Russian Federation

During the winter of 1990, when the Russian people were suffering severely from food shortage and economic hardships due to the political changes, the German people wished to express their gratitude for what President Gorbachev had done for them in helping reunite their country. The German, Swiss and Austrian branches of The Oneness-Heart-Tears and Smiles began sending trucks with urgently needed food and clothing to Russia. This is how our worldwide humanitarian service began.

To help fulfill President Gorbachev's vision of a modern hospital within Russia that could treat children's blood diseases, The Oneness-Heart-Tears and Smiles from the USA, Britain, France and Germany sent large amounts of modern diagnostic and treatment equipment to the Research Institute of Pediatric Hematology and a hospital in Moscow. Including a flow cytometer, sonogram machine, cardiovascular instruments, ventilators and more, the shipments were sent in 1993 with a total value of $1.9 million. Another shipment sent in August 1995 was valued at nearly $500,000.

• The German Oneness-Heart-Tears and Smiles began organizing trucks with food and clothing for Russia in December 1990. The first convoy reached Moscow on January 17th with 22 tons of goods, including 1000 boxes of food. A second convoy followed in August 1991
• A third convoy with rented trucks reached Moscow on Dec. 27th, 1991. Altogether 58 tons of food and clothing were delivered to Moscow and distributed throughout Russia
• Two other convoys of food and clothing traveled in August and December 1991 from Germany to Moscow with a total of 36 tons of essential goods.
• Our first project to assist children with acute leukemia was in early 1993, providing funds for an 11-month-old boy to be treated successfully abroad. President Gorbachev wrote personally to thank us for this life-saving assistance.

In early 1993, President Mikhail Gorbachev made a personal request to The Oneness-Heart-Tears and Smiles founder, Sri Chinmoy for help in arranging treatment for a child with leukemia. Soon after that, President Gorbachev, through the Gorbachev Foundation Health Project, was instrumental in establishing the first modern bone marrow transplant unit within the Research Institute of Pediatric Hematology to treat children with leukemia and other blood diseases.