Project of the
Help Service “Miloserdie”

St. Sophia’s 
Social House

an amazing The Domik, where children and adults with special needs having no families live in love and care.

«The Domik» —

is the first and only non-governmental, non-profit organization in Russia for people with severe multiple developmental disorders where orphaned children and young adults having no families live in a specially created community based on support, trust and acceptance of everyone’s special needs.

Every child deserves to have a family

One of our top priorities is to find a family for every foster child. Our experience has proved that finding a family for a child with serious developmental disorders is challenging, but possible. In case we fail to find a family for a child, we’re ready to take care of him/her until attaining the age of majority.

18+

In Russia today a psychoneurological care facility is the only possible option of family placement for a major disabled person having no family. But our fosterlings won’t have to move there after attaining the age of majority. They will continue living in the familiar environment of The Domik, which has become their home, alongside with their significant adults (our staff members).

Making friends

The Domik tends to involve empathic people into its activities. We always welcome volunteers who are ready to become friends for our kids and accompany them for a long period of time. For every child we are also looking for regular donators (sponsors), who give us confidence in the future.

Socialization and habilitation

Special attention is paid to socialization and habilitation of children’s abilities that enables them to feel more confident in various real-life situations and gradually become more self-dependent and autonomous from side assistance.

Our kids  — are a special world

They have everything our soul is longing for — true feelings and actions, tenderness, frankness and courage. They have overcome many ordeals, but haven’t lost their ability to trust

Natalya F.

10 years
I have ICP (infantile cerebral paralysis) and serious hearing and vision disorders. In The Domik, for the first time in my life, I found close people who cared about me and embraced hope.

Arkhip T.

11 years
I came to The Domik in 2015, when I was 7. At that time I couldn’t and did not like to communicate, I was very social avoidant.

Anastasia T.

20 years
I came to The Domik in 2015 when I was 15. At that time I could do nearly nothing: I was spending almost all time in bed because of the 4th degree scoliosis.

Olga S.

22 years
When I moved to The Domik in 2015, I was 17. I was sitting in a wheelchair, my hands tightly tied, and swinging myself with great force.

Daniil S.

18 years
Here in The Domik, I started to understand what I wanted and explain it to tutors with the help of cards. Our adults help me to cope with my emotions and learn to express them correctly.

Mikhail S.

20 years
I moved to The Domik in 2015, when I was 15. I have Down’s syndrome. I’m a short in height, but a very serious and businesslike guy. Now everyone lovingly calls me Mikhal Mikhalych.

Anton R.

13 years
I got to The Domik in 2015, when I was 8. I have Down’s syndrome and other developmental disorders. My life in The Domik is quite different. I believe that I still have a great future!

Fedor P.

20 years
I am nearly blind since I was born, I distinguish only between light and shade. Can you imagine how difficult it is for me to perceive this world and my place in it?

Antonina P.

14 years
I moved to The Domik in 2015, when I was 8. Adults say I have ICP (infantile cerebral paralysis) and some other «complex structural problems.» It’s serious, I guess. But despite all these, I am very jolly and cheerful!

Valeria P.

14 years
I have ICP (infantile cerebral paralysis). Before I moved to The Domik, I had lived in the department for serious non-ambulatory children. I was lying in bed almost all the time.

Vladimir P.

19 years
I have Down’s syndrome. When I moved to The Domik, I was wearing tutors (devices supporting the joints in static position) that made elbow flexion difficult.

Anton N.

14 years
After my moving here, I began to study with teachers and different specialists. I learned to walk and communicate with gestures. I learn to speak and can already say some words!

Nikolay N.

14 years
They say I’m a life and soul of the company. If someone is sad or angry, I immediately feel it and try to help. And if someone is feeling not well, I will not rest until I provide first aid!

Angelina M.

8 years
I could not talk, but I already knew for sure that if I did not stand on my own, I would not get anything from the adults. So I shouted loudly and banged the table. I was afraid that no one would hear me…

Ekaterina K.

16 years
When I arrived to The Domik in 2018, I was only 14, and I had already passed through a terrible ordeal: my dear mother passed away… I like it in The Domik: it is cozy in here, we have affectionate and caring tutors, I made friends with folks.

Daniil K.

19 years
I live in The Domik since 2015, since I was 14. I’ve grown up now, but I look much younger than my age. I have a DS. Oh yes, I also have a congenital knee dislocation, which is usually operated on in the first year of life.

Victoria K.

12 years
I could not speak at all. I only cried, shouted loudly, bit my hands and did my best to explain everyone why I was feeling so bad. I could not stay alone in a room, even in such a wonderful and carefully furnished one.

Semen K.

6 years
I can’t walk, but I grabble very quickly and skillfully manipulate my wheelchair. As a matter of fact, I have a lot of health problems: with genitourinary system, vision and general development.

Sergey K.

19 years
I was afraid of everyone, I was hiding, often crying, causing myself to vomit and was always hungry. It was impossible to approach me — I roared and did not understand what was going on.

Kirill K.

11 years
I had zero communication skills at that time and I did not want to make contact with adults. Now my life is full of various interesting events.

Feruza I.

14 years
My parents gave me up right after my birth. I grew up in an orphanage, in the children’s department with severe multiple malformations. My medical record showed that I had cerebral spastic infantile paralysis, and moreover was learning-disabled.

Leon V.

18 years
Despite all the hardships I love people and enjoy communicating with them. I can really discuss anything: cars, children, personal problems. I can quietly explain what I want and what I need. Our adults always get me right. Now I can move only with my hands and head, so I can just sit in my wheelchair.

Serezha B.

17 years
I moved to The Domik in 2015. I have Down’s syndrome, but in the orphanage where I had lived before, they put me in the department for bedridden children. I was so lonely. For a long time I could not believe that everything had changed, that I was no longer alone.

We want a child to be the center of everything. A child is making progress only when feeling that somebody needs him/her despite numerous mental disorders. That's why it's very important for every fosterling to find a real friend, so that even the most challenged children could live a full social life.

Svetlana Babintseva
Svetlana Babintseva
Principal of St. Sophia’s Social House

Our friends and support

St. Sophia Social House exists with the under support of the Department of labor and social protection of the population of Moscow

Our projects

Life “over the fence”

Collected

0 ₽

Necessary

1 772 800 ₽
Medical assistance

Collected

0 ₽

Necessary

500 000 ₽
A wheelchair for a full life

Collected

0 ₽

Necessary

450 000 ₽
Newsletter

Once a month about the life of the The Domik