The International Committee for the Children of Chechnya (ICCC, based in Cambridge, MA) is a nonprofit that was founded by three American women in 1996 to work on behalf of child victims of the war in Chechnya. The ICCC idea was inspired by the Mother’s March for Life and Compassion in 1995, in which Russian soldier’s mothers, Buddhist monks and Quakers marched through the war zone in Chechnya imploring soldiers to put down their arms and calling the rest of the world to take action to end the violence.

The ICCC supports the parents, teachers, relief workers, doctors and others who support the children of Chechnya in areas such as food, shelter, medical care and education.

Some 40,000 children were killed during the war, and many more were injured or have been born with birth defects, which are often the result of high levels of environmental contamination.

Some of the specific projects of ICCC include:

Operation Smile - The ICCC is identifying children in need to be treated for surgery by the American surgeons of Operation Smile.

Medical instruments - The ICCC is seeking medical supplies and instruments, including operation tables, electro-surgical generators, anesthesia machines, and cranio-maxillofacial instruments.

Digital Divide - The ICCC is working to provide computers, computer training, and internet access to health workers, doctors and other professionals in Chechnya.

Alkhan Khalka School - Musical instruments were donated to this school where Dr. Khassan Baiev, Chairman of ICCC, attended as a child.

Musical, dancing and martial arts classes help keep the children off the streets and teach them valuable life lessons.

Grozny School for the Blind - The 100 blind children in the home have no water or electricity, and requested help from ICCC in supplying sports equipment, such as climbing ropes, hula-hoops, basketballs and other items for exercise and fun.

Opportunities for donations are available on their website.