Poludino July/August Birthday Parties

Thank you to Judy Perlstein, who continues to sponsor the Poludino birthday parties!

First Bell 2009

RBS Director

September 1st was "First Bell" (Back-to-school!) for the children of Kazakhstan.

Life Beyond the Orphanage---The Office

ANTARES RESOURCE CENTER

Natasha comes to the Resource Center to use the computer.

Gulya uses the computer to e-mail her sponsor.

Max using the computer

Aizhan showing Zhenya how to use the computer


Zhenya using the computer




We are excited that the Antares Resource Center office is up and running, and being used for its intended purposes! Here are some photos of four older children, no longer living in the orphanage, using the computers.





...

In September, Gulya will begin her studies at the University, and Zhenya will resume her studies at one of the local colleges. They will also be able to use the computer for research if needed, to help them with their studies. Max has recently found a job!





mmm

We also hope to soon offer an English class at the office...and possibly other classes in te future.

.......

Gulya will not only spend some time here e-mailing her sponsors and studying, but also helping with Antares activites!



ll

Goodbye Summer Camp!

RBS Camp Closing Ceremony

Concert

Thanks to our friend, Ksusha, for this photo!

Bonfire

WELCOME and special thanks to GULYA!

Gulya is responsible for all but one of the above photos! Gulya lived at the RBS for many years. She has been sponsored through Antares the past few years. (Thanks, George and Rhonda!) Gulya graduated in June and will begin her studies at the university in Petropavlovsk in September. We welcome Gulya, as our newest Antares helper!

........

UPDATE: A WORK IN PROGRESS

While in Kazakhstan, we located this office space for our Kazakhstan helpers.

..

The plan is that this will be a place for children who have aged out of the orphanage:

(1) to come to for help and advice

(2) to maintain contact with their sponsors

(3) to use the internet for their studies

.

For the "Life Skills Program" that we hope to implement; it seems that it is going to be best to start with the children who have left the orphanage. Talking to them, and helping them, will give us a better idea of how we can best help them and other children that will soon be leaving the orphanages.

..

When sponsored children leave the orphanage, we've found that it is difficult to maintain contact with them. Often, their sponsors still wish to help them, and the children also would like to maintain that contact. For sponsored children who have left the orphanage and are attending trade schools, colleges, or the university in or near the Petropavlovsk area, they will be able to come here to use the computer to e-mail their sponsors, or to pick up packages from their sponsors. When they come here it will be possible for our helpers to get an update for the sponsor. Even the children that are further out, sometimes are able to come to Petropavlovsk to visit.

..

Two laptops have already been donated and will be available for the children to use to maintain correspondence with their sponsors or to use for their studies. We hope that more people will donate laptops! (They can be new or used laptops! We have someone who can refurbish old laptops or use old laptop parts to refurbish other laptops.)

...

We are starting out small and hoping that this project will grow, so we can help more children! It has really been on our hearts to find a way to help the older children that leave the orphanage. We are very excited about all of the potential and possibilities! The office space could also be used for Life Skills classes, or tutoring for them.

...

When will this office open? Soon we hope! We are waiting to hear and will post an update and new photos when we receive that information.

.......

We would like to thank Paradise Empowers, Inc. for providing the funds to implement this program! PEI's goal is: "Empowering Children For a Better Future." We are thankful that they are helping do this for the orphans of Kazakhstan!

'''

If you would like to join us in this endeavor, please consider making a donation using the PayPal button, or send a check to the address on the left side. Be sure to designate the purpose of the donation. Or consider donating a new or used laptop! Please contact us at antares.foundation@yahoo.com for further information.

''

Siblings Reunions

One of the highlights of our trip was to witness Siblings Reunions! Siblings living in separate orphanages were able to spend some time together...thanks to Antares sponsors!

..

Siblings from Sokolovka and Poludino were brought to the RBS camp to spend the day with their siblings. It was a special time for these children and they cherished every moment together. There were not as many sibling sets as usual because some children go to stay with relatives during the summer break. There was also some confusion....some children arrived and their siblings were elsewhere....some with relatives...and the children who live in the Children's Village were not at the RBS camp this summer...but their younger siblings did not realize that until they arrived. There were some tears...but older RBS children helped to welcome them and make their time there special.

..

It was a beautiful day, and the children were able to spend some quality time together outdoors. As always, the time went by quickly, and there were tears when it was time to say "good-bye".

Thanks to the sponsors who made these siblings reunions possible!

...