Feedback At the end of 2010 ‘German Railway’ company made a donation to the Foundation ‘Remembrance.Responsibility.Future.’(Foundation EVZ, Germany) to support victims of Nazism in countries of central and eastern Europe. A charity project ‘Support of victims of Nazi regime in Saint-Petersburg’, which is being implemented by Saint-Petersburg social organization ‘Memorial’, is financed with resources from this donation. This is a big program for three years, which consists of several parts.
The first part – social support including social advice, material aid payment on personal application in case of necessity of expensive medical treatment, acquisition of household appliances, burial etc. The second part – medical support including public health advice, acquisition of the medicine prescribed by GP and obtaining it free of charge. The third part – psychosocial support including regular work of a ‘lonely elderly people meeting club’: series of History lectures, history of painting, theatre, cinema, showings of both old films (series ‘Legends of world cinema’) and contemporary ones, concerts, book launches, exhibitions. Many events are conducted by the people who suffered from repressions in the past.
There is a library where everyone can find new book editions, newspapers and journals. Regular surveys of new editions are carried out. Excursions to city museums, palaces and parks of the suburbs, countryside journeys and strolls are organized several times a month. Anyone can find in ADC ‘Memorial’ information about repertoire of main theatres and concert halls, get free tickets or coupons to buy priviledge tickets to theatres or concert halls.
All participants of the project mention life improvement due to participation in the program, as the problem of loneliness and lack of personal realization can be avoided. There are warm and friendly relationships between the participants, which are unquestionable and very important advantages of the program.
Galina Shkolnik.