At the 2015 Harvest Ball, MPC Social Services received the first 31 contributions to its new Homeward Bound fund, and we’d like to invite you to donate as well. Your support will help stranded African immigrants in Moscow return to their home countries.
To learn more about the lives of the people who come to Russia, and the reasons why they struggle so much while they are here, please watch the short video below.
To contribute, please click here or speak with Development Director Imanni Burg at development@mpcss.org.
Where does the money go?
$750 pays for everything needed to send one person home, including the costs of flights, medical exams, exit visa fees, and ground transportation. The Homeward Bound fund is fully dedicated to repatriating immigrants.
Your contributions are 100% tax deductible.
How immigrants get stranded
In the last 25 years, MPC Social Services has encountered thousands of people who are in Russia because they were trafficked or defrauded. Many of them were told that a $2,000 or $5,000 payment for flights, visas, and housing would connect them with a good job in Paris, London, or Berlin. They arrive to find a much harsher reality. Instead of the job opportunity of their dreams, immigrants are often abandoned in Moscow and their money is stolen by scammers posing as headhunters.
Prospects for immigrants in Moscow
Employment prospects in Russia are dismal for African immigrants. Even well-educated professionals are reduced to handing out flyers or cleaning homes. They cannot access the Russian government’s social support system. Immigrants with children are even worse off, as Russian schools often do not accept undocumented children. It is almost impossible for them to earn enough money to escape from this cycle of poverty.
Keeping you updated
We will communicate regularly with our supporters through this website and through our Facebook page, www.facebook.com/mpcsocialservices.