Archive file

VIP No.7, November 9th, 1993

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Volunteers Information Pakrac

Adress:
  International volunteers working camp
  Prilaz Baruna Trenka 19
  43550 Pakrac, Croatia
Fax & Phone:
  00385 46 84 007 (Mark "Volunteers camp")


a) Situation & Event Report
----------------------------

The first week in our new house was full of visitors ! Monday night
Kurt and Jean from the UN Civil Police visited to talk with us about
what we do, what they do and what we can maybe do together in the
future. The first possibility for collaboration will be a day-long
football tournament with local teams, volunteers, UN Civil Police and
UNPROFOR. The guys will be back again for future discussions on safety
and security.

On Wedensday Gerard Fischer joined us for a very interesting and
informative talk about his experiences here as a Head of Civil Affairs
for UNPROFOR in UNPA-West. After hearing about previous efforts to
establish communication between the Croatian and Serbian sides we
discussed in what ways our work will help to improve the situation
here in both the near future and for the long term. As UN efforts
shift from peace-keeping to peace-building, projects like ours will be
more and more necessary and Mr. Fischer will be telling others, at the
UN and elsewhere about the exciting things happening in Pakrac.

Late Friday afternoon the 10 members of the British humanitarian group
"Convoy of Hope" stopped by to have a cup of tea and find out about
the international volunteers. They come through this area every few
months so have promised to bring some materials next time they are in
town. A special thank you to them for the donation of 50 DM. We will
put it to good use !

We suspect the word is about the generous hospitality to be found at
the volunteer's new house and that this is only the beginning of a new
aspect of social reconstruction. We don't have a lot of chairs but if
you don't mind the floor, stop in for a visit when you are in town.
The first cup of coffee is free !


b) Volunteers Activities
------------------------

1. Reconstruction & Support

- Working Groups
Some of the volunteers are now in a men's working-group and can do
rebuilding together with skilled workmen. The work starts still at
7 o'clock and ends usually at 2 o'clock and we can use the afternoon
for our social activities.

2. Social Activities

Activities table of last week:

     English    English    English    Jazz Dance  Games with
     Beginners  Advanced   Children   Course      Children

Mon  1600-1700
Tue             1700-1800  1215-1315  1530-1630   1700-1800
Wed                                   1530-1630
Thu  1600-1700
Fri             1700-1800  1215-1315              1700-1800
Sat
Sun


- English Lessons
As you can see there is a new English class especially for children.
Lynette introduced it and is now in charge for it.


c) Donations
------------

- Tino, an ex-volunteer from Germany came last week with a bus full of
  medicals and he even left 50 DM. Thank you very much !
- Yoyo, a Dutch Journalist, lend us a car (Peugeot 205) for a longer
  time. Thanks a lot !


d) List of Needs
----------------

- Office supplies for our new office
- Guitars or other instruments for a music group
- Handcraft
- All kind of handwork material to occupy children in a creative way
  (Cotton for friendship bracelettes, plasteline, claim)
- Pillows (For the poor volunteers)
- Subscribtion of a weekly newspaper
- Mini bus

Money donations are welcome !


      "We have just one world, but we live in different ones..."

                 The Pakrac volunteers, 9.11.1993