Tikva operates three children’s homes and two university dormitories in the heart of Odesa. The Infants’ and Toddlers’ home cares for 40 children, from newborns to six-year-olds; 80 girls, ages 7 to 17, live in the girls’ home; 75 boys, ages 7 to 17, are raised in the boys’ home; and two university dormitories house 130 of Tikva’s home graduates who continue on to higher education. In the process of creating these homes, Tikva has reunited dozens of siblings, now living together in the loving familial atmosphere of this compassionate and caring Jewish community.
Tikva helps its children and young adults transition from a life of hardship to one filled with happiness and hope. In Tikva’s homes, children sleep in their own beds (some for the first time in their lives), are provided with clothing and warm blankets, eat nutritious food, attend school, obtain medical treatment when necessary, and receive a modest allowance to help foster independence and individuality.They celebrate Shabbat and holidays, play sports, and have fun with their friends like children everywhere. They have the freedom to act their age – without worrying about how and where they will find their next meal. At Tikva, they are transformed from scared, detached children into lively, inquisitive, self-sufficient young adults.
Many of the children arrive at Tikva with medical, psychological and developmental difficulties following emotional and physical neglect and trauma. Once they arrive, the children are often found to be suffering from a wide range of problems, from regular childhood diseases to acute illnesses. Beyond these conditions, some children also have social impediments or significant learning challenges.
Tikva’s medical programme employs seven doctors, twenty three nurses, eighteen psychologists and two psychiatrists who perform complete medical evaluations. They identify the child’s most urgent needs, create an individualised treatment plan and prescribe and dispense essential medications as necessary. Once the children are part of the Tikva family, they have complete access to the Tikva health care facility and its professionals with a medical office open 24 hours a day in each home.
