A group for discussions about how to improve the lives and rights of the forgotten children of Eastern Europe. This is not a sponsorship or charity program - this is an advocacy and networking group. All are welcome!

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/advocates4orphans/

Friends of Beslan functions primarily as a discussion group exchanging news about individual cases, sharing addresses and advising how assistance might be deployed most effectively. We can be found at:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FriendsofBeslan/

Aside from our ongoing discussion, there you will find photos of the people we’re helping and the events we’ve sponsored to date.

We maintain a database of addresses and ask our members to indicate which of these they are helping, in an effort to ensure that none are neglected.

There is also an information pack for schools aimed at encouraging children to communicate with those their own age, many of the children’s stories, letters and drawings will also be found within.

We’ll also be able to advise you on delivering packages and sending money to where it can be best deployed.

Among us you will find many with bilingual talents ready to assist with translation and helpers willing to coordinate local activity, though in the main we are ordinary people from all walks of life across Canada, the United States and Europe.

Just join in and ask.

About Nastenka

http://nastenka.ru/FOND/content/en/help

We called our charitable fund after a little girl from a far-away Vologda village Nastya Koposova.

Nastenka was a usual Russian girl with trustful round blue eyes, a snub nose and charming smile. She was the only child in the family.

Nastenka was born on the 29th of May 1995. When she was eighteen months old she was diagnosed with a terrible disease: nephroblastoma. Doctors did their best to save the child's life. Nastya had five operations, one kidney removed, a few courses of chemotherapy, high-dose chemotherapy and bone marrow transplantation.

Nastya died on the 9th of August 1998 in a sterile ward. She was only three. She was the only child of young loving parents.

Nastenka's story is just one out of many. We would like to perpetuate this girl's name, the story of her short life and remind the whole world about those children who need our help.

I'm removing the text here because of the Creative Commons licence and the need for this item to be subject to copyright. Here instead a link to a press announcement:

http://en.for-ua.com/analytics/2 007/08/06/121201.html