Rödl Employee Fund for Children’s Aid: The “Sergiev Posad” project (Russia) – Batteries for hearing aids

published on 9 Januar 2019

The “Detski Dom” children's home for children and young people with multiple disabilities is located in the historic town of Sergiev Posad, which is one of the so-called Golden Ring cities. The Golden Ring is a ring of historic cities located northeast of Moscow. Sergiev Posad is also home to one of Russia's most important monasteries, the Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius, being a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Rödl & Partner Russia, together with the Rotary Club Moscow International, has been supporting the children's home and the boarding school “Sergijew-Possadkskij Detskij Dom Slepogluchich” for many years now. It is the only institution in Russia specialising in taking care of deaf and/or blind children. It was founded in 1962.

The 208 children and young people currently living here are between 3 and 18 years of age. Many of them stay in the children's home for the whole week because they go to school here and can be given the best support in this manner. 

The deaf children learn sign language; the blind learn how to read Braille. The orphanage also offers activities such as painting, ceramics, sewing and even has facilities such as an “apartment” where children have the opportunity to learn how to “live by themselves” and a “shop” where they can engage in a role-play and be either the "customer" or the “seller”. The children who are lucky enough to find shelter in this orphanage have a good chance of leading an almost independent life later on. The facility serves as both home and educational establishment for the children.

Children who come to “Detski Dom” usually stem from poor families or are orphans. Although the orphanage provides food, accommodation and education, no individual financial support is granted. Deafness can in many cases “be cured” with hearing aids but they are very expensive and the orphanage does not have funds to buy such devices for every child. A good set of hearing aids costs more than 2,000 Euro. On top of that, there is also the cost of batteries. The sets must be exchanged every 5-6 years.