Deputy Prime Minister: From the Bottom of Our Hearts drive to touch 500,000 Belarusians

“The From the Bottom of Our Hearts campaign has been active in Belarus for three years. Last year, it covered 330,000 of our citizens, so this year, I think, that figure will grow to 500,000. We don’t only focus on people in care homes, but work on a nation-wide scale with those who live alone, in single family homes out in the country, those who need help due to a variety of circumstances. That help is provided by youth organisations like the Belarusian Republican Youth Union (BRSM), the Belarusian Republican Pioneer Organisation (BRPO), the Belarusian Women’s Union, trade unions. Each caring person should extend a helping hand to those who have created and preserved so much for us,” Mr. Petrishenko said.

During his visit to the care home, the deputy PM inspected the conditions and the everyday life there, and conveyed his best holiday wishes to the residents.

“Every person needs attention, and especially our people of high esteem who have built and forged our labour successes and the development of Belarus, each at their own workplace with their hard work and diligence. We see the healthcare available to them, exercise machines that help them keep in shape. This attention is the payment guaranteed by the government to any good worker who might find themselves in a care home due to any number of reasons,” he explained.
He went on to make a point that out of 310 residents in the Nemansky care home, 250 are those who live alone.

“It’s really important for them to feel care, kindness and attention from younger people. Not just from staff members who assist and provide care for them because it’s their duty. Interacting with young people who came here on their school break to read them poems, dance, sing together, talk, and listen to their life stories, is extremely important too. During our visit, we heard things said by our venerated people who live here as one big family, from the bottom of their hearts. That is the proof that we are moving in the right direction,” Mr. Petrishenko said.

According to the deputy PM, Belarus has 98+ healthcare institutions where over 25,000 patients are now recovering.
“Those are nursing care facilities. We have over 80 care homes, mainly for people with no families, where they get the attention they need and lead active, rich lives. That helps them recover not only physically, but psychologically as well. We also have 67 social service centres with a round-the-clock stay option. This entire nation-wide system has a great effect and gives a boost to positive development. We can confidently say the policies implemented by the Head of State are truly socially-focused. We are building and developing Belarus for its people. As for our highly esteemed compatriots here, we should really help them by sharing the warmth of our hearts and creating the best conditions for them,” he concluded.