United Nations

VIENNA, 3 March (UN Information Service Vienna) --  The VIC Women’s Group exists since 1993 and has since then initiated several fund raising activities to support projects for women in developing countries or war zones.

The proceeds of  these activities were, among other supported  projects,  donated to St.Joseph’s Hospital in Baramulla, India, operated by the nuns of the Franciscan Order of the Mary-Mission, for the construction of a heating system, and  to a woman gynaecologist to provide medical care to women in remote areas of  Afghanistan.

As in previous years, the VIC Women’s Group is again organizing a sale of flowers, plants and related items in the Rotunda during Wednesday 8 to Friday 10 March 2000, on the occasion of International Women’s Day.

The net revenue of the year 2000 flower sale will go to a woman doctor in the village of Dolinsk, on Sachalin island, Russia, in the form of medical supplies, equipment and food to provide relief to the patients in the women’s ward of the local hospital. 

Sachalin, a far eastern Russian island with a population of 650.000 is located 9 hours by plane  from Moscow.  It is an isolated area, where nine out of 13 coal-mines and four out of five  cellulose factories of  the island have closed down.

The  245 bed hospital of Dolinsk  has an annual budget of ATS 30.000, which barely covers the cost for food. There is no heating or hot water. Basic medical supplies are not available and Dr. Ljudmila Utschajewa, head medical doctor, states: ”This is no place to treat  people”.

The VIC Women’s Group hopes to gain enough money through the flower sale to support the hospital of Dolinsk.