The fall of the Soviet Union in 1991 has created many economic problems and resulted in mass impoverishment of the most vulnerable social groups in Russia. Chamah is the organization, which the United States Government has exclusively entrusted to head the program of food distribution for the most needy citizens of the Russian Federation.

"The Food for Progress" program began in 1995 through 2002. After the September 11th tragedy, the United States Government began directing their humanitarian aid to other parts of the world.
Human Interest Focus: Nastya's Favorite Fried Potatoes

Nastya Kuznetzova was born in a happy and economically secure family. The cheerful atmosphere of the loving environment of her home was tragically ruined when the economic upheavals soon developed into the most terrible ethnic conflicts in the region. Her father, a prominent scientist, was accidentally gunned down by one of the gangs roaming the city. Nastya with her seven month old brother and their mother narrowly escaped the threats and dangers reigning in the troubled region, leaving all of their property and belongings behind in their native city Grozny. They fled to the little town of Ruza in the Moscow region. Their legal refugee status enabled their mother to obtain employment in a hospital with little seven year old Nastya at her side, cleaning floors and washing laundry. Despite all their efforts to earn a living the family was still struggling to get through the waves of growing economic chaos in Russia. Often they were on the verge of giving up hope, their meager income wasn't enough to buy the expensive baby food for Nastya's little brother. Sometimes they couldn't even afford Nastya's favorite fried potatoes since there wasn't any cooking oil available for them...

Thanks to the outreach efforts of the Food Distribution Program carried out by Chamah, help finally arrived to the city where Nastya was living with her family. It is simply impossible to describe the rarely seen happy expression on the haggard faces of the Kuznetzov family when they were lucky enough to be put on the list of the most needy people of Ruza.

Nastya's story is genuine but unfortunately it is not exclusive or unique. It is the stark reality of humanity prevailing in the Commonwealth of Independent States. Hundreds of thousands of needy and hungry people suffer. With the outreach efforts of the Food Distribution Program carried out by Chamah, hundreds of thousands of people are helped, one at a time.