Maria’s Children International, Dmitrov,
Russia, began in 2005 as a joint project with Minneapolis rotary
#9 and the Hennepin Avenue Methodist Church. Directed and founded
by Anna Semenova and Nicolai Belonogov, the project uses the
prototype ideas set out by Maria Yeliseyeva in the Maria’s
Children, Moscow project. Maria has been instrumental in mentoring
Anna and Nicolai. Her techniques seek to open the children
to their creative potential and value to the world, then teaches
them life skills. Without intervention, the children in these
programs have an average life span of 25.
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The Dmitrov project is
named The Center for Creative Development (“stART” for short).
Anna and Nicolai have begun their work with the children
of the local Priut—the halfway house for children
for kids waiting for orphanage or home placement. They
have mounted two successful exhibitions in 2005, attended
by kids from the Moscow project and several orphanages,
with clowning and much fun. The project remains in
temporary housing while additional funding is sought,
but is pushing forward to shine light into these kids
lives. Nicolai and Anna hope to gradually increase
their program to include all the challenged kids in
the area, from the homeless to the orphans and refugees.
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Contact
info Anna Semenova infostart@mail.ru
Needs: All art supplies, funds, and especially computers.
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