The three-day Beslan school siege in the southern Russian republic of North Ossetia in September 2004 claimed 331 lives, including 186 children. In all, 918 people were rescued when security forces stormed the school, but more than 5,000 local residents needed psychological treatment, according to health officials.
"In the first two months after the tragedy, the Russian Red Cross gathered over 173 million rubles ($6.5 million) in donations," Raisa Lukutsova said. "But we now only have about 10 million rubles ($374,000) left."
Lukutsova said her organization reached an agreement with the region's government on the partial financing of rehabilitation programs from the North Ossetian budget in 2007. She added that the RRC was also seeking funds from sponsors.
The organization has been running three charity programs in Beslan since 2004, including long-term rehabilitation, school assistance and psychological aid, she said.
Last year, the RRC and the International Federation of the Red Cross (IFRC) established the public center, named "We Are Together," where local residents can learn skills, attend art and computer classes, sports clubs, and receive psychological counseling. Beslan survivors are also visited by nurses, who offer them psychological and domestic help.
RCC head in North Ossetia, Irina Kusova, said the local community has not yet overcome the consequences of the tragedy.
"The tragedy has divided local residents into those who suffered in the terrorist attack, and those who did not. Unfortunately, the problem still exists."
Margarita Plotnikova, an IFRC coordinator for Beslan, said the program has helped local children, but more than one third of those who suffered in the tragedy have refused to ask for psychological help.
"The situation has changed for the better compared with last year," she said. "Children visit the school. But fears and some other psychological problems remain. The rehabilitation of local residents is moving slowly."
