HOPE: Helping Orphans Pursue Education
The Program: The Baikal Region Adoptive Family Fund (BRAFF), a 501(c)3 non-profit
organization, is proud to announce the development of a program in Russia geared
toward the children, who at approximately age 16, must leave the orphanage. Without
family to support these children, there are few options. Many of these children turn to
prostitution or gangs for survival. An alarming number die within the first year of
leaving the orphanage, through murder or suicide. BRAFF wants to give these
children a future! Please consider supporting the HOPE program – Helping Orphans
Pursue Education.
Through HOPE, an orphan’s living expenses can be sponsored for just $200 per month
while attending the University, giving a child the only hope they have of being self-
sufficient. Inaugurated in 2007, HOPE helped 8 students complete their first year of
university study. Every year, the directors of several orphanages recommend up to 10
students for our consideration…."The best and the brightest." These children are
spending their summers preparing for the University entrance exams. Our goal for
2008 and beyond, is to be able to sponsor as many of the students as are accepted to
the University in the fall.
The Program: The Baikal Region Adoptive Family Fund (BRAFF), a 501(c)3 non-profit
organization, is proud to announce the development of a program in Russia geared
toward the children, who at approximately age 16, must leave the orphanage. Without
family to support these children, there are few options. Many of these children turn to
prostitution or gangs for survival. An alarming number die within the first year of
leaving the orphanage, through murder or suicide. BRAFF wants to give these
children a future! Please consider supporting the HOPE program – Helping Orphans
Pursue Education.
Through HOPE, an orphan’s living expenses can be sponsored for just $200 per month
while attending the University, giving a child the only hope they have of being self-
sufficient. Inaugurated in 2007, HOPE helped 8 students complete their first year of
university study. Every year, the directors of several orphanages recommend up to 10
students for our consideration…."The best and the brightest." These children are
spending their summers preparing for the University entrance exams. Our goal for
2008 and beyond, is to be able to sponsor as many of the students as are accepted to
the University in the fall.
What can you do??
Please consider a commitment of $200.00 per month – perhaps for a year or for the student’s college career.
Your sponsorship will purchase food, clothing, supplies and housing for an orphan, so that child can attend
college. Russian law requires that several slots at each university be held specifically for orphan children.
Those children have to pass very difficult entrance exams, just like all other college entrants. To our
knowledge, the inaugural class of 2007 will be the first Russian orphans to ever have taken advantage of
the state program. Inability to afford housing, food and embarrassment over not being able to afford
appropriate clothing, have prohibited orphans in the past.
Knowing that help is available through the HOPE program, BRAFF believes more orphans will pursue an
education over life on the streets. The HOPE program is being run in partnership with the Ministry of
Education, and semester reports will be sent to BRAFF to confirm the student’s progress. The Ministry is
deeply moved and excited to work with us in our plans to sponsor these orphaned children, “It has long
been a problem with no solution in sight."
BRAFF is in immediate need of sponsors for the students beginning in Fall 2008. Candidates will correspond
with their sponsoring family and the directors will be monitoring the students to help with any issues that
arise and make sure they are keeping up with their studies. Again- these are the orphanage directors
selected few…we are confident that given the opportunity, they will thrive in College!
Please consider sending the message of HOPE to these orphans! We will be the closest thing to a family these
kids will ever know...
Please contact BRAFF-HOPE Program with any questions: admin@braff.org. Send your tax-
deductible donation to: BRAFF, P.O. Box 2672, Appleton, WI 54912
Please consider a commitment of $200.00 per month – perhaps for a year or for the student’s college career.
Your sponsorship will purchase food, clothing, supplies and housing for an orphan, so that child can attend
college. Russian law requires that several slots at each university be held specifically for orphan children.
Those children have to pass very difficult entrance exams, just like all other college entrants. To our
knowledge, the inaugural class of 2007 will be the first Russian orphans to ever have taken advantage of
the state program. Inability to afford housing, food and embarrassment over not being able to afford
appropriate clothing, have prohibited orphans in the past.
Knowing that help is available through the HOPE program, BRAFF believes more orphans will pursue an
education over life on the streets. The HOPE program is being run in partnership with the Ministry of
Education, and semester reports will be sent to BRAFF to confirm the student’s progress. The Ministry is
deeply moved and excited to work with us in our plans to sponsor these orphaned children, “It has long
been a problem with no solution in sight."
BRAFF is in immediate need of sponsors for the students beginning in Fall 2008. Candidates will correspond
with their sponsoring family and the directors will be monitoring the students to help with any issues that
arise and make sure they are keeping up with their studies. Again- these are the orphanage directors
selected few…we are confident that given the opportunity, they will thrive in College!
Please consider sending the message of HOPE to these orphans! We will be the closest thing to a family these
kids will ever know...
Please contact BRAFF-HOPE Program with any questions: admin@braff.org. Send your tax-
deductible donation to: BRAFF, P.O. Box 2672, Appleton, WI 54912
| ::: HOPE 2009 Candidate Update ::: |
| Congratulations, everybody! Keep up the good grades, and know that we're all very proud of you for all the hard work that goes into every school year! |