Non-profit organizations: help to children in difficult life situation

Children in a hard life situation present one of the most acute problems of the Russian society. Active role in tackling this problem is played by non-profit organizations (NPO). On the basis of a sample survey of NPO heads the author examines forms and kinds of the help rendered by these organizations in comparison with the help provided by the state by categories of children and kinds of help. She shows that NGOs sometimes go ahead of the government structures in identifying new aspects of hard life situations and providing non-traditional forms of support.