Russia – Generation Change

Young women volunteers provide companionship for Russia’s elderly

whittleh — Tue, 26 Feb 2013 16:17:16 +0000

Letter writing, entertainment and friendship – no job is too small for Liza Oleskina and Marina Kochevalova when it comes to taking care of the elderly in Russia. They are members of Starost v radost, or “It’s nice to be old.” Founded in 2006, its young women volunteers provide much needed companionship for the older generation from the Urals to Siberia.

Listen to the report by Geert Groot Koerkamp in Moscow:

GCRussia

Every weekend, Marina Kochevalova travels to the Russian countryside to visit the elderly

Russian activist changes Moscow by counting cars

admin — Tue, 24 Jul 2012 13:26:21 +0000

Maksim Kats is not your typical politician. The 27-year-old was elected as deputy in the local council in Moscow and has since started counting parked cars in the city with a group of volunteers. They’re collecting hard statistics to show that the city is not friendly to pedestrians – and hopefully change the cityscape in small ways.

DW’s Geert Groot Koerkamp spoke with Maksim and the volunteers helping him in Tverskaya, Moscow’s main shopping street. They have been counting cars and people in several locations in the city, including the district where Maksim is a deputy in the local council. At the same time, they also record other things that are not right, like illegal street advertisements.

Listen to the report from Geert Groot Koerkamp:

Russian activist changes Moscow by counting cars

Maksim Kats at an opposition rally

Russian student works toward honest democracy

admin — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 13:56:12 +0000

Listen to the report by Geert Koerkamp:

Russian student works toward honest democracy

For a long time, Russians were thought to have little interest in politics. Opposition rallies used to draw only a handful of activists. All that has changed since the parliamentary elections held on December 4, 2011. Frustrated by evidence of widespread election fraud, tens of thousands took to the streets in Moscow alone.

Belonging to the opposition has become fashionable again in Russia, and a growing number of young people are talking part in the protests. Among them is Anatoly Bulgakov, a 25-year-old student who felt he had to take action to show his discontent. DW’s Geert Koerkamp met him at one of the meetings against election fraud in Moscow.

Anatoly helps distribute white ribbons, which have quickly become a symbol of the new movement for democracy in Russia. Prime Minister Vladimir Putin only boosted their popularity by alleging that he first thought they were condoms used to draw attention to the fight against aids. The awkward statement was skillfully used by activists in a call to join the protests.

Student activists responded to Putin’s condom mix-up with this Youtube video:

Second-hand goods give youth organizations a new lease on life

admin — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 09:01:57 +0000

Julia Titova wants to promote social engagement in Russia – and to do that, she opened the first charity shop in St. Petersburg almost a year ago.The 24-year-old photographer came up with the idea after visiting London. Her store, called “Spasibo” (Thank you in Russian), sells second-hand clothing and used household items. She’s already been able to donate the equivalent of 6,500 euros to youth organizations.