Roman Catholics to open shelter for single mothers near Kharkiv
On October 21, a new shelter titled “Single Mother” will be opened in the urban settlement of Korotych near Kharkiv. This is a joint project implemented by the Diocese of Kharkiv and Zaporizhzhya of the Roman Catholic Church in Ukraine, the Catholic nuns – Missionaries of Charity (Orionists), who have been working in the streets with children and single mothers in crisis situations for over 20 years in Kharkiv Region, the diocesan press service reported.
The purchase of the house, its repair as well as its full procurement with furniture and modern equipment, were sponsored by benefactors from Germany, the city of Nuremberg, which is a brother-city of Kharkiv. The three-storey house is designed for 12 rooms, in each of which there will be a woman raising children alone who has no other accommodation. On each floor, a kitchen and laundry are also equipped, which will be used by all residents of the house.
Guests from Italy, Austria, Poland and various regions of Ukraine came to the ceremonial opening and dedication of the Center for single mothers to Kharkiv region. Stanislav Shirokoradyuk, the bishop of the Diocese of Kharkiv andZaporizhzhya of the Roman Catholic Church, which is one of the initiators of the establishment of his center, will bless the house.
This is already the second home for single mothers under the care of Catholic nuns in Korotych. The first house has been functioning since 2007, and now there are 9 women, including pregnant women, and 14 children, as well as two nuns and two employees of the charitable organization “Depol Ukraine”, engaged in the support of homeless and disadvantaged people.
As the nuns say, the existing house of “Single Mother” will soon be unable to shelter everyone in need.
“Now we have a whole line of women, who are being referred by social services here. On the terms of the benefactors who support this project, a woman with a newborn child can stay here for a year, and then she has to find opportunities on her own. Many of our wards have become our relatives and we cannot let them go into “nowhere”, especially when they have 2-3 young children and do not have a place to get back to. And to get a job with babies in their arms, having no one to look after them, is still difficult. Therefore, we will go on supporting them. This center is designed to help girls recover, get on their feet, find work, while children grow older,” says nun Renata Yurchak, the guardian of the charity center.
Photos courtesy of Olena Kulygina
