Imagine a city of 16,000 people living within a city of 4.7 million. Now imagine this "inner city" as it truly is - not fancy, high-rise apartments, not even run-down tenements. In the dead of the winter, more than 16,000 neglected children live on the streets in St. Petersburg, Russia, in cellars, attics, subway tunnels, and worse. More than half of these engage in prostitution to support themselves. Others beg, sell old bottles, or run errands for a few rubles. Almost all have health problems, are badly nourished, and come from broken or severely disrupted homes. Some die from exposure. In Russia as a whole, over 2,000 children commit suicide each year.

"Social Patrol" is a program started this past September by the Susanne Westerberg's Memorial Foundation, based in Ingarö, just outside of Stockholm. Part of the Ostrov Shelter for at-risk children, the program is a mobile social service outreach program, bringing doctors and case workers to the streets via a van to diagnose, treat, and counsel these neglected children.

After offering emergency supplies of clothing, medicine, and food, the Social Patrol team then attempts to re-direct these social orphans to the Ostrov Shelter where they can get more in-depth treatment and help, as well as such basics as showers and clothing.

According to AWC Sweden member Janet Riben, who works with Birgitta Westerberg, Executive Director of the Susanne Westerberg's Memorial Foundation, the mobile nature of the program allows the project to react to the shifts and dislocations of groups of street children in a way that a fixed location does not. It requires a lot of work and patience on the part of these social workers and doctors to reach and establish trust with these abused and victimized children, many of whom have never experienced any positive family relationships.

"Social Patrol" has secured 75% of the funding necessary to operate this program. The FAWCO Development Grant monies would be used to purchase medicine, used clothing, and food for distribution via the mobile van treatment center.

For further information, contact Janet at janet.riben=chello.se .

Janet Riben and St. Petersburg

"I feel a great satisfaction in helping those less fortunate than ourselves," was Janet Riben's statement to me at our first meeting. "There is so much we as Americans can do to make a difference." This is the guiding principle of Janet's life.

An AWC member who, in her own words, has "never felt more American in my life," Janet lived for many years in Venezuela with her Swedish husband Staffan, then head of Statoil in that country, and their adopted daughter Anna, now 16. While in Caracas, she initiated and was the first president of Alianza de Damas del Petróleo (ADP), whose purpose is to unite the women in the petroleum industry of Venezuela to contribute more effectively to the development of the poor communities of that country. Janet was particularly involved in supporting sustainable development projects among women and children in the Barlovento region of Venezuela, hit by the disastrous landslides in 1999.

She joined the Susanne Westerberg Memorial Foundation upon her return to Sweden in the fall of 2001, working on its many social programs, including its "Social Patrol" Program in St. Petersburg. She speaks fluent Swedish and Spanish, and is now taking on Russian. Her generous gift of her time to this worthy project is quite an inspiration to all of us. Good luck, Janet!