Robert Belenky Ph. D.

Robert Belenky is a clinical child psychologist who has chosen to spend his time working to study the dynamics of children who are abandoned or removed from their homes, in order to learn the best ways to help them grow to successful adults. With years of success in the US, he branched out to make voluntary trips to Haiti and Russia to observe the children in their temporary homes and determine how to more effectively design a shelter program. In Tales of Priut Almus, he relates

“It is a chronic condition of unfulfilled needs; of children huddled under railway station platforms, of orphans abandoned to fate, of victimization by way, disease, and abuse, of derelicts, scroungers, vagabonds, thieves, and crooks who inspire only revulsion in our hearts.”

Thus, he travels to Russia to stay in Priut Almus, a shelter for these “surplus children”, the majority of whom have lost their family structure due to alcoholism. The priut (which means shelter) houses a coed group of children in ages ranging from 3 to 17. The facility features combined sleeping rooms, an in-house medical facility, cooking facilities, and a large community room for eating and tasks. “Vospitatilnitsa” are the caregivers that keep order among the children. Chores are assigned for each child, and an informal ‘government’of children meets to discuss various decisions in the prius.

In this prius, the children are part of the community, attending school along with neighborhood kids, and are allowed to leave the prius on errands and field trips. However, the children are only allowed to stay in an almus like this for one year, after which they must leave and return home, transfer, or be lost to the streets.

Living in the prius as he does his research, Belenky is immersed in the schedule and the children bond instantly with him. Taking comprehensive notes on their behavior and interactions, he compiles what he feels are strengths and weaknesses to the facility design. His immediate concerns relate to the variance in ages and the mix of sexes, particularly of teenagers within the prius. On his visit though, all seems to be appropriate, and he notes a particular tenderness and instinct for protection that the older children feel for the younger.

Strengths of the prius include the healthy meals, structured schedules, and loving caregivers that, despite being grossly underpaid, attempt to provide stability and a measure of permanence. Included in Tales of Priut Almus are black and white photographs of many of the children: heartbreaking faces that display innocence and hope even in their tired eyes. To start this book, one should examine the photos first, as they make the connection to his observations more personal.

An absorbing read, I did find a few distractions. One was a large number of typos that should have been caught on an editorial level. These were especially noticeable in the second portion of the book but rare in the first half. I’m not sure how that came about, but it gave an amateur feel to the book despite the high credentials of its author. Given his devotion to this cause, making a number of trips over ten years at his expense, I can’t help but wish his information was presented better. At other times, his commentary rambled and seemed repetitive, with small details that weren't always necessary.

The other thing that bugged me was a particular word choice he used. He describes the emotional needs of the children as well as the physical needs. “…not touching a needy child is also a form of child abuse. Children such as those who live in Almus must be touched-their hair must be brushed, they must be allowed to sit on one’s lap and they must be embraced as the occasion warrants, with honesty, warmth, safety, and sensuality.” I was agreeing with him until he arrived at “sensuality”. He repeats it and tries to clarify that he doesn’t mean sexuality, but I can’t find a synonym for sensual that doesn’t imply gratification on a sexual level. I understand what he’s trying to get across, but again, I think on an editorial level this word could have been removed and replaced with a more neutral choice. As it was, his phrasing sort of haunted me throughout the rest of the book and made me realize just how vulnerable children in this situation would be.

Belensky clearly knows how to advocate for children, and his insights into the structure and how it works successfully is a valuable tool in assessing other shelters and systems. Not jumping in to change or alter the system, but rather neutrally observing makes both the children and staff comfortable in airing their concerns.… (altro)

La Chanson de Chanmas, in Creole, French, and English, with photos.

By Bob Belenky, author of Tales of Priut Almus: Participant Observation in a Russian Children's Shelter.

If there were more stars I would definitely give them to this book. Robert Belenky and Gody Boursiquot have, in winning the trust of these girls living on the streets of Port au Prince, Haiti, and bringing their words, brief and crystalline, to readers around the world, have done a great service. Vivacity, pride, despair, and intelligence are expressed together in an amalgam of interview answers laid out as a long poem: The Song of Champ de Mars.

Bravo.

"Do I have a dream? Oh, yes! Let me explain it to you.
My dream is to see everyone happy and in good health.
My dream is to see all the lost children find their mothers.
My family doesn’t know that I sell my body
for the taste of bread.
But, yes! I have a dream. It is a beautiful dream.
Perhaps you didn’t know…
A dream is at the center of my tired heart.
I want a loving heart, an ardent power, a simple life.
I sense myself,
The creative energy,
The wonder in my breast,
he mystery of my terrible times.
No one does anything for me. But day after day, I am
more magnificent. Each day is unique. Each night is a
secret that protects the joy of the sun that is within me.
The street reduces me to a sheet of paper they will soon
burn. But I protect myself with a poetry of beauty. I
make it penetrate the eyes of passers by. I offer this
beauty in my pleading smile..."

The funds raised by the sale of Bob's book go directly to Godfroy Boursiquot and Corde Enfant Haitien -- CODEHA. CODEHA works with young people on the streets and in rural communities in Haiti, and is a community-based and inclusive organization.

Donations to support CODEHA's work can be sent directly to:

Godfroy Boursiquot
CODEHA
15951 HT
6140 Pétionville
Haiti… (altro)

On the back of the book it states: Priut Almus is a model of what may be possible for the United States in the realm of education and child care.

My Review:
In 1991 after the collapse of the Soviet Union, a children’s shelter, Priut Almus, was founded in St. Petersburg. The city was plagued by poverty. Families were suffering, and children were sent - or chose to live - in this shelter and others.

The author spent time at the shelter and interviewed the children, shelter workers, and the founder/director of the shelter. Most of the children had alcoholic parents and were abused or watched abuse in their home. Others were there temporarily for parental illness or other family issues.

The children were not allowed to stay more than one year at the shelter, but rarely stayed even that long. After a year, the children were expected to go home, to a foster home, or be adopted. The children seemed to come and go by their own choice, without much structure in their lives.

The problem of abused or throw-away children is certainly a complicated one, and this book would be profitable to those in the social service field.… (altro)