Health, hope and happiness • Gomel baby home transformed • Growing support for hospice care
Congratulations to Natasha and Lilia • Special needs team visit to Belarus • Rodni House
The Mayflower Centre • Symbol Communication Training • Senior medical team visit Britain
Fund raising successes • Belarussian holiday for Zhuravichi children

Gomel baby home transformed!

Above: Galina with Downs child
Below: Allessia

The Home for Abandoned Babies in Gomel has changed beyond all recognition in the last few months. In the Autumn of 2002 our Foster Care training team gave a two day training at the home for some of the staff and then we organised an educational visit to Britain for the new Director, the member of the Health Department responsible for the home, and Tatiana, who is a senior member of staff.
Since their return to Gomel they have created a sensory room; put the children’s work up on the walls; made welcoming corners for children to meet parents or prospective adopters; moved the Downs Syndrome children from the block for disabled children into the block where they can mix with ‘normal’ kids; and they are doing ‘Life Story’ books with all the children. The whole atmosphere in the home is so much brighter and happier than before, it is a delight to visit.