Donation of a Minibus for the Children of Yladikavkaz Hospital

Project location: RUSSIAN FEDERATION, Republic of North Ossetiya
Project start date: December 2004 - Project end date: January 2005
Project number: 2004-29
Beneficiary: SEMPRE INSIEME PER LA PACE

On the 3rd of September 2004, 440 innocents, mostly children and women, were ferociously killed by Islamic fundamentalists. The massacre occurred in the School of Belsan, in North Ossetia, and only 700 people survived. The tragedy of the children of Beslan left a deep wound on everyone's conscience.

The "Sempre Insieme per la Pace" Association immediately organized a mission to bring not only humanitarian aid but also gifts to testify its affection to the families of the victims and the children who survived. School equipment, educational games, winter clothes, shoes, foodstuff (especially biscuits, snacks and fruit-juices) constituted the majority of the humanitarian cargo.
In the context of this intervention, the NPF promptly responded to the call for help by the "Sempre Insieme per la Pace" Association, awarding a grant to support the project.

In her first mission, the President of "Insieme per la Pace", Mrs. Maria Pia Fanfani met with the local authorities who thanked her for the invaluable practical and psychological support. The authorities strongly praised her decision to have the schools receive most of the gifts brought from Italy. Not only because it was a school that was struck, but because it was through the schools that the children and youngsters could be able to take up their lives again and begin to hope for a better future
A decision was also made by the Mayor of Beslan that in order to guarantee absolute equity in the distribution of all aid reaching Beslan, the aid was delivered to the Victim's Parents Committee who distribute them.

The NPF grant was specifically used to purchase a minibus, which was donated to the Pediatric Hospital of Vladikavkaz, where the Italian Civilian Protection Agency was rebuilding and refurnishing an entire department. The minibus was needed to transport children from Beslan and other nearby areas to Vladikavkaz to that only hospital in the area. Almost all the 700 survivors of the massacre needed medical assistance, either because injured or because in state of shock.
The minibus was actually transported in North Ossetiya through a military airplace, the C-130, supplied by the Italian Air force thanks also to the logistic contribution of the Italian Protection Agency.

In addition the Minibus, the second "Sempre Insieme per la Pace" mission included an entire playground donated by Chicco.