The Action by Churches Together program for North Caucasus continues

The humanitarian aid program carried out by the Action by Churches Together in North Caucasus continued its work in summer 2003. Aid was given to the most needy victims of the 2002 floods and IDPs in the Republic of Chechnya.

The program was organized by the Moscow Patriarchate Department for External Church Relations with the support of Action by Churches Together (ACT), an international Christian organization, and was carried out by the Russia Round Table.

The Round Table Newsletter informed its readers earlier about the work of the program to give aid to IDPs from Chechnya in 1995-2002 and to victims of the severe floods in 2002.

In summer 2003, one of the projects within this program was competed. Its task was to help the most needy victims of the 2002 floods, including old people, disabled, large families and asylum seekers, to rebuild their houses and households. In 2003, construction materials necessary to rebuild their houses were given to 372 families in Predgorny district of Stavropol region, Mozdok region of North Ossetia and Nadterechny region of Chechnya. Distributed under the project were 3.966 farming packages, consisting of the seeds of 22 crops and fertilizers, and 1.243 household kits consisting of blankets, bed linen, towels and ware.

This aid was distributed to the most flood-affected areas in Stavropol region and the Republics of Karachayevo-Cherkessia, North Ossetia and Chechnya. The distribution was carried out with the help of North Caucasus dioceses of the Russian Orthodox Church, the Emercom and regional administrations. Distribution lists were drafted in cooperation with local social security centers. In addition, six small sewing shops were opened and equipped at the social security bodies at Predgorny district in Stavropol region, Mozdok region of North Ossetia and Nadterechny region in Chechnya. Working in them are victims of the floods themselves who provide themselves with basic clothes and self made garments.

This project was special in that it provided manifold aid as the real needs of victims were, beginning from rebuilding damaged houses, making up for the lost household utensils and clothes to restoration of vegetable gardens as primary means of subsistence for many.

Another area of work under the program was aid to IDPs in Chechnya. Over 20 thousand IDPs from among those who are coming back to Chechnya from Ingushetia and other asylums cannot live in their own houses as they were destroyed during the armed confrontation. They have to be put up in temporary camps prepared for them by the authorities. The only possession of many of these resettlers is their personal belongings and clothes.

In August 2003, the most needy dwellers of these camps in Grozny, identified with the help of local authorities, received 1.450 household kits consisting of blankets, bed linen, towels and ware. This aid met their need for the essentials and allowed them to arrange their everyday life in the camps.

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