The 5.2 million square mile region that makes up eastern Russia rivals top suppliers in the trades of diamonds, gold, petroleum and other natural resources, but they are virtually unreachable beneath Siberia's frozen earth, thickly coated with ice almost year round. Long, harsh winters, a short growing season and permafrost on the ground also hinder the harvest of much needed food in the region. Relief organizations such as the Russian Red Cross were also affected by the economic situation and could do little to ease the suffering of people who were malnourished, susceptible to disease and in need of more help than ever before. Recognizing a pending disaster emerging from the combination of economic and natural factors in Siberia, the American Red Cross launched a series of programs following the crisis. Today, as Siberians struggle to deal with what at times has been an especially severe winter, those programs remain in place to help the most vulnerable populations survive.
Frost bite is another problem that plagues the arctic region.
The feeding distribution project in not only the largest American Red Cross project in Russia, it is the organization's largest feeding project worldwide. It's important to have a food program like this one because these people are living under harsh conditions with such a severe winter. However, with the help of organizations such as the American Red Cross, Rayyis believes that Siberians, a group of people who have learned to survive in a land that is associated with extreme hardship, will endure. The Russians in general tend to be resilient people. Many often have lived through difficult times and as a result they know how to care for themselves in times of trouble.