It all started long ago. After being married for 18 years, we decided to have an Orthodox wedding ceremony. We came to the church for our first confession, bought our first prayer book and Bible. During Easter, our spiritual father Mikhail gave us his blessing to visit people in hospice. There were different patients there – those who were really ill and dying, and those who had already been treated for many months . At first it was difficult to see it and perceive it. But as people talk to you and you to them, you start to enjoy each other’s company. At first it was difficult, but also satisfying. You realize that they begin to wait for you. Your presence and your smile, as one of the girls says, “Shines you in the eye”. And, I understand that my smile is the most important thing I can give people. The hospice was probably my first step towards compassion for people who are physically disabled.

Later, we got involved with the organization called New Generation that helps troubled teenagers. Together we have built a church and consecrated it in the name of St. Constantine and St. Elena. The church is located in the suburbs on Doblesti Street – a very cosy wooden pearl among the high stone buildings. A church congregation was formed and has become a really close family.

Потом мы познакомились с Маргарете (Margarete von der Borch, Founder of the «Perspektivy» organization) and after a while, I found myself in the Pavlovsky orphanage. It wasn't easy, I was really nervous. It's one thing to be with adults in the hospice, another thing to be with disabled children, most of whom were rejected even by their parents. I am fearful to get into such topics as I become easily attached. My husband always keeps me within bounds, otherwise I would have already brought someone home, but he doesn't allow me to. I agree with him though - there is an extent to which you can help and you shouldn't “break” yourself. I calm myself down with the thought that being free, I can help more people.

It is really important for me to help people. I don`t know where it comes from – probably from childhood and my family. Sometimes I feel the need to go back home to the Tverskaya region, where my parents live and where my roots are, in order to get my strength back to continue moving forward.

When my friend, who had two children, got sick and went into that hospice, I had a realization. I realized that these people need me somehow and I must pray for those who passed away. Nothing stops after life. As a person with faith, I understand that everything happens for a reason, God brings you to it. You understand that everyone has their own path. If you can come, give a hand, smile, help with something, support – then it was meant that way. When you open the New Testament or prayer book, sitting by the side of a sick person, even if they can`t open their eyes anymore, you know that they can hear you, at this moment you can feel that you are not alone, some powers help you. It came to me naturally without any pressure or anguish.

Yes, we have a daughter and we are very busy, but there is always time in our life to do things like this.

To create good – good for other people.

It happens sometimes that you “hold out” your hand, but the person doesn't want to take it. They stay where they are, it is convenient for them to sit and not move. And here, working with people we are in charge of, we can see the response and changes that happen in the lives of people. It is very important.

I don’t feel the need to do charity, but rather the potential in it. When you want to take part in some important and good thing, the strength comes to you.

I am very grateful to all the people we have met, that we have been going hand in hand with, hearing each other and understanding each other. Andrey always supports my ideas, even the most insane ones, and helps bring them to life. He is more of a person who does things, gets into the situation and takes charge. It is really great to have a person like this in your life, a like-minded person.

As in any organization, you need the people who work there to be passionate about what they do. When a person is interested in what they do, they can engage others too.

There are some things that you can strictly organize, write down in detail, and have everything planned with all the figures. But sincerity and openness come first and foremost. And Perspektivy possesses it – sincerity, openness and transparency. That is why we support them, the result is visible.

People need to understand what you do and what the raised money is spent on.

Charitable organizations are not always “transparent”. Perspektivy, for example, very meticulously cares for each of the people they are in charge of, working hard to try to make their life better. From educating their employees to brushing the teeth of the children, and providing for their school education. What is more, they are working on changing the regulations and protecting the rights of these people. This kind of work is not always visible but is very important.

It is much easier to build playgrounds and open them very pompously. Come to Razdolye (in the village of Razdolye, «Perspektivy» has opened a house of assisted living as an alternative to the big psycho-neurological asylums), to see how people live, how they learn something new every day. Unfortunately, it is not so interesting for most people.

As they say, “even a teardrop of a single child isn’t worth a war”. You need to talk to the people in the asylum to realize the importance of it. One of them is Dima. He is very responsible and clever and always talks about how he tries to do everything by himself and what he wants to learn next. There are a lot of people who think this way in the asylum. They really need it.

It is important to realize that disabled people are people just like us. They are kind, affectionate and open, they really take to you. We need to speak and write more about disabled people, their lives, the importance of all the projects we do. It motivates people. When you are inspired with the idea yourself, you attract like-minded people who join in and also start to help. They get this energy by looking at us. We had a 30th anniversary of our marriage recently and invited a lot of guests. We showed a video of the people we work with and asked our friends instead of presents to donate money to the foundation, and everyone agreed.

A lot of people want to help but don’t know how. They think that the only way to help is to go to the asylum or orphanage. It is not like this – you can help remotely. People are different, for some it is truly difficult. But I believe that if you want to help, you will find a way.

We are only guests in this world, we don`t need much. In every person’s life there is an accumulative period, when you need to provide yourself with everything you need. And then comes the moment when you say “ok, this is enough, now I need to give”. You feel really happy doing it. And you can share this happiness with someone. You can have an interesting, conscious, free and happy life, if only you are not concentrated on material values.