June 27, 2003

Hello all,

So, there is actually work involved in being a Peace Corps volunteer! I’m completing my first four weeks volunteering at the offices of Counterpart International in Kiev. I’m beginning to ask, and try to answer, the following questions:

What is humanitarian aide? Who benefits and how? What is my role?

Humanitarian aide is the transfer of stuff (ranging from money, to clothing, wheelchairs, medicine, and everything in between) from people who have a lot to people who don’t have as much. For example, next week a shipment of aide including medical and computer equipment will arrive in Alushta, Ukraine from Santa Cruz, California. Alushta and Santa Cruz are sister cities. A delegation from Santa Cruz will visit Alushta, meet with some of the organizations that will receive the aide, and hold a press conference. My organization helped with the logistics of the aide shipment, including figuring out what type of stuff is needed in Alushta, helping with customs clearance and etc. Among the organizations receiving the aide are included a city hospital and a school. In addition to humanitarian aide, the sister cities (or Counterpart Communities) program fosters links between government, organizations and people in the two cities.

I will not be traveling to Alushta, but I do get to "meet and greet" the Santa Cruz delegation while they are in Kiev on either side of the visit. We'll all be attending the July 5th (Independence Day, observed) picnic put on by the American Chamber of Commerce in Kiev.

Counterpart International works to build civil society around the world. Our partner organizations in Ukraine work to care for orphans, provide medical care to those who need it, offer career education to unemployed able-bodied adults, support single-parent families, aide teachers in rural under-resourced schools and a myriad of other worthy pursuits. Counterpart provides not only “stuff” but also training and education in how to communicate and collaborate with colleagues around the world.

So, what is my role? As a Peace Corps volunteer I am here to transfer technical skills and facilitate cultural exchange. I am editing the Counterpart newsletter, surfing the web and being an American. I am an American learning the Russian language, working with Ukrainians and living among Ukrainians. Although my colleagues speak fluently in English, writing in English requires more intimate knowledge of the language. I have been able to translate the newsletter into English that is pleasing and clear to a “native speaker.” Language is important because English speaking donors and colleagues read the newsletter. I’ve also been able to edit project proposals and other written material. I like to think of Peace Corps as the friendly side of the U.S. foreign policy package.

Another one of our partner NGO’s in Uzhgorod (a town way in the west, west of the Carpathian mountains, close to the border with Slovakia) wants to set up a program for local University students to mentor younger students. I will work to help them set up the program. I’m going to start by asking them questions which by answering they will see that they have the resources to start such a program and that in can be done. I can also share examples of similar programs in the U.S. and perhaps just my presence will be a motivating factor. By working with the staff of the NGO I will transfer skills of planning, organizing and, yes, web surfing.

If you want to learn more about Counterpart, check out their website (http://eng.counterpart.kiev.ua/) The link to the newsletter is on the lower right-hand side of the page.

And you can see a few more of my pictures right here

As always, thanks for letters, questions, and comments.

Best wishes,

Delilah

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