Alpine Update #4, April 2003
It was a busy month at the Alpine Fund in Kyrgyzstan, at both the Bishkek
and Osh offices. In between all the work I try to get people to stop and
write for a moment, to share what we are doing. There are essays and
pictures on the links below.
From Osh
http://www.alpinefund.org/kstan/fund/osh/programs/clouds/index.htm
The weather in the beginning of March in the Osh region was cold and snow,
not the right time for trekking. So staff members of the Alpine Fund along
with the doctor of the Uch-Korgon children's home held first aid lessons to
prepare the kids if there is an emergency while we are hiking in the
mountains. On March 8th, International Women's Day, the Alpine Fund
celebrated the girls at the children's home and awarded them with small
gifts. The big event of the month was the river clean up for the "Day of
Clean Water" The Alpine Fund brought 15 children from the orphanage to a
section of river that was full of trash. We dressed the kids up with warm
clothes and gloves and boots and they enthusiastically spent the day
gathering the trash others had left behind.
Alpine Youth Guides
http://www.alpinefund.org/kstan/fund/programs/guides/index.htm
Finally the climbing wall has started to attract clients and raised the
enthusiasm level of the young guides. At present the Youth Guides meet each
Sunday, start the day with lessons, then go to a climbing wall where they
first climb, then assist clients who want to give the wall a try. On one
Sunday four clients came, the next Sunday eight, with the 3 dollar fee the
money then goes back into the program, and the youth guides see how commerce
works. Everybody is waiting for warmer days that are soon to come so the
lessons can be outside on the real rocks cliffs near Bishkek.
Clouds at their Feet
http://www.alpinefund.org/kstan/fund/programs/clouds/index.htm
A four day hike was held in the mountains near Bishkek, participants
included 10 kids from the Voenna Antonovka Children's home. Margo, a
volunteer that had arrived from London arrived to Kyrgyzstan just in time to
go on the trip and wrote a short description of the trek.
Alpine Summer Camps
http://www.alpinefund.org/kstan/fund/programs/camps/index.htm
For the past two summers, with the support of UNICEF, the Alpine Fund held
large summer camps in the mountains near Bishkek and Osh. The first year we
brought almost 100 kids to stay in cabins on Lake Issyk Kul, the second year
we had a series of two- week mountain camps where kids from several
orphanages were able to live in tents and hike each day in the mountains.
This year we do not have the funding to run such large camps, but we will
have a camp nevertheless.
An official announcement has yet to be made, but we expect to hold in
June/July a one month hiking/climbing camp for senior youth guide members in
the Ala- Archa National Park. At this camp we would focus on quality
training for a few kids. In this way the participants get real training, and
the Alpine Fund can work on curriculum and program development. The goal of
this camp is to train the youth by inviting clients to visit the camp.
Ideally the camp can break even financially, the kids can receive training,
and even receive a small salary. If you are in Bishkek and are interested in
participating, or if you are traveling to the region be sure to contact us.
We are looking forward to a great time, so feel free to be a part of it.
Ryan rants
http://www.alpinefund.org/kstan/fund/about/ryan.htm
Ryan, as you may remember from previous Updates, is a volunteer at the
Alpine Fund who is in Kyrgyzstan as a Peace Corps Volunteer. Ryan is very
enthused to bring his knowledge of business he received from US training i
business schools to Kyrgyzstan and the Alpine Fund. What he is treading is a
path followed by many of those that go to a country looking to help. This
path must pass through the moment where it is realized that in order to
teach, one must first learn. Follow the link above to read his latest
lessons.
Welcome to Marga Ledo
http://www.alpinefund.org/kstan/fund/contribute/interns/marga.htm
About six months ago Marga wrote to the Alpine Fund asking if she could
volunteer in Kyrgyzstan with us. She had experience working with youth, had
traveled before, and was determined to come join us. She arrived the day
before the Noruz celebrations, then went on a four day hike with kids from
Voenna Antonovka. Now she goes to the children's home twice a week to help
out with English lesson. We are looking forward to workign more together.
From the editor
This is a very hard time for the world, the war in Iraq has everybody
waiting and watching, what will happen next? And to be honest it is hard to
build hope in one part of the world, when nearby another war has started.
This is not a forum to discuss the war, but I do think of the help they will
need once the conflict stops. We see in the youth we work with in Kyrgyzstan
how important a family is, but now each day there is another orphan, another
kid that will need a extra help than will a child with parents.
So while this war is still at its apex we already need to think ahead, how
to stop the poverty and conflict from taking an even deeper hold on the
Central Asian region? How can we avoid the desperation that brings
frustration, and the frustration that brings conflict. As one person we can
only do so much, but even that helps. This summer with the Alpine Camp I
have the goal of giving at least five kids a real chance at learning skills
and finding work, that much is a goal I have funding for and that can be
achieved. We will have other goals and programs, but to not get lost in the
increasing number of youth that need help, it is important not to forget and
help the ones that you can reach. If one kid succeeds, perhaps in larger
policy shifts nothing was achieved, but to the person that knows the name of
he kid he helped, the world is a better place.
I hope to hear back from some of you that receive this Update. I must say I
was pleasantly surprised by the number and variety of people that have
subscribed. For me it gives help that feeling that this a community of
people willing to help.
Garth Willis
Contact information for the Alpine Fund:
Emails:
info@alpinefund.org - For all questions
and comments
zone@alpinefund.org - For mountain and
tourism related questions
osh@alpinefund.org - For the office in
Osh
garth@alpinefund.org - President of
the Fund and editor of the update
Regular mail:
In the USA
Alpine Fund
PO BOX 583192
MPLS. MN
55458-3192
In Kyrgyzstan
The Alpine fund
2 Erkindik Blvd. #262
Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan
720000
996 (312) 66-55-67, 22-76-98
In Osh
323 Lenin street
The Alpine Fund is a monthly newsletter of the events and activities of the
Alpine Fund
To subscribe to the Alpine Fund Update send a blank email to
subscribe@alpinefund.org
To unsubscribe from the Alpine Fund Update send a blank email to
unsubscribe@alpinefund.org
The visit the Alpine Fund Update archive, go to
www.alpinefund.org/updates
Thanks for you interest and we hope to see you in the mountains!