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How to Thank Heroes

Why supporting WWII veterans is a national matter in Russia today

Galina was just nine-years-old when WWII started. She joined workers on the home front while all her brothers went on war. Instead of studying at school, Galina was carrying heavy bricks and did challenging fieldwork. She’s 90 now and lives alone in an old, dilapidated flat in central Russia. Galina couldn’t dream of having her flat fixed. Anton fundraised for his project to help elderly Russians, particularly single veterans. His team renovates old flats for free, and this will be their tenth repair. The internet embraced the initiative with people in other parts of the country joining Anton’s mission.
Yaroslav from Simferopol, in southern Russia, launched a website where veterans could post their wishes. Many committed people responded to the idea, offering their help in making the dreams of the elderly vets come true.
See how the ideas prompted a new wave of civic engagement all around Russia.

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Published: 08 January 2021 20:00

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