The first state House of Mercy in Belarus will open in the Vitebsk region

Construction of the House of Mercy in the agro-town of Bychiha, Gorodok District, is proceeding at a record pace. The decision to build it was made only this summer, and its completion is planned by New Year. General construction work is currently being finalized, with finishing touches remaining. A modular boiler house will be installed in the near future, after which the house will be ready for occupancy.

The facility is, so to speak, being built by the community. The project was developed by the institute "Vitebskgrazhdanproekt," also within a tight timeframe. RUP "Vitebskenergo" laid the cable and reconstructed the substation, while the Gorodok Boiler and Heat Supply Enterprise partially undertook the installation of water and sewage pipes. UP "Polymerkonstruktsiya" is responsible for the treatment facilities, and "Belkotlomash" is committed to supplying the boiler house. Builders are working in three shifts, with all departments of "Zhilstroy" involved.

Currently, the general contractor is using its own working capital, essentially operating on credit, which involves significant funds. A charity account has been opened, and a fundraising campaign has been announced, with the first contributions already received. The most responsive donors turned out to be elderly people who transferred part of their pensions. The company MTS has announced that it will donate 1.5 billion rubles to the construction of the House of Mercy.

The building is divided into functional sectors, which include living rooms, a kitchen, a dining room, a swimming pool, a sauna, a gym, a hall for mass events, and staff premises. The institution is designed to accommodate 30 residents with 2-3 person occupancy per room. The rooms are equipped with cooking areas with all necessary amenities. This means residents can either dine in the common dining room or prepare their own meals.

As explained by Vera Astapenko, Head of the Department for Social Support of the Population of the Vitebsk Regional Executive Committee's Labor, Employment, and Social Protection Committee, this facility will accept individuals who find themselves in difficult life situations: without shelter or means of subsistence. The mission of such an institution is the comprehensive rehabilitation of a person: social, medical, and spiritual.

Nearby is a church, which is a branch of the Zhirovichi Monastery for men. Clergyman Ivan Khamenya is convinced that mercy should be ingrained in souls. Clergy will help the destitute people who find themselves at the supported living center to find faith, hope, and love.

By the way, the Belarusian Orthodox Church has opened a House of Mercy in Minsk, but this will be the first state institution of its kind in the Vitebsk region. Vera Astapenko, who has visited similar houses in Austria and Sweden, asserts that ours will be in no way inferior to them.

It is also important that the residents will not be dependent but will be able to work. Workshops and a cattle shed have already been erected on the territory of the center. There will also be opportunities for those who wish to work at agricultural enterprises. Occupational therapy is also part of the social rehabilitation process.

The chairman of the Bychikha rural council, Nimettulla Akhadov, notes that the House of Mercy will enhance the prestige of the settlement, which has significantly transformed in recent years. The church, built with funds from Anastasia Ositis, a native of Bychikha, has become a landmark. Landscaping continues on the church grounds. A playground, a church shop, and a well have already appeared. The railway station building has acquired a modern look. The agro-town is surrounded by greenery, with a forest nearby and a lake. The location for the center has been chosen successfully. And no one doubts the necessity of such an establishment.

Of course, one House of Mercy will not solve the problems of all lonely people who find themselves in difficult life situations. But it will set a precedent, an experience of social rehabilitation, which will undoubtedly be continued.

In the meantime, it needs to be completed, and anyone who transfers money to the charity account can help. Its details are: account No. 3132411650025, OJSC "Belinvestbank", MFO 153001739, UNP 300203571, Capital Construction Department of the Vitebsk Regional Executive Committee (for the construction of the House of Mercy).

Tatyana Pasternak, "Vitebskiye vesti"