductible. You can read more about the fund
here.
Where Do Your Donations Go?
100 percent of the received donations will be transferred to the children at the
Idrica's boarding school. Neither I nor the Ascent Fund volunteers do not receive any compensation
for our work and pay for all operating expenses out of our own pocket.
