some words about Russian Businesswoman Olga Korobeynikova

•To Whom It May Concern: 

Olga writes -

The topic of sexual health and in Russia has been a taboo for many years: no one discussed it publicly, spread information

Fortunately, times have changed. In big cities people are tolerant, liable and accustomed to these very topics, and now there is no information lack on sexual health.

I can’t say the same about small cities, for example, about Perm, the city of my birth.

It is evident that this problem is not given enough attention, though it is a burning issue. The knowledge about sexual health straightly depends on the social status and level of education. Therefore, the work needed to be held among various social groups and target audiences.

Nothing is performed by local government and non-profit organizations to amend the situation. I know only several activists, who care about this issue.

One of them is Michael Kerins, whom I met several years ago in my school. He is a storyteller and came to Perm to share his new stories with students. Then I had a chance to get acquainted with his other projects in Perm, which are still being realized.

Michael’s major activity in Perm is an annual translation competition among the students of Perm State Pedagogical University. All the participants are asked to translate texts on sexual health from English into Russian and the owners of best copies get money prizes. The competition has already become very popular among students. And I find it a bright idea to combine two activities (translation and sexual education) together.

I know that every time Michael comes to Perm he brings condoms and spreads them among social groups, who are of a very high risk to get or spread genital infection. He does a very important information activity in our city, spreading the brochures and information materials. Of course, great job has to be done to adopt them to Russian reality. But what has been realized is already a really a lot.

Michael together with his companions will do their best.

There are some more social projects that Michael’s initiates in Perm. This autumn due to help of Scotland kindergartens, Michael delivered to Perm a special suitcase for blind children. Inside the suitcase a famous fairy-tale weetom also known in Russia as Malchik Spalchik “Tom Thumb” was reconstructed by Scottish children. And especially for blind kids different textures, sounds, surfaces were used.

I think Michael has more ideas to be realized. As for me I’m quite sure that what he does is very significant not only for sexual health information, but also for ordinary citizen. It is a work of high importance taking into consideration the farness of our city from culturally developed centers, where the problem of sexual health matters is seldom resolved or is being controlled. All in all, the projects that have been realized here could be a good example and successful beginning of future campaigns.