Why is it important?

According to the data provided by the Agency on Social Information, Russia is undergoing its third wave of orphanhood in the past 100 years. And if the high number of orphans post- WWII was justified, nowadays, orphanages are full of children whose parents are simply unable to perform their parental responsibilities and raise a child. These parents are alcoholics, drug addicts, inmates, people who failed to cope with changes that have taken place in Russia in the past 10 years. Lacking normal family life experience, psychological or emotional support of a family and without a good education, most of the graduates of orphanages become members of criminal gangs, develop alcohol and drug addictions after graduation from an orphanage. Often times their own children end up in orphanages as well.

Inability to keep up with school curriculum and "bad" behavior often becomes grounds for diagnosing young people with psychiatric disorder. Thus, young people lose the opportunity to get a proper education and obtain a career. Evening schools admit graduates of orphanages with reluctance, preparatory courses are too hard, and private tutoring is unaffordable for the graduates of orphanages.

Children raised in orphanages get used to living in a group, on a guarantee by the government to provide for their needs. These children grow up with the attitude that "we are orphans and everybody owes us". Orphanages cannot give a child enough individual attention. At the age of 18, orphans "unexpectedly" start living on their own. Every orphan in Moscow is guaranteed certain privileges till he/she turns 23 years old. These privileges are: one-room apartment, wage (1500-2000 rubles per month), and an opportunity to enter a university on easy terms. An illusion is created that it's going to be like this forever. Most of the graduates of orphanages live according to the following scenario: 3-4 people share an apartment; the rest of the apartments are rented out. Some young people get 2-3 different vocational trainings, yet they are unwilling or don't know how to get and maintain a steady job. Many of those who enter universities have to drop out after the first semester. When these young people turn 23 years old, they stop receiving financial support, all privileges end. They don't know what to do next and find themselves out in the streets again. The only difference is that they are no longer children that government must take care of, but adults that nobody needs. The circle has completed.