Latest Report 10/17/15
Working From A Schedule (?)
Getting Organized
A really important thing for all PCVs to do is try to get organized and stay focused. Now that I have been back here in Ukraine nearly 5 months, it is key to making your placement both useful and rewarding. What I did was meet with my counterpart to renew our vision of how I can best meet the objectives within the Peace Corps framework. So we revisited my list of activities and tried to come up with a more realistic view of what I can accomplish and also a secondary list of activities for those slow periods. For me that is especially important, as I don't do well with "slow periods" without a backup plan. So, I am continuing to work with my counterpart on exploring funding options with my NGO Flora and to provide some technical assistance. An example would be when I help with the English revisions of letters or funding proposals, and help them develop a "picture" of what funding agencies are looking for - not just in the ideas themselves but also in the actual wording. You can have the world's best proposal but if you can't explain it well to the English speaking evaluation committee than all may be lost. The overall idea is to help them be better able to do for themselves and make their projects and organizations important to Ukraine and hopefully more sustainable long after I'm gone. A lofty goal but difficult to achieve.
 |
| Meeting with a potential funder and local NGO leaders |
  |
| Press Conference of Flora during "Green Week" |
As another update, I am still working on the Rotary Club application with my friend Dmitry from the Kirovograd Rotary Club and Vitaliy from the New Generations organization (one of the partner organizations of my NGO Flora) that sponsors the three homeless shelters that I mentioned in my previous blogs. The application process has been bumpy, but we have now have an application which is nearly complete, which a very well done informative Power Point presentation, and which has grown in size from an original limited request for a well to be drilled for water to include other amenities for humane living at the homeless centers.
Once it is fully complete, the application will be sent to the Rotary International Committee for approval to be placed on the international website for potential donors worldwide. It could then take a number of months to secure the funding (again, not a sure thing) and implement the project. The great thing is that so far most of the work has been done by the Rotary, New Generations and Flora. My involvement has been to help "connect the dots" (remember this expression from a previous blog - good, you are catching on!), help with polishing the English on the documents and applications, providing some suggestions for monitoring and evaluation activities, and gentle "pushing" to help move things along, given everyone's busy schedules. It appears as if Vitaliy is learning a lot about how to present the importance of his shelters to a funder, Dmitry is learning how to do an International grant which his Rotary Club had not done before, and Flora is learning how to keep things going.
So even if the grant is not approved, the basics are in place for them to pursue other avenues and they won't be starting from ground zero. This is the sustainabilty issue that Peace Corps strives for and that my CD manager Marat hammers into my head (well, maybe with a soft hammer...). If the proposal goes on line I will be giving you updates. If approved, it will be a pretty big deal for the homeless shelters here in the Kirovograd area.
One of the homeless shelters
 |
| Lena, journalist, with Vitaliy, homeless shelter director |
So, What are these "Other" Activities?
One of the most enjoyable "other" activities that I have for the slow periods, is trying to translate from Ukrainian into English the websites of the 3 NGOs (non governmental organizations, for those wondering about a pop quiz!) that I work with. As another refresher (you guys will pass the exam even if it is not "True or False" only, Ha!) the 3 NGOs that I work with are: Flora (my sponsoring agency that focuses on children's issues, especially children's rights); MAMA86 (that is a spinoff from the Chernobyl nuclear disaster that focuses on water purity/women's civic engagement issues); and Territory of Success (that works on legal representation for at risk groups such as internally displaced (IDPs) and homeless persons, as well as voting and anti-corruption issues). This is not as easy as it seems, especially when my skills in Ukrainian or Russian are still very limited. I use both my fellow colleagues in the office as well as Google or Yandex translate to help put the website into rough (I mean really rough!) written English and them try to massage it into understandable English while still preserving the intent from the original version. It is both art and science with a bit of Harry Potter magic thrown in for good measure, ha!
Another activity that I continue to be involved with are 2 English Clubs at the local Kirovograd library in the "Windows on America" section sponsored by Peace Corps and US AID. The English Clubs that I work with, we have had subjects as varied as music from America and Ukraine, Abraham Lincoln, Volunteering, American folk dancing (with help from a recent PCV Marya), and the meaning of Ukrainian Independence Day. Recently, as people return from vacations, etc. the club participation has swelled to between 20-30 people. As you all know by now, (assuming that you have read my previous blogs) Peace Corps is not a political organization and that we focus on civic development/training and cultural exchange. The clubs are an excellent place to get reticent Ukrainians to practice their English. Sometimes it is with some difficulty that PCVs have to steer the discussion from politics back to the purpose of the English Clubs and the goal of Peace Corps.
This is a difficult time in Ukraine's history. On the one hand, the war in the east has at least stopped for the moment, important changes are taking place, their is an increased sense of national pride and the country is about to undergo democratic local elections. On the other hand, there is still for some people a nostalgia for the past and anger at foreign governments (including our own), an unsteady economy, and slow progress against corruption. This became most apparent during the Club discussion on the importance of Ukrainian Independence Day, when a number of us wore our vyshyvankas (traditional Ukrainian shirts). During these times we PCVs try to remain positive, focus on what we are doing and try to provide good examples ourselves - as we steer the discussions back to the discussion theme and not engage in politics.
Help Each Other
Another essential thing is for PCVs to help each other whenever possible. My fellow PCV Phil and I have covered for each other for Club meetings, etc. This weekend I hope to work with him and his teacher friend Olena as a judge at a local school grammar competition here in town. I am also meeting soon with fellow PCV Chelsea to discuss the idea of doing some training at her youth center on issues of civic engagement, etc. and possibly coordinating between our respective NGOs. I just came back a few days ago from a one day visit with Megan, another PCV in a town that is a 2 hour bus ride from Kirovograd. She took me to her school (which was up and running on a Saturday!).
 |
| Olena and Phil, PCV |
 |
| Independence day in Kirovograd |
Cultural Experiences
I have had a chance to experience some very satisfying Ukrainian culture here in Kirovograd and nearby Uman. Here a few over the past couple of months:
 |
| History Museum in Kirovograd |
 |
| Beautiful park in city of Uman |
 |
| Sculpted garden in Uman |
 |
| Wedding Chapel in Uman |
 |
| Wedding music in Uman |
 |
| Hare Krishna, music and dancing in Maidan Square in Kirovograd |
 |
| Artist exhibition at Kirovograd Art Museum |
 |
| One of his paintings for sale - I think it looks like a Cossack |
 |
| Philharmonia Concert on Ukrainian folk dancing |
Beautiful staircase
 |
| Cossack dancers in Philharmonia |
 | ||
| Dancers in Philharmonia
Big Box Update
As I had reported previously, the Big Box of humanitarian aid from Ukrainians in Denver was received in May in Odessa and distributed to needy organizations all over Ukraine. A second box (Big Box ll) is currently being organized organized and will hopefully ship to Odessa in late October. There are several needy Kirovograd organizations that will receive items in the upcoming shipment. I have put one of the local NGOs in touch with the Ukrainian group in Denver and the director of "Heart of Mother" Ludmila has already posted information in the local Denver website. It is my hope that she can be the ongoing contact with the Denver group for future needs and shipments, long after I have returned to the US.
|
