Street children at the Maikovska state centre in Kiev await the end of their afternoon nap, 2002. The ill-equipped centre was set up to aid homeless children in making the transition from the streets to society but for many children the centre is a temporary and unwanted respite from Kiev's city streets. Many children on the street fear the centre, as tales of abuse from the poorly trained and underpaid staff are widespread. For many former communist countries, the painful transition to a free market economy is evident in the escalating number of homeless children. In Ukraine, a staggering 10% of the population consists of abandoned children. Many of these 800,000 children face abuse by the system, the mafia and each other. (Photo by Kurt Vinion /Getty Images)





A stray dog watches as Denise Selivanov, 13, inhales glue in a box, 2002. For most children inhaling glue not only kills the pain of their sad existence but their hunger pains as well. Inhaling in the box where the rancid fumes of the glue stays trapped longer decreases the amount of glue needed and keeps them high longer. (Photo by Kurt Vinion /Getty Images)





Children at the Maikovska state centre in Kiev receive their meagre dinner consisting of a cup of soup and a piece of bread, 2002. (Photo by Kurt Vinion /Getty Images)





Sasha, 16, breaks the everyday monotony of begging and getting high to enjoy a few minutes on a borrowed scooter as Denise encourages him, 2002. The punishment for these children who get caught stealing varies from beatings and arrest, to having the sewers set alight where they become unsuitable for the children to sleep in during the harsh winters. (Photo by Kurt Vinion /Getty Images)





Valeriya Muzischenko, 15, watches the sun set on another day at the Maikovska state centre in Kiev, 2002. Valeriya has been in and out of the centre and prefers life on the streets to the rules and daily regiment of centre life. Though Valeriya states that she has not been abused, many children on the streets report suffering physical abuse at Maikovska. (Photo by Kurt Vinion /Getty Images)





Suffering from a broken nose and bruised ribs Natasha Dzhuley, 16, whimpers in pain as her boyfriend tries to comfort her, 2002. She was beaten by her pimps men in what Ruslana believes was a warning to other prostitutes to stay in line. Though another child believes her pimp had her beaten because she was pregnant. Less than a week after this picture of Natasha was taken she was dragged away by six men. She has not been heard or seen since. (Photo by Kurt Vinion /Getty Images)





Coming down from his high, Sasha starts to realize that he did not receive any money and he is also out of glue, 2002. Because it is harder for boys to receive money from begging the girls are forced to beg or prostitute in order to support the group. (Photo by Kurt Vinion /Getty Images)





A pregnant Natasha Dzhuley, 16, sleeps after a long night of prostitution, 2002. Natasha and several girls work at a mafia controlled flat where they are given clean clothes and instructed to bathe. Natasha was forced to live on the streets after her alcoholic mother who works part-time as a waitress could no longer afford to feed and take care of both Natasha and her brother. (Photo by Kurt Vinion /Getty Images)





Emotionally scarred Ruslana (L), 13, lives in constant fear of being dragged back into prostitution, 2002. She hopes that older boys like Sasha, 21, who also lives on the streets will protect her from the pimps. In a cruel cycle of violence it is not uncommon for these girls to suffer physical and sexual abuse from those who claim to be their protectors. (Photo by Kurt Vinion /Getty Images)





Artyom Selivanov, 9, has been living in this sewer in Kiev for over three years and has never attended school, 2002. His emotionally and physically scared brother refuses to contemplate returning home to their abusive alcoholic father. They feel that life on the streets is far better than the life they experienced at home. (Photo by Kurt Vinion /Getty Images)





While the children are asleep Ruslana, 13, collects hidden bottles to be exchanged for cash, 2002. Originally from the Carpathians, Ruslana and her two siblings were abandoned at a rail station in Kiev three years ago as the family was moving to Russia. The children have been secretly saving money in hopes of travelling to Russia to find their sister who left no address or phone number. (Photo by Kurt Vinion /Getty Images)





Ruslan, 12, prepares his glue before heading out to panhandle, 2003. Ruslan is typically very sick as glue has decimated his young body. (Photo by Kurt Vinion /Getty Images)





The kids wait at McDonalds for any food that can be scrounged from the trash or from passer-bys, 2003. Few people feel compelled to give these kids any money since they know it will be used for glue, occasionally someone will hand them an unfinished drink or their leftover meals. (Photo by Kurt Vinion /Getty Images)





The kids wait at McDonalds for any food that can be scrounged from the trash or from passer-bys, 2003. Few people feel compelled to give these kids any money since they know it will be used for glue, occasionally someone will hand them an unfinished drink or their leftover meals. (Photo by Kurt Vinion /Getty Images)





Denise Selivanov, 14, who has been living on the streets for four years inhales glue in his temporary home – a bridge overpass on a busy railway line, 2003. He considers himself lucky after escaping with four of his friends after an early morning police raid that netted 18 children that were living there. Denise, like many children, has spent time at the poorly equipped government shelters, but prefers life on the streets to the abusive he claims to have received there. (Photo by Kurt Vinion /Getty Images)





Denise Selivanov, 14, uses a paid bathroom near the metro station to get cleaned up, 2003. The lady who works there will usually let the children in for a few minutes for free if no one is around, unlike the nearby McDonald's where the children are always kicked out. (Photo by Kurt Vinion /Getty Images)





As 12-year old Ruslan sleeps, Kosta, 16, inhales glue while keeping watch for police who are looking for them, 2003. They both escaped an early morning police raid that netted 18 street children who were sleeping with them at a bridge underpass. The city of Kiev is trying to rid the Hidro Park area of the unwanted street children as a boom in luxury flats and commercial developments is underway. (Photo by Kurt Vinion /Getty Images)





The kids wait out a rain storm at a construction site before heading to a McDonalds where they hope to scrong up some food or money, 2003. Few people feel compelled to give these kids any money since they know it will be used for glue, occasionally someone will hand them an unfinished drink or their leftover meals. (Photo by Kurt Vinion /Getty Images)





Suffering from a broken nose and bruised ribs Natasha Dzhuley, 16, relaxes after inhaling glue for the first time – something she swore she would never do, 2002. She was beaten by her pimps men in what Ruslana believes was a warning to other prostitutes to stay in line. Though another child believes her pimp had her beaten because she was pregnant. Less than a week after this picture of Natasha was taken she was dragged away by six men. She has not been heard or seen since. (Photo by Kurt Vinion /Getty Images)





A fresh round of glue interrupts an impromptu card game as the children wait for the end of a rainstorm before heading out to scavenge, 2003. Most children start off their day around noon where they wake up and immediately start inhaling glue. The glue quickly helps them forget about their miserable lives as well as kills the hunger pains. (Photo by Kurt Vinion /Getty Images)