It would seem that there is nothing extraordinary in the words of Natalia
Logunova, the chairperson of the Femina charitable society for aid to the
family, that she is committed to working for the benefit of the people.
In effect, what's so surprising in that the leader of a charitable organization
whose programs are aimed at helping single mothers, mothers with many children,
low-income families and single elderly people? After all, that's what the
Femina Society has been set up for. The majority of Natalia Logunova's
colleagues-the leaders and activists of more than 170 Moscow-based public
organizations for low-income families with more than three children and
families with disabled children-would characterize their activities in
the same way.
These organizations do have much in common and they address the same
problems, distributing humanitarian aid, helping people find jobs, and
so on. What is special about them is that, as a rule, only very creative
and energetic people become their leaders, as only they are capable of
not only generating ideas but also implementing them despite all odds.
As if her numerous responsibilities as the society's chairperson weren't
enough, Natalia Logunova decided to set up an information desk at Femina
to provide people with information and counselling on a wide range of issues.
She says: "I'mgathering all kinds of information that may
be useful from all available sources; I hear some things from the people
I know and find a lot of information in various directories and handbooks.
In the six years in my position as the Society's chair I have established
contacts with the Ministry of Social Protection (we have especially close
ties with the ministry's section for work with non-governmental organizations,
which has an extensive database) and with the prefectures, the State Duma,
the City Duma, other non-governmental organizations and even banks. I make
a point of making the information that I manage to dig up available to
all citizens covered by our programs and everybody who needs it."
Life itself suggested the idea of collecting information that may be
vital in certain situations and giving everybody access to it. In 1989,
when Natalia was on a maternity leave after the birth of her third child,
a tragedy happened in her family: her husband and two older children had
a car accident. They were in hospital for a long time. The accident left
her husband and one of the children disabled for life. "At that
horrible time I felt nobody needed me and my problems and grief. I was
lost and had no idea what to do, how to live with it and where to get the
money to feed my family. And there wasn't anyone I could turn to for help,"
Natalia Logunova recalls.
That is precisely why she was determined to set up an information desk-not
to leave people out in the cold, alone with their tragedies and problems,
and in the hope that as many of them as possible would have the comfort
and support they needed. How is the organization being financed? Natalia
Logunova explains: "We operate on private donations, on whatever
the people can give us. For my part, I do a lot of fund-raising and, surprisingly,
I do get help!" For example, she told me about the manager of
a department store in Moscow, a wonderful and compassionate woman, who
distributes free food packages and even pastry and confectionery, and organizes
parties for the youngsters and elderly people who are covered by the Femina
Society's aid program.
Natalia Logunova is working for the benefit of the people, and the
people are always willing to give their help and support to her.