Kids grow up. Orphans are kids. Friends of New Thing have been helping the orphans at Children’s Village for 10 full years. Our dear friend Oleg Yarovenko took this photo at the orphanage long ago. Which of this year’s graduating orphans left their shoes here that day? Today, they’re on the verge of becoming young adults. Before they leave home, we hope to give each one a Life Starter Kit: Blanket, pillow, towels, linens, dishes, electric kettle, saucepan, frying pan, table

Maybe your little brother makes you crazy ... your little sister annoys you... But when it comes time to head off to college, something changes. Orphans at Children’s Village in Kobryn, Belarus, are counting the days till graduation: Some will leave, some will stay behind. So these days, they’re all making memories. We hope to send off all 14 graduates with Life Starter Kits ...so they’ll be on a level playing field with the young people who come from their own biological fam

Every year, friends of New Thing have the joy of providing Life Starter Kits for graduating orphans at the Children’s Village orphanage in Kobryn, Belarus, near the Polish border. Here are the 14 youngsters preparing to leave home, photographed by our dear friend Oleg Yarovenko.... Veronika is a budding poet. She has Type 1 diabetes, and is heading toward a nursing degree. Kristina, in a school program for students with learning difficulties, loves singing and dancing. She’s

Now in his 3rd decade of volunteer service, our dear friend Oleg Yarovenko was at it again this week. His beloved wife Luda died less than a month ago. But Oleg was eager to travel to Kobryn, near the Polish border, to photograph this year’s graduates at the Children’s Village. (Once again this year, as always, we hope to provide Life Starter Kits for each orphan leaving for school.) I have always been impressed by how industrious the Belarusian people are. Regardless of pol