Community Development Project

Last Friday my group successfully completed a "Healthy Lifestyles" seminar for the local children in our village. The topics were on Drugs & Alcohol, HIV/Aids, Stress and Fitness, and Nutrition. We were also successful at completing our first international grant application and we received the funding for our supplies. This is the exact process that we will be doing at our sites in a few weeks. After we establish some projects with our counterpart organizations, we will be completing long grant applications to fund these projects. There are two programs within Peace Corps that offer grants up to about $5,000. Outside of the Peace Corps, there are countless organizations to apply to for additional grants. These include other European organizations, other US organizations for Int'l development, US and Canadian Embassies in Ukraine, and also local businesses. Lastly there is a Partnership grant with the Peace Corps, which we can sign up for to advertise our project online and collect funds from family and friends. At our technical class last week, current volunteers came to speak to us to give a presentation on projects they are working on. These projects can range anywhere from renovating a school or soccer field to putting on seminars/business workshops. One volunteer has even applied to about 8 different grant programs for numerous projects over the past 2 years. These range in amounts from about $5,000 to a $200,000 grant with the European Union! Although Ukraine is not yet in the EU, they still support many developing nations with their community projects. It's these types of projects and efforts that help countries like Ukraine eventually apply for status in the European Union and other treaties abroad.

As for language.... I am officially switching over to speaking/thinking in Russian! I was speaking the other day to a fellow volunteer and for the life of me could not remember the English word for переводчик (pere-vod-cheek) which is the Russian word for translator. It was such a proud moment for myself! (I am also having trouble speaking and typing in English; if my grammar becomes confusing I apologize in advance) They say that when this starts to happen then you are really on your way to learning the language... :o)


**This is a picture of Independence Square this weekend in Kiev. There is a 4 story Shopping Mall beneath this square with lots of trendy shops. What you can't see in this picture behind me in a huge fountain that flows over lots of steps, which you are able to walk on and cool off (makes for some crazy water fights among the kids). Also there are lots of outside cafe's overlooking this square, which offer very good food, beer, and wine.