51 DESIRES FULLFILLED

 The main goal of the campaign is to focus on children who due to difficult life situations experience the lack of attention and care during these holidays.

— Every December we select the organization, whose children we are able to help; then we visit it, talk with children, record their wishes and in the eve of so called old New year (midst of January) give them presents. Concerned Kazakhstanis help us to fulfill the desires. We appeal to them through the media and Internet. This year, the “New Year Wish Tree” was attended by more than 50 Kazakh families. Some of them gave presents to the children, while others — to the orphanage itself. I strongly believe that the life of children of this big family became a little better than it was before we came, — said the organizer of the action, coordinator of the Shakhmardan Yessenov Foundation Grigory Lee.

The youngest of those who received presents from Santa — Nurzhausyn Koyaidarova — is two years old, and the elder — Zhumat Akhmetov — is 17. In the beginning of the action there was 46 pupils in the orphanage “Nur”, however, by the end of December their number has risen to 51. Two brothers and three more siblings (the father of the children died and mother is alcoholic) have joined the family.

— I grew up as an orphan, and I know exactly what that does it mean. 19 years ago I and my husband decided to open a Children’s home. And we are grateful that the guys came and asked our kids and teenagers — what would they like to receive from Santa Claus. We provide our children with basic needs, and their demands are rather modest, — said the Director of the family orphanage “Nur” — Tuyak Eskozhina.

The organizers of “New Year wish Tree” managed to find a construction company that made promise to fully repair by spring the orphanage’s hall where the children do homework, play, communicate and watch movies in the evenings. Talking about children’s desires, they asked for sport form and drawing kits, dolls and radio-controlled cars, mobile phones and watches, almost all of them needed shoes and clothing. During 8 years of its existence, “New Year Wish Tree” fulfilled the wishes of more than 250 children.