Supporting Russia’s Children

New moms in Russia are experiencing a sweeter welcome to motherhood with the country’s first hospital-based “Mother’s Room,” much-needed newborn baby care packages, and a first-of-its-kind “Our Mommies” Web portal.

Since 2008, Kimberly-Clark Eastern Europe has developed projects aimed at supporting children and mothers in Russia. By partnering with Volunteers to Help Children, an organization that provides assistance to orphanages and hospitals throughout Russia, Kimberly-Clark has provided Huggies diapers, Kotex feminine products and Kleenex paper products to more than 50 orphanages and hospitals in Central Russia, including the Moscow region. More than 21,000 packages of Kimberly-Clark products valued at more than 2.4 million rubles (about US$75,000) were donated in 2008.

“State support for orphanages and hospitals is limited, and some hospitals don’t have available budget for products such as diapers, so support from outside sources is vital,” said Anna Vinogradova, Volunteers to Help Children coordinator. “Kimberly-Clark’s support of our organization has improved the lives of babies and caregivers in hospitals and orphanages.”

Since early 2008, Kimberly-Clark has provided more than 1,000 new mothers staying in the Stupino Central Clinical Hospital’s maternity ward with newborn baby care packages that include Huggies diapers, wipes and an encyclopedia of infant care. New mothers also can register for Kimberly-Clark’s “Our Mommies” club membership to receive additional child care encyclopedias, toys, developmental games, books and promotional opportunities from the Huggies brand.

“When Kimberly-Clark started building a factory in Stupino, we decided to develop what would be useful for those who live in the area,” said Jonathan Tarr, managing director, Kimberly-Clark. “Since the Stupino factory will produce Huggies diapers, we felt it made sense to start our projects with a local maternity department. We hope to expand this program in the future with additional hospitals throughout Russia.”

Kimberly-Clark also worked closely with the hospital’s maternity department to create the first hospital-based modern recreation room for mothers in Russia, which opened in December 2008. “Mother’s Room” is designed to allow new mothers to relax with their babies and provides access to useful parenting books, educational television programming and Kimberly-Clark’s “Our Mommies” Web portal (Nashimamashi.ru). A first-of-its-kind Web portal in Russia, the site provides more than 46,000 members with valuable resources and online advice from gynecologists and pediatricians, as well as legal resources and forums where women can receive advice and learn from more experienced mothers. The value of the new mother care packages to date and “Mother’s Room” development is 615,000 rubles (about US$18,000). “In Russia, particularly in urban areas like Moscow, traffic, weather and congestion make it difficult for mothers with babies to commute to see their doctors or share parenting advice with one another,” Tarr said. “Our Web site allows them to receive professional advice and child rearing tips without leaving home.” In addition, Kimberly-Clark is donating medical equipment to the hospital. The first delivery, an advanced fetal medical monitor, was delivered in January 2009. This fetal monitor will help doctors provide a higher level of care to expectant mothers than ever before.

Kimberly-Clark employees pack care packages for new mothers at the Stupino Central Clinical Hospital.

[ printer friendly version ]