At night, they emerge to steal, forage and earn money from prostitution; by day, they cuddle up to the giant hot water pipes that serve public buildings. These are the street children of Kharkiv, eastern Ukraine.
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Many parents, unable to care for their children, consign them to orphanages. Twelve-year-old Artom is one among thousands to have chosen to live on the streets. He says that he never knew his father, his mother drinks and his stepfather is “not kindâ€. He was put in the orphanage three years ago. He escaped to live underground where he was found by Father Vitaliy, a Catholic priest working for the Depaul Foundation, a UK charity working with street children.
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These children’s first need is food. With the help of the Scottish charity Mary’s Meals, founded in 2002 to provide the world’s poorest children with a free daily meal at school, Fr Vitaliy has been able to lure children into some semblance of a normal life. Every night, a minibus tours the city, dispensing free meals. Each stop appears to be in the middle of nowhere, but out of the darkness they appear, first checking for police, then sneaking into the dining area.
REGINA — Deputy Premier Ken Krawetz is receiving high recognition from the government of Ukraine.
The Order of King Yaroslav the Wise is being awarded to Krawetz for his efforts to help build a strong relationship with Ukraine and to raise awareness of the 75th anniversary of the Ukrainian genocide known as Holodomor, the provincial government said Wednesday in a statement congratulating Krawetz.
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Krawetz introduced legislation in Saskatchewan last year to recognize those who died during the Ukrainian famine and genocide of 1932-33. The fourth Saturday in November each year now recognizes the Holodomor. Krawetz, who is also education minister, also travelled to Ukraine in the fall and renewed an education agreement between Saskatchewan and a region in the western part of the country.
Malanka is a Ukrainian folk holiday celebrated on January 13th, which is New Year’s Eve in accordance with the Julian calendar. Malanka commemorates the feast day of St. Melania. On this night in Ukraine, carolers traditionally went from house to house playing pranks or acting out a small play (similar to “Vertep” — see above), with a bachelor dressed in women’s clothing leading the troop. Malanka caps off the festivities of the Christmas holidays, and is often the last opportunity for partying before the solemn period of Lent which precedes Easter.
