Photo essay
Dreams that may still come true
The most important dreams are always of love. Always of the dearest people nearby.
UNICEF in Belarus
- Available in:
- русский
- English
28 May 2019
*Names have been changed.
Vladik (8 years old) has a big dream: to blow out the candles on his birthday cake with his mother. His mother was deprived of parental rights, but the only time she visited him she dropped a word that she would come to him for his birthday. Since then, little Vladik has been waiting for her. Every year he looks at the road from the window hoping that a car will drive up, and his mom will get out from it. And together they will blow out the candles on the cake, and then Vladik’s wish will come true.
Anya (8 years old) dreams of dancing like a real ballerina. She wants to perform on stage and see the audience smile when she dances. She already does the pirouettes in a wheelchair, energizing everyone in the residential care facility. Anya is unlikely to be able to perform without the wheelchair, but when has it stopped real stars?
Anya loves to give joy to her friends, who applause and embrace her after each dance. And then she dreams of being on stage.
Vera (8 years old) dreams of being beautiful. Now she has a big blue bow on her head, which she likes. Vera has just learned to walk, and order to learn to see everything, she still has more than one surgery to undergo. For Vera, to see herself is to see herself beautiful. Wearing a beautiful dress and certainly a bow.
Being beautiful is when everyone is looking at you and when everyone loves you. So, Vera's dream is more than of a beautiful bow and dress. This is a dream of love.
Kiriusha (7 years old) wants to learn to paint so well that his artworks are at exhibitions. Now he loves to in draw crabs just like Salvador Dali — mentors from residential care are happy to give him сolouring books. But Kiriusha has little time: he has myopathy — a disease, when the muscles weaken and dry out over time. When the muscles atrophy even stronger, the boy will need a wheelchair. Eventually Kiriusha will have to stop drawing — will be too difficult to hold a marker in his hand.
Katyusha (7 years old) dreams of running and jumping in the future. Doing so, she can catch up and reach those she loves: her teachers, friends in a residential care. And here's a paradox: now she somersets like a monkey, but when she grows up - her joints will no longer be able to cope with the weight. The girl will need a wheelchair then. And she doesn't want it. Little Katyusha believes that if she stops bouncing to embrace those who are dear to her, they will stop loving her.
Every child that you've seen on photos has a dream. The little, the big, the most cherished in life. All of us call our dreams differently. But the dearest ones are always dreams of love.
Today there are more than 4700 children with disabilities in Belarus who live in residential care and want to spend their birthdays next to their parents. The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) in Belarus launched the project “Family for every child” to help these children.
Thanks to the project:
- children with disabilities will be able to grow in families with parents, custodians or in family-type residential care institutions;
- young people with disabilities will be able to get education after graduation and become equal members of the society.
With help of everyone, the dreams of these and other children can come true. Let's help together!
