In Makinsk, northern Kazakhstan, in Central Asia, the winters are among the harshest in the world. Temperatures can drop to -45°C and last for several months.

The Daughters of Charity have been present for several years in this region. They accompany the neediest by distributing hot meals, visiting the elderly and sick, and supporting the most vulnerable children and families.

Among the people accompanied, two families now live in houses with badly damaged and toxic roofs.

The project: Helping two families replace their roofing

The plates that cover their roofs are worn and let water through. With each rain, moisture seeps into homes, weakens the walls and worsens living conditions. With the arrival of winter, these leaks make homes even more difficult to heat and threaten the safety of their occupants.

"These families are already facing many difficulties and struggle to meet their daily needs: replacing their roofs is a financial project beyond their reach." Sr. Halina

Svetlana and Alexander are a retired couple suffering from serious health problems. Their low incomes barely cover essential expenses and medical treatment. 
The roof of their house is made of asbestos sheets that have deteriorated and are leaking. It needs to be replaced. The work will be carried out with the help of relatives and neighbors.

Tatiana Lukianova is a single mother who raises her two daughters alone while taking care of her mentally ill mother. His car washing work provides him with very irregular income, especially during the winter when activity decreases sharply. The walls of his house are made of Saman (clay and straw). The roof is covered with deteriorated asbestos sheets and has gaps between the boards, which can no longer protect them properly from the weather.

The materials will be purchased and then the work will be carried out partly thanks to the solidarity of relatives and neighbors. This collective mobilization will make it possible to give back to these houses their essential role: to protect those who live there.

"A new roof is more than just a renovation. It is the possibility to live in dry land, to preserve the health of the inhabitants, to better face the harsh winters and to find a little serenity.” Sr. Halina

Thanks to your generosity, the old roofs can be replaced with solid and durable covers. This project is also a sign of hope for an entire community that sees that it is possible to help the most vulnerable in practice.

Learn more about the communities of the Daughters of Charity in Kazakhstan: click here  

If the project raises more than its goal, any excess funds received will be allocated to a similar project.