Success Stories

We are proud to have this page to show that the program is successful. The program changed life of many participants in different countries. There is a drama behind each story and participants are overcoming a lot of obstacles on the way to success. Here we are showing just few stories and new stories are coming in regulary, giving us the confidence of doing the right thing.

Scott, Washington DC Scott Morgan graduated from the University of Missouri's well-respected journalism program in 1979. He came to the ministry in 2000, heavily addicted to drugs and having lived on the streets for four years. Morgan completed the program a year and a half later. Through A Chance To Work, he started working at the World Bank, spending a lot of time in the records department. "I was given a rare opportunity," says Morgan, who now works as a leagal assistant at White and Case Law Firm. Both Morgan and his employers credit his World Bank experience with getting him where he is today. "It prepared him more than anything else," says Ashera Stanton, records manager and Morgan's superviser at White and Case Law Firm.

Slava, Moscow A partner in the project is White and Case, an international law firm with experience in the field. Slava, an orphan graduate, has been working as a courier with them for the past year-and-a-half. Alongside the full-time job, he has been doing evening classes at ROOF to make up for poor schooling at the orphanage and bring him up to university standard. "It was not easy," he admits. "At times, I thought I just didn't have the strength to go on." It all paid off, however. He passed all his final year school exams with merit and distinction and now plans to go to university to study law. He said he would recommend his experience to anyone. "It's more than just an opportunity, it's a chance of a lifetime which can change your whole future." As he practises his handshake, Sergei is clearly excited at the prospect of a place on the scheme. He also dreams of going to law school. A Chance to Work could turn his dream into reality.

Sergei, Moscow Orphans in Russia must leave orphanages at the age of 17. In Moscow, these orphan "graduates" should by law be provided with a flat and a small stipend. But many of the 700,000 orphans in Russia are unprepared for life on the outside. Sergei is highly intelligent and motivated. Alongside his regular studies he has been coming to Women and Children First, a Russian NGO which teaches orphans "life-skills" to cope with life outside an institutionalised orphanage. His favourite class is English. "It was not easy," he admits. "At times, I thought I just didn't have the strength to go on." It all paid off, however. He passed all his final year school exams with merit and distinction and now plans to go to university to study law. He said he would recommend his experience to anyone. "It's more than just an opportunity, it's a chance of a lifetime which can change your whole future." As he practises his handshake, Sergei is clearly excited at the prospect of a place on the scheme. He also dreams of going to law school. A Chance to Work could turn his dream into reality.

Nikolay, Moscow Nikolay Koksharov became one of the lucky students who were able use their chance to work, when he was placed in Raiffeisenbank for internship. "Nikolay came to work with us according to some kind of will from above, - says Alexey Iodko the Raiffeisen bank representative. During his first year of work Nikolay graduated from 11th grade and entered a university. Nikolay's managers are fully satisfied with his work. "I was given an opportunity,- says Nikolay, - certainly first couple months were difficult because every thing was new, but soon I began to understand general things and details and finally reached a different level. The project "A Chance to Work" helped me to see the other side of life, unknown to me before, where everything is devoted to one goal - growth and development of a business." Unfortunately Nikolay's story is not a typical one in Russia. According to official statistics, about 40% of orphans become involved in criminal activity and prostitution, 10% commit suicide and 40% become alcoholics and drug addicts. Only 2% of them enter universities to obtain a higher education.