POLITICIAN AND PHILANTHROPIST: ANDREI VLADIMIROVICH SKOCH

Andrei Skoch is a State Duma deputy who devotes a lot of time and resources to charity work. The Pokolenie (Generation) Foundation, which he founded in 1996, supports large and poor families, veterans and the disabled, encourages achievements in science, literature and healthcare, and is engaged in the restoration of spiritual institutions and the memorials to fallen soldiers not only in Russia, but also abroad.

Andrei Vladimirovich Skoch has been awarded by the state more than once for his efforts.

In the early stages of its existence, Andrei Skoch’s Healthy Generation  (‘Zdorovoe Pokolenie’) Foundation was exclusively engaged in helping children suffering from serious cardiac diseases. Although its sphere of influence has since expanded, medicine and children’s health remain the priority areas of the foundation’s activities to this day.

AWARDS AND SCHOLARSHIPS ESTABLISHED BY ANDREY SKOCH

Since the early 2000s, through the Pokolenie (Generation) Foundation, A.V. Skoch has established variou

Life and career of Andrei Skoch

Curriculum vitae

Andrei Skoch was born in 1966 in the Moscow region. He studied psychology at Moscow State Pedagogical University and has a Ph.D. in pedagogy.

He achieved his first professional success as a businessman. In the early ’80s, he worked in various commercial structures; he was the head of a bakery products cooperative and later acquired stakes in metallurgical companies through an investment firm.

Together with his business partners, Skoch bought up assets of industrial enterprises and, having consolidated them, they created Metalloinvest.

Work in Parliament

In 1999, Andrei Vladimirovich was elected to the State Duma and fully immersed himself in politics life, while his father, Vladimir Skoch, took over his business assets.

As a Deputy, Andrei Skoch participated in the development of more than 150 bills, including amendments to the Federal Law on social support for caregivers of military personnel, amendments to the Federal Law “On Information, Information Technologies and Information Protection” that allowed for increased control over the publication of prohibited content related to violence against animals on the Internet, and changes in the Tax Code affecting investment projects for nature conservation in the Arctic.

Legislative initiatives details

Skoch Andrei Vladimirovich repeatedly stated in his interviews that the most important principle of his parliamentary activity was its benefit to society and the possibility he could help change the life of the Belgorod region population and the country as a whole for the better. That is why Andrei Vladimirovich Skoch’s legislative initiatives are mainly aimed at improving the social sphere.

In 2014, the deputy developed and submitted to the Duma a package of amendments to Federal Law No. 44–FЗ, which regulated public procurement. Its adoption made it possible to simplify the process of providing citizens with essential medicines.

Four years later, the parliamentarian initiated the adoption of a bill on amendments to the Federal Law “On Education in the Russian Federation”. The initiative allowed persons with disabilities to receive additional secondary or higher education free of charge. The explanatory note to the draft law stated that its main purpose was to help those who, due to life circumstances, have no opportunity to work in their prior chosen profession.

In 2019, at the initiative of the deputy, discussions began on the extension of “dacha amnesty,” which allows property owners to register their rights to land plots, dachas, and garages. In the original version of the draft law, the transition period lasted until March 1, 2019. Under the parliamentarian’s proposal, the deadline was extended to March 1, 2022.

Charitable foundation activities

Andrei Skoch is a deputy and the founder of the charity Pokolenie (Generation) Foundation. His biography for the past 25 years is largely associated with charitable activity.

One of the Foundation’s priorities is the comprehensive development of healthcare in the Belgorod region. The Fund annually allocates money for purchasing medicines, medical equipment, and supplies for regional healthcare institutions.

Three medical clinics were opened in the region with the participation of the Pokolenie Foundation. Reformations were made not only to the regional center: thanks to the Foundation, 29 rural health posts were built in remote areas of the Belgorod region.

Every year, the contest “Best Student of the Year” is organized for students of Belgorod universities. The winners, who demonstrate academic excellence and take part in the social and scientific life of the educational institution and the region, receive monetary prizes from the Foundation.

Last year, the competition jury received more than 400 applications, of which 30 prizewinners were selected who took first and second places in 15 categories. First place winners receive a monthly stipend of 20,000 rubles, and second place winners 15,000 rubles. According to Skoch, the payments will increase in 2021.

For creative young people, the Foundation organizes an annual New Generation camp, where experienced teachers and experts teach young people the basics of public speaking, acting, time management, and personal effectiveness.

The Pokolenie Foundation is also actively working to improve the infrastructure and urban environment in the Belgorod region. As a result, new sports grounds, playgrounds, and recreational areas are being built in the region’s communities. New playgrounds were installed in Shebekinsky urban district, and a skate park was opened next to the Cultural Development Center.

Support during the coronavirus pandemic 

At the peak of the COVID-19 epidemic in Russia, the Pokolenie Foundation established by Andrei Skoch continuously supported healthcare organizations in the Belgorod region; the Foundation procured protective masks, gloves, respirators, goggles, coveralls, and disinfectants. After some time, the protective equipment shortage was overcome, and Pokolenie organized financial support for the pandemic’s main heroes — doctors and other healthcare professionals.

More than 10 million rubles were allocated for bonuses to healthcare professionals who worked in red zones. Prizes were awarded to 90 employees of healthcare institutions of the region.

s awards, competitions and scholarships for the most hardworking, talented and outstanding people in their field. These initiatives affected literature, education, medicine, and science.

One important endeavour was the literary award “Debut”, a competition first held in 2000. Writers from various countries, including the US and Europe, could apply for the prize, on the condition that their manuscripts were written in Russian. During the six years of the award’s existence, more than 350 thousand literary works were reviewed. Poetry, essays, minor and major prose, novels, etc. were accepted for consideration. The best were determined in six nominations, and the amount of the award for each of the winners received was 1 million rubles.

In the field of medicine, the Foundation established the Healthy Childhood Award, given to medical workers who showed outstanding results in organizing medical support for children. The fund of the Healthy Childhood Award amounted to 2 million rubles.

Specialists in the field of cardiovascular surgery, as well as in the field of the study and application of nanotechnology, were able to take part in a competition organized by the foundation to receive another major award named in honor of the outstanding Russian academicians Bakulev and Burakovsky.

45 higher educational institutions of Russia and 275 students received money for scholarships from Andrei Vladimirovich Skoch’s Foundation. To be awarded the scholarship, they needed not only to show excellent results in mastering the curriculum, but also prove themselves to be active in the life of their university. The total amount allocated for the implementation of this initiative exceeded 80 million rubles.

PRESERVATION COMMITTEE

Despite the fact that Andrei Skoch’s organization mainly operates in the Belgorod region and its main center, Belgorod, the foundation is known in other cities of Russia, and even abroad.

Skoch attaches considerable importance to the preservation of the cultural and historical heritage of Russia. The Generation Foundation is engaged in the preservation and reconstruction of the graves of Soviet and Russian soldiers. In the Belgorod region, on Andrei Vladimirovich’s initiative, more than 170 graves from the Second World War were restored. There are also restored monuments in China, Belgrade, Hungarian Szekesfehervar, Sofia and Budapest.

ANDREI VLADIMIROVICH SKOCH’S HELP TO THOSE IN NEED

Andrei Vladimirovich Skochstrongly attends to family and childhood issues, in particular, actively supporting large families. For example, for several years his foundation has held a competition entitled the “Parental Record”, in the course of which 22 families were awarded. The prizes were awarded to the most responsible and conscientious parents raising both their own and adopted children. The “Parental Record” was awarded in the following categories:

• “The mother with the most children”;
• “The  father with the most children”;
• “The biggest family”;
•   “Open heart”.

The amount of the award increased from 5 to 15 million rubles over five years.

Large families also received 1,109 new VAZ, LADA and GAZELLE cars from the Generation Foundation.

Since 2002, thanks to the Foundation, children from poor and socially unprotected families have been going to the Black Sea coast on vacation every year. Many of these children are brought up in families of veterans of the Chechen and Afghan wars.

Andrei Vladimirovich Skoch also donates large sums to veteran councils, as well as educational and medical institutions, also equipping them with necessary means of transportation.

Targeted medical assistance from Andrei Vladimirovich’s charitable organization  is also received by private individuals. The Generation Foundation is engaged in payment for treatment, rehabilitation and medicines, the purchase of wheelchairs, prostheses, hearing aids. For many families, such acquisitions are prohibitively expensive, but Skoch’s fund affords them the chance for a healthy, full future.

Leofric Averille

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