Sergey, aged 8, Nicolai, aged 9, and Egor, aged 6, live with their mom in one room. They share an appartment in Saint Petersburg, Russia, with two other families. All three brothers have special needs due to neurological problems, asthma and digestive problems.
Soviet-era-built apppartment is in a poor condition and it is partly to blame for the boy's illnesses. Damp and fungus in poor housing induces respiratory problems in children.
Kids are to ill to go to school. supported by EveryChild, the older boys are tought by a private tutor. EveryChild has also assisted the family by damp-proffing the appartment and providing anti-allergy bedding for the boys owing to which they sleep better at night.
The boys also attend the rehabilitation centre run by the state and supported by EveryChild to help them with their conditions. EveryChild has also arranged respite care for the boys when their mom needed to take care of her sick mother for ten days. The boys enjoyed the short break staying with a respite family in the countryside.
Nicolai plays the piano and has won a scholarship to take a course at the Hermitage. He says, "I really enjoyed spending the summer in respite care, it was really interesting. We went to the forests, ate the mushrooms we picked. A big thanks to EveryChild for their help."
Their mom Alice works hard to care for sons. She encourages their active behaviour and inquisitiveness about the world. Before EveryChild intervened Alice says that she felt her only option was to emigrate or that the children would have died as their conditions deteriorated.
Photography by Simon Crofts/EveryChild