Syndicate: Balkan Sunflowers update - Albania

[Paola Lucchesi <paola.lucchesi@mail.inet.it>]

Date: Mon, 04 Sep 2000 01:02:52 +0200
From: "Boyd Noorda [admin at dDH]" <bn@ddh.nl>
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>From Wam Kat


Back to Bathore

When the decision was made to restart activities in Albania, it was pure
risk-taking: still no assurance that UNICEF would fund the summer camps, or
that other funds would be secured. But the decision WAS  made, and Jessica
and Maarten - Balkan Sunflowerflowers Albania coordinators - headed for
Tirana, reopened the Peace Hostel and started working.
Their determination was repaid because, almost simultaneously, UNICEF accepted
the summer camp proposal and a foundation in Italy assisting children victims
of war donated the equivalent of three months rent for the hostel.

The kids of Bathore were happy to see their friends coming back. They have
been busy all summer, playing and learning.

The Social Awareness Summer Camps in Sector Six of Bathore  ended with a
flourish on August 25. The second session focused on environment, health
and first aid, child rights and peace advocacy. The camps had a large
increase from the first session, from 250 children per day to almost 450 on
our last day. The camp ended with a toy, hygiene kit (donated by ADRA) and
canned food distribution (donated by FRC) The program was funded by UNICEF.


Help needed to go on - What after September 1st?

In this moment, BSF Albania urgently needs funds to cover the next few
weeks. There are some promising negotiations under way (*see below) to
secure funding for the future, but right now the period funded by UNICEF is
over, and we also suffered from a burglary which left a hole in our
finances. While thanking for the immediate relief help we have received
(first of all from the Lyons Club in Hamburg), we have to stress that the
emergency is not over. We have running costs for the house in Tirana,
volunteers are still working (there are local and international volunteers
active on field right now), and we are determined to keep up our effort in
Albania

We will always need private donations, besides the grants we manage to get
from different institutions to cover specific projects. Please help us by
giving what you can and by disseminating these news as widely as you can.
See our donations page on the http://www.balkansunflowers.org

Discussions have been held with a number of organizations to procure for
funding for activities in Bathore following 01 September. A proposal has
been given to Save the Children for funding from September through
Christmas 2000.  A proposal has also been given to Co-Plan for funding from
January 2001 for three years. We will hear from Save the Children within
the first weeks of September and from Co-Plan in October.

With the ending of the summer camps, and funding still unsure from Save the
Children, BSF volunteers will still continue children's activities in
Sector Six of Bathore. This will be largely run and organized  by the local
staff who worked in the summer camps and will consist of games and
recreational activities. These activities will run three afternoons per
week for two hours per day.


Refugee Center Olympia

Volunteers continued running  activities in the refugee camp throughout the
month of August. Volunteers organized outings for children and adults
including cinema trips and pool visits. With many volunteers leaving,
activities will be conducted for only two mornings per week throughout the
month of September. These will include sports, arts and crafts, music and
informal social visits.

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