My grandmother is a Russian immigrant and, as a child, I always dreamed of going to Russia and opening a nonprofit there. I learned Russian as a teenager through studying books in the hopes of moving there.

212

We started working together with the city administration to help orphans. When we saw the needs of the homeless children, that is where our focus turned and continues to this day.

193

All our Russian friends told us we would never be able to help. But through determination and a strong desire, we were able to realize our dreams of building a shelter and helping hard-core street children leave street life.

70