WHO ARE WE?
In 2004, Natalia Vodianova founded Naked Heart Foundation to support efforts to eradicate the abandonment of children with special needs and to install play facilities that is both inspiring and accessible to all children, regardless of their abilities. After relocating to Paris 10 years later, Natalia decided to expand her charitable initiatives and established Naked Heart France to build on and amplify the important humanitarian work the Naked Heart Foundation had started for children with disabilities and special needs.
Naked Heart France finances the visits of international experts specializing in disorders associated with mental health and child development. That provides hundreds of families of children with special needs, as well as NGO specialists, with recognized evidence-based support programs.
The charity does everything in its power to provide suitable support for children with special needs to enable them to grow up in their families. Children with disabilities residing in children's homes may be subject to severe abuse and neglect which considerably affects their intellectual, emotional and physical development. Such children with special needs who grow up without their parents will have more difficulties in developing their adaptation skills and are more likely to withdraw into themselves, thus compromising their future social integration as adults.
Meet the team
Natalia Vodianova
Founder and President
Natalia Vodianova is a supermodel, philanthropist and mother of five children who now lives in France. She has achieved considerable success as a model for fashion shows, editorials or advertising campaigns, and according to Forbes magazine is one of the five highest paid top models in the world.
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In addition to supporting the NSPCC, Women for Women and RED, she founded Naked Heart - a charitable foundation whose goal is to help families raising children with special needs.
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Born in Nizhny Novgorod, Natalia Vodianova helped her single mother to sell fruits on the street and later set up her own shop with a friend to help her family by financial means. Natalia grew up alongside two half-sisters, one of whom has cerebral palsy and severe autism. She has had to personally deal with the lack of support and the domestic difficulties faced by families raising children with special needs.
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Natalia has repeatedly received international awards for her contribution and philanthropy such as Harper's Bazaar Woman of the Year 2013, Inspiration Award by DVF Awards 2013 and Glamorous Woman of the Year 2014 - Voice for the Children, Business of Fashion Global Voices Award and Vogue India Woman of the Year 2017. Natalia carried the Olympic Torch at the London 2012 Paralympic Games and served as an Ambassador for the Sochi 2014 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. She is also a Special Olympics board member.
Alisa Volskaya
Director of Fundraising & Partnerships
Alisa Volskaya is the Director of Fundraising & Partnerships at Naked Heart France, specializing in public relations and international partnerships. She studied at Trent University and Russian State University of Humanities, she has a Masters in Business Administration. Alisa started her career at Condé Nast International in Paris, where she was responsible for digital projects and partnerships. Alisa's rich experience allows her to attract new talents, sponsors, partners and donors to companies and organizations, and also to strengthen their notoriety at events organized around the world.
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Alisa is also a member of the Advisory Council of Parsons Paris, helping raise funds for scholarships.