New Blog

Interlink Resources has started a new blog.  To receive our current blog posts in a weekly summary email, please click the newsletter link in the top right corner of the blog.    You can also follow us on twitter.  We are looking forward to keeping you updated on the work of Interlink!

Celebration at Savva Orphanage

Posted by Kiikzhan, Olesya, and Mukhan

On December 29th, 2009, the Kids Connection and Youth Impact teams went to the Savva New Year Carnival celebration. When we arrived, the kids were dressed and waiting for us along with all of the staff. The children were so excited to start the celebration. The kids sang such wonderful songs and performed beautiful dances. Even the older children were dancing. There were many types of national dances performed. The young boys and girls who graduated last year came to visit during this Carnival.

Savva is full of talented kids. During this celebration they demonstrated their tremendous singing, dancing, and artistic talents.

We really appreciate the opportunity to get to know more about the children, their talents, and their dreams for their future.

Priceless!

Posted by Tim Brown, Delegate

Monday, Oct 12th was an incredible day. I am still processing through all that I had experienced. I was once again reminded that a smile and a laugh in any language means the same thing.

We started our day getting introduced to the staff here at Interlink and getting an overview of the various ways they work with the people of Kazakhstan. Next we took our visit to the orphanage at Saryrmoldayeva where I got to meet for the first time the 2 children that our family has sponsored since January. Sergey (boy - 6 years old) and Ayaluim (girl - 9 years old).

The orphanage director provided us with an extensive tour of her facility and I was quite impressed. My only other comparision is what Lisa and I experienced in 2000 when we adopted Mitchell from the Bobek (baby house) in Aqtobe, KZ. After our tour we had an unplanned traditional meal in a Yurt (tent) on the orphanage property. We then spent the next 1 1/2 hours with our kids at a local entertainment center (kids play area). The evening concluded with having dinner with the Miller family who have been in KZ since mid/late summer as the conclude the adoption of their 6th child. They have 2 biological, 2 adopted from Liberia, and 2 adopted from KZ (one 4 years ago and the other hopefully to be finalized next week).

Below is just a sampling of photos.


Lunch at the Interlink office with the staff


At the orphanage


With my two sponsored children


Riding the bumper cars

The People Behind Interlink- Katya Kantseva

Posted by Katya Kantseva, Receptionist

I am the new receptionist at the Taraz office of Interlink. I graduated from the university in the summer, and since October 2009 I have worked here. I’m very happy to be a part of the Interlink team and to assist in our great work helping poor people and orphans. I think it is good opportunity to have work experience in such a company! Before I started working here, I have been an intern at Interlink and a volunteer for Savva delegations several times. It was great! I like the staff and our work here in the office.

Reflections from Abby

Posted by Abby Naunheimer, Delegate

My time in Kazakhstan was a great reminder of how much need there is around the world. We, as a culture, more often recognize the physical needs, but there were countless times where my team was simply called to converse or play with the local adults and children. We were needed to be listening ears and loving arms for those who do not readily get attention. I can quickly forget how difficult it is to live in other regions of the world. It was so good to be in Kazakhstan and truly experience what life can be like in central Asia. It made me proud to know people who have lived or traveled there before me.

My experience was enhanced by a local family who allowed my husband and I to stay in their home; where they cooked meals for us, taught us bits of language and culture, and simply befriended us. They gave us a window into the life of a loving family.

Orphanage graduates going to colleges this year

Posted by Olya Cherevko, Youth Impact Manager

Usually very few orphans receive full scholarships to study in colleges. One of the main reasons is that their educational levels are low; however, this year Interlink's Youth Impact program put a special emphasis on preparing orphans for national tests and teaching how to fill out applications and write essays.

Last year out of 95 orphanage graduates only 9 got accepted to colleges/universities. This year it is three times as many - 27 students will go to colleges with fully covered tuition and monthly stipend.

Most of the grants have been provided by the government but 9 of them have been granted by two private foundations in Almaty started by local businessmen and foreign embassies in Kazakhstan that give 100 scholarships to orphans and youth from low-income families in Kazakhstan.

The youth in the photo below working on their essays all got accepted to colleges/universities thanks to those foundations. Now they are required to keep their grades high and participate in volunteer activities for the good of the society. Their volunteer activities may include social service projects at NGOs like teaching children, helping at orphanages, or cleaning of local parks.

Fun with the high school delegation

Posted by Vicki Charboneau, Kids Connection

At the end of July a delegation of high school students came to Kazakhstan from Indiana. During their time here they did many things including visiting the children of Ulan at their summer camp. To say the children were excited to see the team arrive is an understatement. They literally were bouncing with joy. The delegation was only there for several hours but in that time they went swimming, colored with the children, and had a carnival.

In America youth today are at times portrayed as selfish and destructive, but I watched a group of teenagers reach out with open hearts and kindness to the orphans who were so eager to touch and see a "real" American teenager. Each one of the youth who made up the team and the young adult leaders gave 120% of themselves to the children. They hiked down to the river and spent about an hour swimming and splashing with the kids. As they walked back up the hill they were walking hand in hand. Big smiles were on everyone's faces and the chatter of excited children filled the air like music.

The carnival was a huge hit with the kids also. There were games at seven different stations, from face painting to ring toss with small prizes or candy received by each child. Even the caretakers joined in after watching the kids have so much fun. When it was time to leave no one wanted the day to end.

Each one of the youth from America were shining examples of the good that is still in our youth today. They each gave of their time and energy to come halfway around the world to give a little happiness to children they didn't even know. We thank the high school delegation for touching the hearts of the many youth that you met while here in Kazakhstan.