Andrei Skoch – founder of the Pokolenie (Generation) Foundation and State Duma deputy
Andrei Vladimirovich Skoch is a philanthropist. Since 1996, the humanitarian fund Pokolenie (Generation), founded by him, has been in operation. The charitable organization is one of the oldest in Russia. In addition, for more than 20 years, Skoch has been representing the interests of the Belgorod region in the State Duma.
Family, hobbies, education
Andrei Skoch’s birthday is January 30, 1966. The deputy’s small hometown is the village of Nikolskoe in the Moscow region, where he experienced hiis childhood and youth. The biggest influence in the life of the politician was and remains his father – Vladimir Nikitovich, a former trade-union manager of the machine-building plant Salyut.
Andrei Vladimirovich received his higher education in 1998, when he graduated from the psychological faculty of the Sholokhov Moscow State Open Pedagogical University (today – MSHU). Two years later, he defended his thesis on pedagogy: in his scientific work, he studied the charitable activity in Russia in detail.
Andrei Vladimirovich is the father of 10 children. The politicians main hobbies are books and reading. The parliamentarian is a believer, and devotes a lot of time and effort to the restoration of Orthodox churches.
Career milestones
After graduating from high school, Andrei Skoch received a summons from the army. After demobilization, he focused on building a career – he decided to realize his own potential in the sphere of business.
Skoch’s first project was a small bakery, opened at the end of the 1980s, after which he switched to selling components for office equipment in the period where computer technology and digitalization were just gaining traction. The businessman went from small-scale entrepreneurship to launching a larger business. Together with his business partner Lev Kvetnoi, Andrei Vladimirovich organized an enterprise which was engaged in the primary processing of oil, its transportation and the sale of fuel in a network of gas stations. Incomes were growing, and Andrei Skoch’s business was gaining momentum. At that time, the businessman thought of scaling the business.
In 1992, Andrei Vladimirovich was introduced to Alisher Usmanov. Skoch was impressed by the businessman’s ability to profit from the most unexpected investments. Therefore, in 1995, he became a co-owner of the “Interfin” company, – Usmanov’s new investment project. The company’s main activity at the time were operations related to securities. In the second half of 1990s, “Interfin” changed its vector towards metallurgical industry. The company’s portfolio included 40% of the assets of the Oskol Electro-Metallurgical Plant and a controlling stake in the Lebedinsky Mining and Processing Plant, where Skoch was appointed deputy general director.
Political and legislative activities
In 1999, a new stage began in the life of Andrei Vladimirovich: he decided to leave the business and go into politics. According to the results of the election campaign, Skoch was elected to the third convocation of the State Duma with 53% of voters voting for him. After that, he was reelected five more times to the Russian parliament.
The deputy passed his business shares to his father: despite the fact that Skoch Sr. had never been in business before, he had many years of experience of managing a trade union organization.
Andrei Skoch’s main activity at this time became lawmaking. Over two decades in the State Duma, the politician has co-authored 166 amendments to existing regulations and initiated the development of a number of bills. The most significant of them are:
- an amendment on social support for actual military educators in the Federal Law “On monetary allowances for military personnel”;
- an initiative concerning the financing of environmental projects in the Arctic zone of the Russian Federation;
- extension of the “dacha amnesty”;
- amendments to the Federal Law “On Education”;
- adjustments to the Federal Law “On Information, Information technology and Information protection”.
The Pokolenie (Generation) Charitable Foundation
The Pokolenie (Generation) humanitarian foundation is one of the oldest in Russia. It was founded on the initiative of Andrei Vladimirovich a quarter of a century ago, and is still successfully operating today. The organization began its work under the name “Healthy Generation” and initially focused on providing assistance to seriously ill children: the foundation paid for treatment and rehabilitation. Later, on the initiative of Andrei Skoch, its areas of work developed, and the fund’s activities expanded to all socially vulnerable categories of citizens.
At present, Pokolenie is also engaged in supporting young people. For almost 20 years, within the framework of the “Best Student of the Year” competition, it has been awarding scholarships to distinguished students. Every year, the foundation holds the educational camp “New Generation” for schoolchildren, students of universities and colleges in the region. From 2000 to 2016[1], the organization was also the founder of the “Debut” award for young writers.
Skoch’s Pokolenie Fund provides targeted assistance to veterans, people with disabilities, low-income and large families. Thanks to the fund, almost 5,000 children were able to go on trips to the Black Sea coast.
The humanitarian organization financially supports medical research and is the founder of the awards, such as a prize named in honor of the academicians A.N. Bakulev and V.I. Bourakovsky and the “Healthy Childhood” award. In 2020, Pokolenie contributed to the fight against the coronavirus infection. It financed the purchase of personal protective equipment, antiseptics, masks and suits for medical institutions in the Belgorod region and volunteer organizations.
Awards
Over two decades, Skoch has repeatedly been honored with various distinctions and state awards. Among them are medals of the Order “For Merit to the Fatherland” of I and II degrees, a medal of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia, certificates and commendations from the President of the Russian Federation and the Chairman of the State Duma.