Campaing Rinat Akhmetov to Children!: 600 thousand presents in 4 years and belief in the reality of miracles

A large-scale charity operation “Rinat Akhmetov – for the Kids!” has been launched in Ukraine. This tradition is now in its 18th year! It all began in 2001, thanks to one person's kindness. Rinat Akhmetov, together with his friend Igor Krutoy, visited boarding schools and hospitals in Donetsk with presents on St Nicolas Day - to wish happy holidays to everyone.

“Aid for those who need it is urgently required. We were always taught that “children are our future” - and we really believed it. But this is wrong. Children are our present! And we're responsible for their future”, this is how Rinat Akhmetov, responsible for how this aid operation began, and its organizer, explained his philosophy of assistance to the young kids. This year's operation theme is “Your Superpower”. The objective is that children will believe in their own power, demonstrate the range of opportunities they have to use their personal potential, and become motivated to achieve the highest goals in life.

TV personalities will be participating in these New Year holidays and motivational meetings as part of the the “Rinat Akhmetov - for the Kids!” operation. Popular TV-show presenters and news anchors of the “Ukraine” TV-channel - in particular Debrin, Sukhanov, Panyuta, Kukhar, and Pupkov – will be carrying out special meetings for a half-thousand children from 9 boarding institutions. During their meetings, they will be putting out the message that every child has a superpower - and the main thing is to have your dream, to believe, and to stay true to your goals.

Roman Rubchenko, the Director of the Rinat Akhmetov Foundation, said: “Over 600 thousand children have received presents over the past four years, thanks to the “Rinat Akhmetov – for the Kids!” operation. But this year's operation has even more presents. The point is that the good tradition begun by Rinat Akhmetov has been changing kids’ lives for the better for 18 years already, and it helps them believe in the reality of miracles- especially children deprived of parental affection like these. We really believe that every child has its own unique talent - and the power to bring it life. Each of them is a superhero, to some degree. The challenge is to find ways of empowering them - and make them believe they can achieve their goals - and change the world for the better”.

For many years, Rinat Akhmetov has been bringing joy to these children’s lives with gifts, care and kindness. The “Rinat Akhmetov – for the Kids!” operation turns 18 this year – the age of legal maturity. Many of the first participants of the action have now grown up, and some have even become parents themselves. Now they say that these personal meetings were a real inspiration for them to study, develop and strive to go forwards in their lives. Ekaterina Korzhova, a former foster child, from of Donetsk Boarding School for Children with Hearing Impairments, still remembers her involvement in the charity holiday with great warmth and gratitude.

Today her three-year-old son is participating in the charity promotion. The young boy received his most cherished present from Rinat Akhmetov several months before the New Year. Young Rodion has been hearing-impaired, and his parents have been deaf since childhood. In September, as part of the “Now I Hear” Rinat Akhmetov Foundation project, modern high-sensitivity hearing aids were given to the young lad. Now the boy can develop normally - study, hear music, birdsong and communicate with other children.

Overall, around 100 thousand children will receive New Year presents form Rinat Akhmetov in 2018.

Over 50 family-scale children's homes have received assistance from Rinat Akhmetov as part of this Gift Operation since 2001. Toys, clothes, and medicine were purchased for the kids in their care, who also received psychological support and treatment assistance. In addition, the Ukrainian benefactor provided material support to hospitals and institutions to purchase equipment, medicine and for other vital needs.

Families with many children, such as the Kozhanovs from Kirovohrad, and the Khominets family from Donetsk Region are especially grateful for the support and the homes purchased for them through the Fund.