Finding Solutions

 birthday celebration

There are positives and negatives to research and I generally enjoy finding the information I need, except when it's not out there or I feel I am just one click away from the answer. So two hours in front of the computer turns into four, then five with nothing really solid to present for all the time spent. That is how I feel today and it will probably be the same case for tomorrow. I am looking for resources on programs for training adults with intellectual disabilities for the workforce. The US government has centers in place, called Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) and I've read and read....there's a lot of great services in PA for one reason or another...but the info is just basic. I know people don't want to spell out their whole program online...maybe some one will take the idea. Or laying everything out might lead families to think they can do it on their own, taking away income flow to the professional centers that are set up for this. But when you are in a country where these resources do not exists at all it's slightly frustrating to try to find the needed info. So I've emailed a few people and will probably reach out to some others after talking with co-workers tomorrow.

All this to say that research can be very taxing especially when you are working on day two of a headache.

Project pictures

Before: Right side of building

Before: Front of building

Before: Left side of building

Before: the Center from the street

The Build: Cleaning new cement floor

The Build: Beams going up

The Build: Another view of beams

The Build: Cleaning

All of our project donators

Finished front with sign

Project Complete!

Hello hello, it's been almost a year now. A lot has happened in a year...I've traveled places, experienced my first Macedonian summer, welcomed new volunteers, and arrived at my year anniversary in Macedonia. Now I am entering my second winter, one that people say will be worse than the last, but I cannot fathom how that is possible. But I shall persevere, I've discovered that a plastic bottle filled with extremely hot water does wonders!

Since we last spoke I helped my organization, Poraka Nasha, dream and complete a grant through Peace Corps Macedonia and USAID. I am happy to say we were given the funds and have successfully completed the project. Above you can see a picture of the finished entry-way. When I have a bit more time I will post more pictures that display the process.

At Poraka Nasha, we all work together in one large room that is partially sectioned off to provide a semblance of a classroom, but it's stretching the resources we have, not to mention the concentration of the beneficiaries. So my co-workers and I began to plan to expand the facility of the Day Center by adding an outdoor patio of sorts. The beautiful finished product we have today would not have been possible without the generous outpouring of the community and an additional grant from the state-side NGO, Friends of Macedonia.

The beneficiaries were able to enjoy the outdoor center and we even held a class on horticulture and invited students from the neighboring high school to join us. During the fall activities were regularly held outside along with physical activity. It is a great expansion and the beneficiaries also enjoy have a space to sit outside at the end of the day and speak with neighbors as they pass.

We at Poraka Nasha hope to use this center even more in the spring and will work on planting trees and other flowering plants. I enjoyed working with my coworkers to bring the grant to fruition and they did an excellent job including me in the process, I even learned new building and material words in Macedonian!

Thank to everyone who reads this and also keeps up with me through email. facebook or skype, it means alot. I hope that I will get back into the habit of writing here more often.

larger view of the front of Poraka Nasha