Public-Private Partnership Feeds Ukraine’s Needy Seniors
Milaniya Achkasova celebrated her 83rd birthday last January. After working for 40 years at a local factory in the city of Kharkiv, she has been retired for about 15 years. Her husband passed away in 1996 and since the couple had no children, Mrs. Achkasova has lived alone since then. While she mentions this with sadness, she keeps a positive outlook. “All I need is my health!” she says.
This is the second year that Mrs. Achkasova has received a food package containing essential items like canned meat, pasta, buckwheat, oil, tea, sugar and biscuits to keep her nourished through the winter. The packages were delivered by the local NGO Democratic Union of Youth (DOM) and paid for by Philip Morris Ukraine, the result of an effort spearheaded by the Eurasia Foundation in 2005. Since then, DOM has distributed 8,000 food packages to Kharkiv citizens in need, many of them single, low-income pensioners and people with disabilities. The group worked with the city and regional social services departments, other local NGOs and businesses to deliver the packages, setting an effective example for public-private partnerships for other businesses to follow. The Eurasia Foundation recently published a case study based on the experience, which is now helping other NGOs and businesses to do just that. DOM and Philip Morris Ukraine have continued the project this past year on their own, a testament to the strength and sustainability of the model.
“I’m very grateful for the food,” said Mrs. Achkasova when she received her package. “It is extremely helpful, especially for someone like me who lives alone.”
The project is part of the Eurasia Foundation’s Encouraging Corporate Citizenship program, launched in four regions of Ukraine) in 2004-2005, and made possible by support from USAID. The program encourages local businesses to support social projects by working with civic society organizations. Encouraging local money to support local causes will help charities be less dependent on the government or foreign donors. And as a growing number of businesses follow this example, civic society organizations will be able to help more people like Milaniya Achkasova.
This year, DOM added a personal touch which prompted a smile from Mrs. Achkasova: as a special birthday surprise, they also presented her with a box of chocolates.
 |
Milaniya Achkasova thanks a volunteer for much-needed food she received during the holidays last year
Photo Credit: Sarah Jewett |
Back to Top ^ |
