**MARIIA REQUIRES BOTH REGULAR AND MEDICAL SPONSORSHIP**
Dear sponsor,
My name is Mariia, and I am 5 years old. I live in a little apartment with my mom, my grandma, my big brother, my sister, and my twin sister Anna. We are always together. Our daddy left when Anna and I were babies, so it is just us now.
My mom stays home with us because we are small. We do everything together — we eat, play, wash, sleep, and hug each other when we feel sad. My mom is my favorite person. I feel warm and safe when she holds my hand.
I love drawing pictures and making little animals from clay. I also know some poems, and I like saying them out loud. At Christmas, we all sit close together and dream about a happy future.
I go to a small school at Golgotha Church. I wish I could go to fun clubs after school, but we don’t have money for that, so I stay home and help my mom.
My family likes fruit, meat, fish, cheese, and vegetables, but we cannot buy them very often. When it is a holiday, my mom buys me sweets, and it makes me smile so much.
When I have free time, I draw and watch cartoons with my sisters and brother. When I grow up, I want to be a policewoman so I can help people and keep them safe.
Thank you for caring about me. Because of your help, my childhood can be softer, happier, and full of hope. It means so much to me and my family.
With love,
Mariia
(My mom wrote this for me because I can’t write yet.)
Caseworker Comments:
Mariia is a charming, sensitive, and very vulnerable little girl. She shows a lively curiosity about the world, has her own thoughtful way of seeing things, and loves expressing herself through creativity. Drawing, modelling with plasticine, walking outdoors, and watching cartoons with her siblings bring her joy. She especially loves attending Sunday School, where she participates eagerly and shows kindness and attentiveness toward other children.
Just like her twin sister, Mariia has severe vision problems and wears glasses, which requires ongoing supervision and support. She lives in extremely difficult conditions. She, her mother, and her three siblings all sleep together in one small bedroom on old, worn-out beds. The room has almost no lighting, and the overall household environment is unsafe and unsuitable for healthy child development. Despite these challenges, Mariia remains gentle, resilient, and eager to learn.
The family consists of four young children—twins Mariia and Anna, their sister Anastasiia, and their older brother Yelysei—along with their mother and their grandmother, who suffers from serious health issues. Mariia’s mother, Olha, is currently unemployed but does everything she can to support her children’s learning and development. The family survives solely on the grandmother’s small pension. The children’s father abandoned the family when the twins were born and has never provided financial or emotional support.
Although the family is entitled to limited government assistance, they are unable to receive it because all of Olha’s bank cards have been blocked due to unpaid survival-related loans. The bank has filed a lawsuit against her, leaving the family with no access to essential financial support.
The family lives in their grandmother’s three-room apartment, which has not been repaired in more than 30 years. The walls are peeling, the rooms are cramped, and one room is filled with old belongings and cannot be used. The beds are sagging and patched with whatever materials the family can find. Most concerning, there is no electricity or lighting in the living areas. The children study and draw using a small battery-powered lamp, which strains their eyesight—especially dangerous for Mariia and her sister. Light is available only in the bathroom and toilet. The yard outside is unpaved and turns into deep mud when it rains, making it difficult and unsafe for the children to move around.
Despite these hardships, the family is trying to build a better future. Mariia and her sister attend Sunday School and a small preparatory school at Golgotha Church, where they receive emotional support and encouragement. Their older brother studies well and helps his mother with daily tasks. Over the past year, the family has shown remarkable openness and growth. At first, the mother came only to receive assistance, but after her son attended a Christian camp, the entire family began attending church services regularly.
This family urgently needs support—food, medications, school supplies, clothing, bedding, and safe living conditions. Sponsorship through the HART Mission Child Sponsorship Program would be life-changing for Mariia and her siblings. It would provide stability, access to basic needs, improved living conditions, and the emotional and educational support they desperately need. Mariia is a vulnerable child with a gentle heart, a bright mind, and a world of potential. With support, she can grow up healthy, safe, and able to pursue the future she dreams of.
Sponsorship would not only transform Mariia’s life, it would bring hope, dignity, and security to an entire family striving to rise above their circumstances.
