Are you privileged?
Do you consider yourself privileged? If so, how much more privileged are you than an orphan in Russia beginning their adult life?
Imagine life as a race to the top floor of a 100-storey building (very apt since most Russians actually live in large tower blocks). Those racing from the ground floor will have to try twice as hard to be fit, clever or resourceful as those with the luxury of beginning on the 50th floor.
The 100th floor is not necessarily an affluent career, a fancy home and a sports car - not everyone wants the pressures and involvement in consumerism it takes to reach this definition of ‘success’. The 100th floor is more the point at which your basic needs are met and there are choices open to you. Choices that offer the opportunity to enjoy life and give to others.
Privilege encompasses family, wealth, status, the country you were born in, the colour of your skin, the education given to you, your gender, never being bullied, never living with a condition you developed or were born with plus a thousand other things - all of them, circumstances us humans did not earn, deserve or have any control over.
Likewise, the orphans Love Russia seeks to help did not earn, deserve or have any control over the childhoods spent inside institutions any more than Prince Harry deserved to be born into the Royal family.
Love Russia is passionate about enabling others to facilitate very underprivileged young people needing to scale that metaphorical tower block; our Mentors are the parents trying to establish a community that accepts them and their struggles; ready to offer a word of direction and advice, compassion and support or a practical step-up through work experience. Love Russia and you the supporters are the family friends!
Society is slowly becoming more aware of the obvious and less obvious differences in our lives that mean we either get ahead or don’t. The more we acknowledge these differences of circumstance the more we realise that we are the same and it’s community and love that can and does solve some of the difficulties those with less privilege encounter.
If you’d like to be part of the caring community that supports orphanage leavers, see if there’s a project or an appeal you’d particularly like to support.