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This year (2005) 1,000 women from more than 150 countries are jointly
nominated for the famous Nobel Peace Prize! Svetlana Gannushkina, chair of
Civic Assistance Committee, RGN partner, is one of 1,000 women. This is
another recognition of her tireless courageous work on behalf of internal
refugees. More information about nomination can be found under www.1000peacewomen.org.
The Commitee for Civic Assistance
In 1990, the first wave of refugees appeared in Moscow -- Armenians,
victims
of pogroms in Azerbaijan -- and it became clear that the government was
not
prepared either to protect or to help them. The Committee for Civic
Assistance
(CCA) was formed in response to the crisis. From its inception, CCA took
on
the task of providing legal counceling for refugees and forced migrants,
as
well as playing the role of intermdiary between refugees and government
bodies.
The Committee took the refugees' part in court cases, defending their
rights
to obtain jobs and housing. CCA was able to abolish several government
decrees impringing on refugee rights. From 1990, CCA conducts bi-weekly
receptions for refugees, where financial help, clothing
and kitchen utensils are distributed to those in extreme need. Two
professional lawyers, a psychologist and a therapist take part in the
Committee sponsored receptions. CCA maintains a small center focusing on
refugee children, providing them with education and helping them adjust
emotionally. CCA is accredited by the UNHCR and is in
continuous contact with it and other international bodies.
WHAT OTHER PEOPLE SAY ABOUT CCA:
Dear Luda-
During the period where I worked in Moscow, 1993-1995, I witnessed the
tremendous work of the Committee working with refugees, in particular Baku
Armenians from Azerbaijan, as well as Tadjiks and later Chechen refugees.
I saw
their projects to provide all kinds of counseling when they were working
out of
Literaturnaya Gazeta. They also provided government advocacy and legal
counseling on behalf of Baku Armenians who feared being evicted from their
residences. They also work individual refugee cases to keep them from
being
evicted from apartments. Creating a data-base of Chechen refugees to
reunite
families was another project.
I most recently saw the tremendous efforts of Committee for Civic
Assistance
when I visited in the summer of 1997. They had their own office at that
time,
with a medical doctors, legal advice and assistance on paperwork, as well
as
humanitarian aid in the form of cookware, clothes, etc. Another
fascinating
thing about CCA was their use of volunteers- even in the survival oriented
Russian society, they found some youth and other adults who gave of their
time
freely. This is very impressive.
Sincerely,
Maureen Greenwood
Advocacy Director for Europe and Middle East
Amnesty International USA
Dear Luda,
I believe this is Ms.Ganushkina.We gave their organization a grant when
they
were working out of an underneath the stairway place in the offices of
Litgazeta.They had asmall grant from the UN high comissioner on
Refugees,they
advocated, consulted, and gave small grants.They did reallly fine work,
they
know how to do a financial report.
Martin Horwitz,
Jewish World Services
1999 Annual Report
Help to Save Children
...helping seriously Ill children and their families
Father Alexander Men, a well known Russian clergyman, founded the
non-profit charity, "Help to Save Children" to underwrite the costs
assiciated with the treatment of life threatening illnesses in small
children. Many critically ill children are refered from small city
hospitals to the Republican Clinical Children's Hospital in Moscow.
This regional referral center
attempts to provide almost western calibar medical treatment for
critically ill children on a 3rd world country budget. None-the-less,
many children go without needed treatment, nursing care, and in
particular Western drugs, for lack of hard currency resources. Until
glasnost the plight of families facing these life challenges went
unknown and un-addressed.
During the 1990s "Help Save Children" has successfully raised funds from
outside Russia and used them to underwrite both the unmet costs of
special drugs, family costs (families must accompany their children and
need housing and necessities).
RGN will funnel a portion of collected donations to meet the specific
needs
of qualified parents and children - needs that are critical and
essential, and short term.
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