«I was in a large hall when in the distance I heard a desperate cry mixed with screams. I didn’t understand that language, but I sensed a great desperation. I had proof of this as soon as I met her eyes, full of suffering, but equally lively. A special empathy was immediately triggered” like this Valerio BispuriRoman photojournalist, recounts the first meeting with Igor, an 11-year-old Belarusian, inBegoml orphanage.
Here, in the village which is 100 kilometers from the capital Minsk, their lives coincidentally intersected: for Bispuri it is about a stage of his photographic project on orphans around the world. While Igor, about three months ago, ended up in this one facility for orphans with mental disabilities, having been abandoned by their mother with alcoholism problems.
«Even though we cannot speak without the help of an interpreter, just one hug was enough to understand his need for affectionbut above all to express the pain that, despite his very young age, he has already had to suffer in his family of origin” says the Roman photojournalist explaining how, having perceived his lively intelligence, he immediately thought that Igor’s future could not be in mental hospital where, after an initial period in an orphanage, these minors with mental disorders are locked up.
So he launched an appeal on social media, which within a few hours reached hundreds of shares, transforming the dream of changing Igor’s destiny into a small step towards concrete action. The voluntary association made it possible The white horseengaged in the area for around 30 years in supporting young people with mental disabilities, otherwise destined for life-long psychiatric confinementabandonment on the streets or juvenile petty crime.
Bispuri had come into contact to be guided in this work adventure, he would never have imagined that together they would have made a small miracle of humanity possible.
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«We are in constant contact with the director of the orphanage, he accepted our proposal support Igor humanly and economically who finally had his first medical visits and a first meeting with a psychologist. There is still no diagnosis for his disorder, it could be a trauma to be processed, but in any case the rehabilitation process will be long” intervenes Gaia Carletti, president of the association who, for those wishing to help cover medical expenses, has activated a fundraiser (ASSOCIATION OF VOLUNTEERS IL CAVALLO BIANCO – IBAN: IT30H0200805237000400580891 REASON: Institutional activities in Belarus – help Igor).
Thanks to the extraordinary magnanimity of Valerio Bispuri and the commitment of The white horsecurrently, Igor will be able to stay in the orphanage and will not be transferred to a mental hospitalwhile the volunteers look for a family that can host him temporarily to complete his treatment journey.
The goal would be to continue rehabilitation in the Minsk hospitalwhere undeniably, compared to the village where you have to travel 200 kilometers just to give birth, there are greater skills and tools to heal the wounds of your soul.
«Unfortunately, as for many other little guests of the orphanage, for Igor too the awareness of abandonment sometimes goes beyond the hope of returning to his mother. We know well that adoptions in Europe are currently blocked due to the war. We cherish the dream of taking him to Italy, but in the meantime we continue to work hard to make the road that will lead him to adolescence as less tortuous as possible» Carletti and Bispuri comment in unison, while the latter’s eyes shine as he thinks of Igor stroking his beard and calling him dad. That dad he never knew.
