II.What do Ecological Organizations in Russia Live On?
III. Social Organizations of Ekaterinburg Conduct Work on the Development of Social Partnerships
I. The Opening of the Social Department "Jurisprudence" of the Herzen Russian State Pedagogical University Took Place on September 18
The students consisted of 30 people with limited physical abilities who had passed a preparatory course at the St. Petersburg university in the program "Lyceum," developed by the charitable movement "Golden Pelican" for "pupils with disabilities."
This is the first department of its kind in the country. The course of study lasts 5 years. According to the general director of "Golden Pelican" Aleksander Slyko "the creation of similar departments in other institutions of higher education will not only help the social rehabilitation of people with disabilities but will give the government qualified specialists in areas requiring mental rather than physical abilities."
The address of the Herzen Russian State Pedagogical University is: St. Petersburg, Moika, D. 46. The contact telephone is (812) 113-3267 (Andrei Borodkin, charitable movement "Golden Pelican").
II. What do Ecological Organizations in Russia Live On?
This question troubles everyone: various governmental organizations, foreign sponsors, journalists, and simply the curious.
In the course of the Russo-Dutch project "Volga" a survey was conducted of ecological groups from Cherepovets, Yaroslavl, Nizhnii Novgorod, and Volgograd. The aim of the survey was to inform foreign sponsors who assist in the survival ofRussian ecological organizations of possible sources of funding in Russia and to evaluate prospects. The results of this unique survey have just been produced.
As a result of the survey we have reached the following conclusions:
The results showed that common sources of financing exist for all groups. These are regional, city, and oblast funds. The most favorable situation arose in Nizhnii Novgorod and the worst in Volgograd. During the "Volga" project, in which several organizations of the Volga region took part, the coordinating group from Nizhinii Novgorod received 40 million rubles from the Russian Federal Ecological Fund. Volunteer labor by members of the organizations uslally predominated. Although there was very little assistance from ecological funds, help from various other organizations and firms was even less significant.
As a result of the financial situation of contributors, voluntary payments by private persons took on a rather symbolic character. The new class of the "Russian rich" does not provide financial assistance to ecological NGOs.
The basic source of support is grants from foreign organizations and funds. They particularly help carry out the more important projects that benefit people and their surroundings and that promote the professional growth and authority of the organization.
III. Social Organizations of Ekaterinburg Conduct Work on the Development of Social Partnerships
Annually in Sverdlovsk oblast around 100 children become ill with cancer of the blood. At the present time all of them are for practical purposes doomed because of insufficient finances. The oblast Children's Oncology Center finds itself on the brink of catastrophy. Until now the basic charitable support for the Center has come from the firms Pfizer International, Rosh, Upjohn, Gideon Richter, and several others. The government of the oblast has tried to attract the attention of bankers and business people to the cause of saving the children of the Urals, but only one half of those invited came to a meeting with government representative Vladimir Krysovyi. At the meeting they limited themselves to promises, which which as everyone knows it is impossible tp buy medicine and equipment. There are no social organizations left in the country that are not losing hope of finding sponsors to pay for the treatmentof the children. The Association "Hope," the Society of Orthodox Physicians, and Chernobyl Hospital have become participants in a charitable action led by the initiative of German Professor Fritz Lampert.
As part of this action German colleagues gave the oncology center modern diagnostic equipment and provided free consultations for the little patients.
The bicycle race "Tour Piper" to the Euro-Asian border held a matinee for the ill children. All of these actions should draw the attention of society to this most difficult situation and change the relationship to it of business circles.
Contact telephone: (3432) 28-5809
IV. The Legal Information Agency of the International Charitable Fund "Interlegal" Gives Free Consultations
"Interlegal" provides legal assistance to nonprofit organizations on questions of taxation, customs, lease of premises, concluding labor agreements, partnership agreements, protection of intellectual property, and conducting matters in the "arbitrazh" and general courts.
Consultations are available Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. by previous appointment. Call: 138-4308.
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