Oleksandr Vyshniakov: we will be working as long as needed
Director of Rinat Akhmetov Foundation Oleksandr Vyshniakov tells about activity of the Foundation, operation under the war conditions in Donbas, assistance to children and plans for the future.
Oleksandr, please tell us about the establishment of Rinat Akhmetov Foundation. How did they come up with this idea?
Rinat Akhmetov has always been engaged in charity, he truly cares about people's troubles and pain. It started with support of people who found themselves in a difficult situation, solving the relevant problems of hospitals and children's homes, schools and universities of Donetsk and the region. This was help to those who needed it. In the course of time it became more obvious that selective help is not enough, that systematic work and a comprehensive approach are necessary not just to solve the problems, but also to eliminate their causes. It was time for national scale projects, implemented in cooperation of business and the state. In July 2005 Rinat Akhmetov decided to establish a charitable foundation, so that the major social problems could be solved in a consistent manner, through implementation of the best experience accumulated in Ukraine and abroad. This great and important goal united the team of like-minded persons, who have been working for people for 11 years, eliminating the causes of current public and social problems. We create unique solutions, achieving the best result through each of our project and activity. We see the problems and consider it our goal to contribute to their solution.
The Foundation implements its projects not only in Donetsk region, doesn't it?
Over the entire operation period we implemented a range of projects both for residents in certain regions and the whole Ukraine in general. Every project of the Foundation is a comprehensive approach and finding solution to a problem, both its consequences and causes. The Foundation achieved unique results in all sectors of its activity. More than 8,000 orphaned children from all over Ukraine found their loving parents thanks to "Say No to Orphanhood" program. 80,000 Ukrainians were diagnosed on the modern equipment, purchased by the Foundation for several cancer detection centres, including the ones in the Western Ukraine, as part of the program battling cancer. Back then we managed to reduce the incidence and mortality from tuberculosis, more than 20,000 people were provided with targeted assistance for medical treatment.
What are the most significant results achieved by Rinat Akhmetov Foundation over 11 years of its operation?
We value the story of each person we've helped. Our results are their life and health, first of all. Another program, implemented during several years, is called "Cancer can be cured". This is the first and only major program in Ukraine to diagnose cancer according to the world standards. Over the program implementation period more than 80,000 people had an opportunity to diagnose and treat a number of oncological diseases on the equipment, installed by the Foundation it the partner clinics. The first radiotherapy centre in Ukraine was established on the basis of Rivne regional oncologic dispensary. Modern equipment was installed in seven regional oncologic dispensaries in Western Ukraine.
"Say No to Orphanhood" program was operating back in the peaceful time, it is still working now. Our current result is 8,113 children from the whole country, who found their families thanks to the all-Ukrainian Internet portal of national adoption www.sirotstvy.net.
"Targeted Assistance" program is very topical now. This is providing emergency treatment and long-term rehabilitation. Assistance under this program is primarily provided to children. Over the program implementation period 20,702 persons from all over Ukraine got help. Besides, during the entire period of military conflict in Donbas more than 43,000 civilians were provided with assistance for urgent operations and treatment.
How have the areas of the Foundation's activity changed due to hostilities in Donbas?
In August 2014 Rinat Akhmetov decided to establish the Humanitarian Center on the basis of the Foundation to help civilians suffering from the military conflict. Using the experience, potential and incredible dedication of the Foundation employees, support of Shakhtar Football Club and SCM enterprises, the Humanitarian Center provides daily assistance to hundreds of thousands people doomed to survive during the war. When the military actions commenced, the Foundation switched from peaceful projects to the Humanitarian Center's format, using the principle of helping fast, here and now. We focused on helping Donbas civilians, who found themselves in unbearable conditions of danger to life, lack of food and comforts of civilization.
How did you understand the type of help that Donbas people needed?
By regular requests for assistance, coming since May 2014. People asked to rescue them from war, take children away. By forces of the Foundation employees and volunteer partners we took more than 39,000 people out of the war zone. The conflict was growing, and we knew that many people were just starving, they had no possibility to leave, get a job or just move across the shelled towns. In August 2014 the first truck convoys with food aid started for Donbas. At the same time, we launched psychological support and targeted medical assistance programs.
How did you switch from responding the occasional requests of Donbas civilians to providing consistent assistance?
We conduct regular sociological studies, monitoring the needs of people in towns and settlements, so that all the assistance provided to Donbas was effective and timely. We managed to build a successful and unique system of assistance: from purchasing and delivery of food across the contact line to issuing it personally to our recipients. The operation of the fixed issuing points is aligned, mobile teams take regular trips to small villages and settlements near the contact line. There are still many elderly and vulnerable people left without means of livelihood in those places, very few people know about their problems, they are forgotten. As of today the Center issued more than 8,800,000 food packages to Donbas residents.
We also provide consistent targeted medical assistance for treatment and urgent surgeries of severely ill and injured children. As of today it was received by more than 2,000 children under 18. They receive the required medications for treatment and surgeries, rehabilitation equipment. There is no special state program on prosthetics and rehabilitation after injuries for wounded children from the areas of military operations. They have no possibility to join the national program for disabled children. As part of special project of Rinat Akhmetov Humanitarian Center called "Rehabilitation of Injured Children" these children are being recovered physically and psychologically in specialized health resorts, they also get prostheses.
Are there any projects that the Foundation keeps working on, despite the war?
"Say No to Orphanhood" project is more relevant now: due to the war the number of orphans is growing. As of today, there are about 8,000 orphans for adoption and dozens of social orphans staying in orphanages and boarding schools all over Ukraine. Our portal is working, it has the profiles of children, useful information on adoption, and one can get a qualified consultation there. Specialists conduct trainings for potential and actual adopters and foster parents from family-type orphanages.
About 80% of children in orphanages are older than 12. Every year they have less chances to find a family, as it is more difficult for adoptive parents to establish good relations with a teenager than a young child. That is why we launched a new project called "Mentoring". Its goal is to prepare an orphaned child to an independent life. Determination of life goals, formation of human relations, cultural and moral values. A mentor would be a great help there – an adult who can to teach a child and help to start a new life outside the orphanage. The project will be implemented for orphaned children in Mariupol and Sviatohirsk.
Tell us about the plans of the Foundation and the Humanitarian Center on further assistance.
Unfortunately, the military actions in Donbas are continuing. Severe shelling has resumed along the whole contact line, there are many destructions of private houses, people are dying and getting injuries. Supporting people affected by the war is our main goal. Rinat Akhmetov Humanitarian Center continues providing humanitarian and targeted medical assistance, our volunteers keep on taking trips to the "grey zone" and contact line areas. There is an operating special program for children rehabilitation, 34 kids have already stayed at health resorts. We support both the newly applied children and those, who are being supported for many months. The rehabilitation schedule is planned for summer and fall.
The second summer running we implement a seasonal project on summer vacation for children from the "grey zone" of government-controlled and non-government-controlled areas. They have an opportunity to rest in health resorts of Donetsk and Kherson regions. We really hope that this vacation helps children to improve their health and recover. We are also planning modernization of the national Internet portal called "Say No to Orphanhood" and implementation of "Mentoring" project.
The Humanitarian Center has a lot of work for the near future. By decision of Rinat Akhmetov the Humanitarian Center continues working and will be helping as long as it is needed.
