The Christmas Angel Tree project restores relationships in inmates’ families.
The Christmas Angel Tree project is a comprehensive programme aimed to work out a new approach of social and psychological rehabilitation for women and men fulfilling their sentences in places of confinement and who have underage children.
Purposes of the project:
—to restore social bonds between a mother and her child
—to congratulate children with Christmas and give presents from their mothers confined in prisons
—to adapt women to their returning back into society and their families
—to bring the Gospel to inmates and their children
The Christmas Angel Tree project started first in 2003. And in 2003-2008 the project was carried out in 30 correctional institutions in Saint-Petersburg and its district, and also in Vologodskaya region, Krasnoyarky Kray, Arkhangelskaya region, Stavropolsky Kray, Bashkortostan Republic. And the project dealt with about 9.000 children.
—to restore social bonds between a mother and her child
—to congratulate children with Christmas and give presents from their mothers confined in prisons
—to adapt women to their returning back into society and their families
—to bring the Gospel to inmates and their children
We managed to congratulate children not only in Saint-Petersburg but in remote places of Russia.
We have received a lot of responses and letters full of thanks from inmates sharing that their attitude towards children, lives and God had been changed. Now they have a hope for restoration of their families, belief in people and desire to have lives full of values. Owing to this Christmas action, many mothers began their regular correspondence with their children.
We believe that we will help children to have their fathers and mothers back through this charitable and social work, and we help parents, in turn, to find a new meaning in their lives and hope for future rejoining with their families.