The Depths

It has been estimated that there are currently more than four million homeless people in the Russian Federation. If you are homeless in Russia, you do not have the right to residence permit and without a residence permit, you do not have the right to employment, to medical care, to welfare benefits- you do not even have the right to marry. The Depths works with some of these homeless people, offering them the opportunity of stable employment through selling the paper.

The Depths provides other services to the homeless people they work with through their charity arm, Nochlezhka (meaning 'night shelter'). Nochlezhka registers homeless people, assisting them with obtaining residence permits- and therefore rights- and has campaigned for the right of homeless people to vote. Due to their tireless efforts, St.Petersburg is now one of the few places in the world where homeless people can vote.

Nochlezhka also other services to homeless people, such as hostel accommodation, legal advice, medical and social services, clothes depots and soup kitchens.

The Depths is also involved in raising awareness of the homeless situation in Russia and has done this through books (published in English and Russian), exhibitions and concerts.

For more information about the work of The Depths and Nochlezhka, visit the web site at http://www.nadne.ru.

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