Paul's Ukrainian Peace Corps Blog II

8/7/15

Getting Settled at New Site

Presentation at local school in Kirovograd

My new life as a PCV has started with getting to know the community.  In the first two weeks after my arrival in Kirovograd, I visited two of the local schools with Stacy and Ola, office colleagues.  The topics of ecology, recycling, democracy, differences and similarities between civic society in Ukraine and the US stimulated lots of questions from the students. 
The students and teachers expressed a desire to invite us back to participate in a future ecological project.

Participating in Ola's exercise with students

Community Development

Kirovograd Rotary Club Meeting


My counterpart Liudmyla doing
workshop presentation

One role of community development is to assist your site staff with exploring resources and learning how to do as much of the process as possible by themselves.  The three NGOs that I work with are Flora (that works on children's rights), MAMA86 (that works on water quality), and Territory of Success (that works on legal and advocacy issues).  It has been very enlightening to find that there were very knowledgeable staff who were skilled at grant writing and planning, as well as aware of the local community resources.  One area that I have been able to contribute is to help "connect the dots" as my old supervisor used to say when I was still working at the clinic as a geriatric social worker.  One of partner organizations works with homeless people with a history of substance abuse or who are IDPs (internally displaced people).  The organization has been in need of a well to provide potable water for drinking, bathing and cleaning but had been unable to locate a funding source willing to help.  Initial efforts to find sources of funding were unsuccessful and local authorities had no funds available.  So I put my thinking cap on (an old American expression) and thought about trying the Rotary Club.  Our initial meeting with the local club in Kirovograd went well and we are now completing the application and will be asking for funding for additional items needed by the shelters from Rotary Clubs internationally.  If we are successful, it will mean a lot more help for the shelters that we had originally anticipated, and that the initiative comes from a local source by local people.  Keep posted on the progress of our efforts.


Exploring Kirovograd

Ukrainian Folk singing and

Dancing at the library

Kirovograd is in the center of Ukraine and has a lot of interesting things to see.  There is a refurbished Opera, a Philharmonia (closed until September), many art and history museums, castle ruins, a lovely Dendra Park with rides, dancing and entertainment, and bazaars.  In addition, there is a large library with a very active Windows on America section.  I facilitate an English Club there on Wednesdays and help out another PCV with his Club on Mondays.  We cover topics as varied as volunteering, vacations, American culture, and setting personal goals.  I have made numerous friends from the English Club whom I socialize with and who occasionally tutor me in Russian.  One of the Club members Grigoriy plays the flute really well, and he and I recently played a couple of tunes together (I played my tenor recorder) at a session on music.  Another Club member Sasha frequently brings his "скрипка" (violin) to the meetings and plays Ukrainian music.  This week a visiting friend Marya (who recently completed a Peace Corps Response placement in Georgia) facilitated two classes on American folk songs and a "Virginia Reel" dance session - great fun!

Tour of castle ruins from 1750

Opera House

 

  Library Stained glass 

Humanitarian Aid for Ukraine
As many of you know, I have been working with the Ukrainians of  Colorado during the past year in organizing a shipment of humanitarian aid to Ukraine (Big Box I) which was sent from Denver via ship in New Jersey in the spring which arrived in Odessa this May.  The container included clothing, bandages, children's toys, etc.  I was able to include some medical equipment (wheelchairs, canes for the visually impaired, canes, walkers, crutches, etc.) to Tatiana for her organization in Kiev that works with disabled persons who have been displaced from the Lugansk region in the east of the country. I was also able to include a computer, printer, camera, etc. for my former counterpart Olena from Donetsk that many of you may remember from previous blogs.  She is trying to relocate some of the classes from Donetsk State University to Mariupol.  The supplies were gratefully received and have been distributed to the various NGOs in Ukraine.  The Ukrainians of Colorado are now actively collecting donations for Big Box II in Denver and hope to ship it in a couple of months to Odessa.  One of the Kirovograd NGOs that works with younger disabled persons is on the list for needed items for the next shipping container.

Big Box I in Denver

Ukrainians using  equipment from Big Box I

The opinions expressed in this blog are my own and are not meant to reflect Peace Corps policy.

3/1/14

Good and Bad News

 

Evacuation

 

It is with a heavy heart and mixed feelings that I am telling you that all of us PCVs in Ukraine (approximately 230) were evacuated last week to Washington DC due to the unstable political situation and escalating violence.  As I have mentioned on previous blogs, Peace Corps is an apolitical organization, believes in assisting countries with development, mutual cultural exchanges, as well as nonviolence, democratic principles and the right of each nation to choose its own destiny.  Even though I, along with many other PCVs, felt safe and were not threatened, there remained the possibility of being caught up in the  escalating violence and political confrontation.  The Peace Corps was in touch with the US Embassy  daily in ongoing evaluations of our safety and decided to evacuate all of the PCVs for the present.   As the situation was deteriorating, there was the possibility of transportation and communication infrastructures being affected which would have made it much more difficult to do our jobs and also to have a safe evacuation.  The Peace Corps staff remaining in Ukraine will evaluate the situation, including the recent Russian intrusion into Crimea,  over the coming weeks and determine if it is safe for us to return, which a great many of us are hoping to do.  For now we are still PCVs, but are on what is called Administrative Hold.

 

 

PCVs meeting the evening before evacuation to provide mutual support

 

 

Peace Corps manager Iryna helping us with closure and giving insights into the events

 

Following the evacuation to Washington DC, the Peace Corps staff gave all of us information over several days on how the decision to evacuate was reached, as well as discussing our options which includes going back to our sites (when it is deemed to be safe), transferring to another site, reapplying, applying to Response (short term placements), or deciding to do close of service.  All of us PCVs will be discussing our individual status and options with family and friends.  In addition, Peace Corps discussed in detail with the PCVs the stress that we have been through as well as how to cope with readjustment to life in the US, which is quite different that life at our sites.  The PCVs were very thankful for the huge effort involved in getting so many of us safely evacuated. In addition counseling was offered and discussions initiated about our health benefit coverage during the Administrative Hold period.  We did have a chance to say tearful goodbyes to each other and get a few last photos.

 

 

Our original cluster from pre service training

 

 

 

 

 Discussing options

 

Social Work Classes

 

I am now able to share a photo of myself with the Social Work students that I taught during the previous semester.  The students are proudly showing their Certificates and I my wooden Ukrainian bell that I received as a gift!  The work on evaluating the survey that was completed with older persons in the  Veteran Home will continue.  I was scheduled to teach my classes to an even larger group of students this semester, but that is on hold for now.

 

 

Health

 

My dental work is finally completed after 10 visits to the dental office in Kiev.  The photo is of myself (with the "million dollar smile"!) and my dentist.

 



 

SPA Grant

 

I mentioned in my last blog that we had been awarded funding through the Small Project Assistance Program to start the Center for Social Research and Coaching.  The funding for this project will also be on at least temporary hold, given the evacuation of the PCVs.

 

HIV/AIDS Training

 

The Donetsk Branch of the Sociological Association of Ukraine (DB SAU), in cooperation with the Peace Corps has just completed  two days of training 2/13-2/14 on HIV/AIDS at the Secondary School # 2 for 27 teachers from two area secondary schools on the first day, and for 27 University and secondary school students on the second day.  This event was a big success for the Donetsk area, and will help to reach many of our young students with the information needed to make wise behavior choices on this very important issue in Ukraine.  The teachers who now have the training can go back to their classrooms and provide training to their students - a “training the trainers” idea that Peace Corps has found to provide a bigger impact.  The well informed Ukrainian trainer was provided by the Peace Corps, with support from DB SAU.  My counterpart, Olena, was the prime organizer of the event, recruiting the volunteers, getting supplies and refreshments, and overall providing much needed leadership for the event.  It was a good example of a “team effort” with social work students from the University providing registration help, secondary students helping with marketing the event, drawing posters, doing setup and cleanup.   This is an event that DB SAU and Peace Corps can be proud of co-facilitating!

 

 

 Two Social Work students doing registration



Red Ribbons for HIV/AIDS Awareness

 

Posters drawn by student Ksusha

 

 

USA and Ukraine cooperation for HIV/AIDS Awareness Training

 

Training the Teachers

 



 

Olena, my counterpart, as primary organizer

 

Trainer from Kiev

Hooray, we have our Certificates!

 



Ksusha, student and artist

 

 



Travel

 

During my last visit to Kiev for my dental treatments, I was able to visit the World War II "Patriotic War" museum to take the following photos.

 

 

WW II Memorial

Eternal Flame

 

Holodymr Memorial

 



 

English Clubs

 

The four English Clubs that I have been involved with are still going well.  We have covered topics from the principles of democracy to favorite music to cultural exchanges.  I will definitely miss my English Clubs as they are a place where I have made friends as well as a venue for helping us understand each others cultures.  The photos were on a topic of the Arabic alphabet.

 

 

 

Conclusion

 

This will be my last Peace Corps blog unless the situation in Ukraine improves enough so that we can return.  It has been a very rewarding experience, and I feel that I have changed in many ways.  The changes that I made in Ukraine may be small, but sometimes small changes can eventually lead to big changes.  I have been honored to have served with the Peace Corps and am very happy to have made friends in Ukraine and humbled by the spirit of freedom, hospitality and cooperation that I experienced during my almost one year tenure there.

 

Keep your fingers crossed that I may return!

 

This blog represents my own views and is not meant to reflect Peace Corps policy.