Dear Friends and Supporters,
Thank you to all of you who have sent us letters of support and encouragement during these difficult times in Moscow. This summer has been very unusual and difficult. Fires are everywhere and the heat is unbearable. In Moscow, we have had days when the heat and smoke have been so intolerable that it was impossible to breathe. The smoke was so think that it was as if a dense fog had covered the city and we could not see any high buildings. Our Moscow office has been closed for a week, as we do not have air conditioners and the heat and smoke made it impossible to be inside. Those with air conditioners at home had a much more tolerable time - however, most people do not have these because we have never had such hot and long summers. I traveled to Povarovka, a town about 50 km from Moscow, to escape the smoke and heat, but in time the smoke reached this area as well. We all had to escape to a place with air conditioners and spend a few days practically closed inside.
In other areas of Russia, there were a lot of fires. Many villages have been completely burned out and the heat is terrible everywhere. Many people have lost their houses. Project Kesher's women's groups are trying to help. In Nizhniy Novgorod, our women's group collected clothes and linens for displaced families. In Volgograd, Project Kesher Regional Coordinator Inna Motornaya, helped local authorities develop a system to distribute first aid. They had never previously prepared for this sort of emergency. In Voronezh, one of the areas hit worst by the fires, Project Kesher leaders are collecting and distributing supplies to families who have lost everything.
We will have more information as things start to calm down. Today is the third day that it has been more tolerable. We are having our Advanced Leadership program seminar in a week and many of our participants are very afraid of traveling. We are hoping that the fire and smoke will be over soon and are optimistic that everything will be great in time for our Advanced Leadership graduation and Board Retreat in November! Our Moscow office is planning to open again on Monday and we are all very anxious to get back to work helping repair the region!
May we move from strength to strength,
Sveta
Svetlana Yakimenko
Director, Moscow Office
Project Kesher
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