GRADUATING ORPHANS - JEREMIAH PROJECT A REALITY

BREAKING NEWS!!!!BREAKING NEWS!!!!

JEREMIAH HOUSE HAS BEEN FUNDED

 Jenia was a success story that could have gone bad.  Yet, after graduation - support from the LAMb team brought this young man to a place of interdependence and family connections.  Jeremiah Project is designed to help others find the same success!

BREAKING NEWS -----  As most of you know - we have been moving toward opening our new project to help graduating orphans.  Look at this!

1.  We have rented an office/center for Jeremiah Drop In Center (see below the mission for this part of Jeremiah Project).  This center is now being furnished and is operational at this time.

2.  We HAVE JUST RECEIVED WORD THAT WE NOW HAVE THE FUNDS - on the way to purchase the JEREMIAH HOUSE! (see below for the mission for this part of the Jeremiah Project).  We will be purchasing this home just as soon as the funds are transferred!  We expect to be operational with the residential home soon.

3.  AND we are not stopping there - NEXT is Jeremiah Steps! (see below for the mission for this part of the Jeremiah Project)

All our Kyrgyzstan staff are thrilled and ready to begin MAKING A DIFFERENCE ONE YOUTH AT A TIME!

Project Model

PREMISE:  KYRGYZSTANI Youth are ageing out of the orphanages and are being forced into situations of poverty, homelessness and crime.  Statistics for success are dim – as only 1/3 of the youth graduating from an orphanage find success as an adult.  The other 2/3 end up trafficked for sex trade, into drugs and alcohol, found having committed suicide or end up in prisons.  Most youth are NEVER heard from again once they leave an orphanage.  This situation must be addressed and Jeremiah PROJECT is one small effort in helping youth who have been in an orphanage and/or part of our work while we have been working in Kyrgyzstan - to be supported in those vulnerable years after orphanage graduation.  Since most youth are graduated at grade nine from the orphanage, they are too young to move successfully into adulthood.  We want to be there for those we can.  Therefore we have developed a project – called JEREMIAH PROJECT.

Jeremiah Project is an umbrella program to several other Jeremiah branches or strategies to help youth graduating from the orphanage;

Jeremiah Drop In Center,

Jeremiah House and

Jeremiah Steps.  

With each project there is a distinct mission statement and activities that support the Vision of LAMb International Jeremiah Project.

Vision – Jeremiah Project:  It is the vision of LAMb International that graduating orphans from Kyrgyzstan become successful contributing members of society.    We envision the youth having strong moral values, a living relationship with Jesus Christ and a desire to serve others just as they have been served.

Mission of Jeremiah Project:  The LAMb Team commit to developing a pilot project where we can demonstrate strategies, programs and activities which help youth become successful and achieve the vision of Jeremiah Project.  We will work with community leadership, churches, government offices and other NGO’s to further this project beyond the size and scope of just Jeremiah Project.

We see the project as a demonstration of what can be done to help youth through those vulnerable years after orphanage graduation.

Mission of Jeremiah Drop In Center:  The drop in center is a non-residential center which provides assessment, training, counseling and referral resources for youth from orphanages who have graduated or will soon be graduating from the orphanage and are in need of supportive services.  Jeremiah Drop In Center will offer crisis counseling, emergency support where available, referral services, and in extreme cases the center will offer crisis overnight supervised housing (when available). 

Mission of Jeremiah House:  LAMb International will work to meet the needs of graduating orphaned youth placed into the Jeremiah program, assessed to be ready and needing placement at Jeremiah House, a structured and supervised residential center for graduating youth.  LAMb will work to ensure youth are safe, nurtured and protected as they seek solutions of education and permanency for each youth.  Each graduating orphaned youth will find permanency in the program and will be guided to interdependent living through the teaching of critical Life Skills.

This mission will be accomplished by ensuring full assessment, Individual Development Plans, Life Skill training and building connection strategies are utilized from the day of placement and will continue until the permanency/independent living goal is achieved and implemented.

LAMb is committed to proving the most family like, community based, relationship focused program possible.  The foundation of the program will be to introduce and build upon a relationship with Jesus Christ, thus ensuring each youth is given an opportunity for spiritual development as they move toward independence.

Mission of Jeremiah Steps:   To provide hope and dignity to institutionalized youth by helping them achieve independent living by “practicing” independence in Jeremiah Steps apartments. 

Through assessment from Jeremiah Drop In Center or Jeremiah House, youth will be identified who are able to function in a less restrictive environment than the more structured Jeremiah House.  These youth will be re-integrated successfully into community based living where they will live interdependently. 

Structure will be provided in the Jeremiah Steps apartments and youth will be guided to continue moving toward self-regulation.  Jeremiah Steps will guide youth to housing, resources and adult living separate from the resources of Jeremiah Project and Jeremiah Steps.