"All that's left to buy are shoes." In Kholopenichi, 13 large families affected by the disaster received school supplies.

More than 140 households in the Kholopenichi village council were damaged by the July natural disaster. Responders from across the Krupki district and beyond came to the village and surrounding villages to help with the aftermath. In a matter of days, roofs were repaired, fences were installed, and fallen trees were cleared. Among the victims were 13 large families, who received both moral and material support. Today, BELTA correspondents visited their home, where Tamara Krasovskaya, Chair of the Minsk Regional Executive Committee's Committee on Labor, Employment, and Social Protection, brought school supplies for the children.

About 1,000 sheets of slate and about 100 kg of nails were delivered to Kholopenichi to repair the roofs damaged by the hurricane, and the local forestry enterprise provided lumber. Labor was especially valuable these days, but fortunately, there were many caring and willing people.

"That day, we were planning to go to the lake with the children; we even had time to pack our things. But an approaching cloud forced us to stay home. It was scary when the slate started flying, and the fence and wires started falling. Our storks, who had taken a liking to that spot, were also damaged," said Daria Kristop, whose family is raising five children. That day, 40 sheets of slate were torn from their buildings alone, and without support, the family would have had a difficult time. But those terrible events are behind us, and only the absence of the cherry trees, uprooted by the roots, remains a reminder.
The large Kristop family, where three children are about to start school, is delighted to welcome guests, including two-month-old Rostislav. They are eager to talk about themselves. "We live a harmonious life and work the land. We have seven cows, seven sows, chickens, and dogs on the farm. Our children are golden, each with their own responsibilities and help out. We sell milk to the dairy and sell piglets, which allows us to live and raise our children," said Daria.

According to her, her grandmother had 12 children, and her mother raised four, so having many children is a tradition for them. Incidentally, Daria's mother, Nadezhda Petrovna, who worked as a milkmaid her entire life, also ran a large farm.
"We have housing in the city, but an apartment isn't for us. We bought a house in the village and plan to expand. We leased four hectares of land and bought equipment. We'll grow grain and potatoes . We also want to get a plot for haymaking. We have many plans," noted Vitaly, the head of the family.

Incidentally, the eldest, Kirill, is already studying to be a tractor driver in Borisov. There's a chance the boy will return to his village and work the land as well.

"We're very grateful for the help, of course. But we already had the children ready for school in July; all that's left is to buy shoes, as their feet grow so quickly," Daria added.
On Severnaya Street in Kholopenichi, guests were greeted with a bouquet of gladioli. Natalya Shapel's eldest son, Artem, who is preparing to start ninth grade at the local school, presented them to Tamara Krasovskaya. Right at the playground, built for the children by local craftsmen, the committee chairperson presented the Shapel and Telichak families with bags of school supplies.
"The roof of our apartment building was also blown off, and our apartments were flooded. We quickly fixed the roof. But apartment renovations will still be a challenge," said Natalya Shapel, who is raising four children.
Ekaterina Telichak has three children, and her middle child, Yesenia, will start first grade this year.
Taking the opportunity, the mothers of many children raised their concerns with government officials . They promised to address these issues so that families living on Severnaya Street in the village would also be more comfortable.

"The republic is holding a charity event called 'Let's Pack a Bag Together,' and we've decided to provide support to large families affected by the natural disaster in Kholopenichi in July, where 13 large families were among the victims. And this isn't just moral support . It's important that after the tragedy, all services—from government officials to businesses and entrepreneurs—united in their desire to help. The same day the hurricane passed, restoration work began . And it's visible; moreover, people are grateful for the support," said Tamara Krasovskaya, Chair of the Committee on Labor, Employment, and Social Protection of the Minsk Regional Executive Committee.

She added that work teams helped repair roofs, raise fences, and clear trees from areas and yards—everyone came together to help the victims.
"Families were also provided with one-time financial assistance and targeted state social assistance. And today, as part of the 'Let's Pack a Schoolbag Together' campaign, 13 large families from Kholopenichi also received school supplies," Tamara Krasovskaya emphasized.

There are more than 20,000 large families in the Minsk Region, including 40,500 schoolchildren. "No family with children is left out, not just large families but also socially vulnerable ones. Families receive support from businesses and charitable donations. Every schoolchild is funded for school," Tamara Krasovskaya concluded.

Elena Kharevich,
photo by Tatyana Matusevich,
BelTA.