The Project

The Lifestart  Odessa Project is a 3-year project that is funded by the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA). The Project is a joint effort between World Hope Canada and World Hope Ukraine in cooperation with the City of Odessa, Odessa City orphanages, and the Government of Ukraine to improve the model of care for at-risk youth in Odessa, Ukraine.


There are 3 main components of the project:
1. To develop an improved model of care for institutionalised youth.
2. To develop and implement a foster care pilot program for at-risk young women.
3. To develop a life skills curriculum to be implemented in City of Odessa Orphanages.


We are hoping to have our pilot projects ready to launch in summer of 2011. They will then run for the remaining 2 years of the project. By the end of our 3 years, our hope is that the Ukrainian government will continue the pilots, proliferate them, fund and support them, and, ultimately, adopt these components of child welfare into their system.