The latest information from US Peace Corps volunteer Juniper in Rakhiv

I never thought I'd be fighting the aftermath of the flood with my computer, but that seems to be the current situation. The results have been tremendous. If you are receiving this it means that you've contacted me to find out how you can help. I've received over 150 e-mails (from Ukraine, the US, Canada, Russia, Denmark, Hungary, and Poland) in the last week from people who want to assist us with our post flood humanitarian efforts. This e-mail, will hopefully serve to pass along information about ways in which you can help. Counterpart Humanitarian Assistance Program (CHAP) in Kyiv is coordinating a large shipment of Aid which will greatly help our communities in Transcarpathia. They will also organize shipping to our oblast for clothing collection points in Kyiv. If you are outside Ukraine, a simple and easy way to help would be to make a financial contribution to a special account set up by CHAP. All necessary information is including in this e-mail. I've also included other messages I've received which may be of interest to you.

Many of you from the US wrote that you would like to send clothing. I'm looking into customs regulations and will send out another e-mail with this information as soon as possible.

Meanwhile, how's life in Rakhiv? Cold. Winter has set in with a vengeance, making post flood relief efforts even more difficult, but all the more necessary. Yesterday, a large truck arrived from Hungary full of food and clothing which today was taken to villages in our district for distribution to people in need. The road to Uzhgorod outside Rakhiv has been repaired to a functional level, so supplies can get through, but the road to Ivano-Frankivsk is non-existant. However, while there is now food in the bazaar, most people cannot afford to resupply winter food storage lost to the flood. In our district teachers, doctors, and pensioners have not been paid for seven months. Before the flood I often wondered how people here survive, now it almost seems impossible. Thats why your messages and offers of assistance mean so much.

I'll be traveling to Uzhgorod next Thursday to pick up a shipment of aid from Counterpart as well as clothing from a drive organized by Peace Corps Volunteer Jereme Mellenthin from his school in Kyiv. Our friend Sean Gulewich from the US Embassy has taken charge of transporting this greatly appreciated shipment to us. I realized a few days ago that next Thursday is Thanksgiving. I will be thinking of all of you and how thankful I am that people around the world care what happens in our little corner of Ukraine.

Best wishes from Transcarpathia. Hope the following information is helpful.

Juniper US Peace Corps

EASTERN ECONOMIST, November 20

The situation in the western Ukrainian oblast of Transcarpathia, which recently suffered through devastating floods, still remains bad. Geology experts said that this winter and next spring there could be an even worse situation than what is taking place in the region now. Geologists forecast landslides throughout the entire oblast. They said that 40 million tons of sliding soils can scrape from the map one of the most beautiful and picturesque spots of Ukraine, endangering the lives of 1.288 million residents of the Transcarpathian oblast. The sanitation and epidemic situation in the entire Transcarpathian oblast is also bad as a result of the flooding.

From Counterpart Humanitarin Assistance Program

SITUATION REPORT

Dear Associates,

The situation is the Zakarpatia Oblast (province) of Ukraine is dire. Several days of above-normal rainfall caused flooding of the Tysa, Rika, Borzhava, Latorytsia, and Uzh Rivers on November 5th and 6th that destroyed thirty-eight (38) dams, twenty (20) bridges (and 487 bridges damaged), over 800 homes (with over 7,000 homes flooded), and miles of power lines, communications lines, gas lines, and rail lines. Over 24,000 people from over 100 villages were displaced. All except 8,000 have returned to their homes, but most of their homes are not in a good situation. Fourteen people have been killed by the flooding, many people are missing, and over 1,000 are injured.

Counterpart's Humanitarian Assistance Program (CHAP), under the direction of USAID, the U.S. Department of State, and the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv, has responded to this disaster. CHAP/Ukraine's Western Regional Director Ruslan Krivko was immediately dispatched to the area and is in Uzhgorod working with the Ministry of Emergencies Civil Defense Headquarters. CHAP's Deputy General Director Serhiy Zhgilyov is in Kyiv with direct contact with the Ministry of Emergencies headquarters, and receives daily situation reports.

So far, CHAP has delivered the following items donated by the U.S. Department of Defense to the region:

Cold-Weather Undershirts: 14,000 each; Tents, with poles and pins: 1,000 sets; Cold-Weather Wool Shirts: 1,800 each; Cold-Weather Boots: 1,428 pairs; Emergency Generators (10kw & 5kw): 23 each; Furniture: 141 items.

The first CHAP deliveries arrived November 8th. The transportation expenses are being paid by the U.S. Department of State and by USAID's Ocean Freight Reimbursement Program. Counterpart has the following items in transit to the region, to arrive next week:

Water Purification Units: 2 each (donated through USAID's Environmental Program); Coveralls: 200 pairs; Sweaters, Trousers, Shirts, Rubber Overshoes, Sleeping Mats, Sleeping Bags, Mess Kits, Tents: 1 container; Medical Equipment, Furniture, and Supplies: 0.5 container.

The value of the items listed above exceeds $1,000,000. In addition, Counterpart has obtained approval from the U.S. Department of State and USAID to ship nine containers of relief items from the U.S. during the December through March timeframe.

Within Ukraine, many organizations and people, including Ukrainians and Americans, want to donate clothing, blankets, canned food, and other items. This is admirable and welcomed. For this purpose, the employees of USAID's AED ACCELS program have established two collection points in Kyiv to receive donations:

DONATION COLLECTION POINTS:

Kyiv Shevchenko State University (the red building); Room 201, 60 Volodymyrska Street; Contact: Olya Smyrnova or Andrea Kalan; Phone: 224-7356 (ACCELS Program office)

Kyiv Sport Club 5 Druzhby Narodiv Boulevard Contact: Dwight Hewitt or Svyatoslav

Counterpart will pick-up the boxes of items at the collection points, deliver them to the Zakarpatia Oblast, and distribute them through the various Raion Councils and Ministry of Emergencies Civil Defense offices.

Unfortunately, we cannot accept donations of commodities in the U.S. This is because it is very expensive to gather them at one point for containerization, it is very expensive to transport, and it takes five to six weeks for the items to get to Ukraine. However, it is possible for us to receive financial donations from anywhere.

Many people and organizations want to donate money to assist with the victim relief operations. For example, the City of Burlington, Vermont in the U.S., which has a Community Partnerships Project partnership with the City of Mukachevo in the Zakarpatia Oblast through the U.S.-Ukraine Foundation, has collected funds to donate. Several other American and Ukrainian organizations have expressed a desire to donate funds. For this purpose, Counterpart International's U.S. headquarters office has established a special account to receive donations of cash, which will be used to purchase medicines, medical consumables, fuel, and other most-needed items. Funds are also needed to pay for distribution, logistics, and in-country transportation expenses.

To send funds to support the Zakarpatia Flood Relief Project by wire transfer please use the following wire transfer instructions:

Citibank NA ABA #021000089; Further Credit to Citibank FSB, ABA #2540-7011-6; 600 Pennsylvania Avenue, SE; Washington, DC 20003 U.S.A.

Account Holder: Counterpart International, Inc.; Account number: 1500-3558; Project Code: 514.

I hope this has answered all questions, but if not, you may call the following phone numbers:

Counterpart Humanitarian Assistance Program (CHAP-Ukraine): Phone: 380-44-294-8968 or 230-2346 Contact: Serhiy Zhgilyov or Brian Propp

Unites States Agency for International Development (USAID-Kyiv): Phone: 380-44-462-5678 Contact: Konstantin Yakubenko or Lydia Matiaszek

Counterpart International, Inc., U.S. Headquarters: Phone: 1-202-296-9676 Contact: Helen Benz or Bob Thibeault

Thank you for your interest in this situation. I will send periodic updates as we receive them from the Ministry of Emergencies and other sources.

Best regards,

Brian R. Propp General Director Counterpart Humanitarian Assistance Program (CHAP) in the Western Newly Independent States (WESTNIS) of Ukraine, Belarus, and Moldova ----------------------------------------------------------------- Counterpart International's Humanitarian Assistance Program in Ukraine, Belarus, and Moldova (CHAP/WESTNIS) is sponsored by USAID, the U.S. Department of State, and the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv. Counterpart International is a nonprofit, nongovernmental, international charitable organization founded in 1965 and based in Washington, DC, USA; registered tax exempt under IRS Code 501-C-3.

From Poland

Thank You for the information Juniper.If You don't mind I will put it on my webpage: http://www.geocities.com/CapitolHill/7803/flood.html All information may from my webpage may be freely published in other places. Just in case of messages of Hungarian Press Agency (MTI) remember to tell the source of info (they allowed me to use their materials about flooding under this condition) I will be grateful for any other information about flooding in Sub-Carpathia.

Regards ___________________________________ Klaudiusz Wesolek http://www.geocities.com/CapitolHill/7803/ ul.Kozia 3/5 m.8 00070 Warszawa Poland tel. +48 602411937

From Students in Kyiv

Dear Juniper!

I just wanted to let you know that we, FSA FLEX Alumni Organization, have already organized a clothing drive!!!! I attach the file, which is an advertisement ad and has all the information about it. It is going to be placed in Kiev Post and hopefully on GALA Radio. We will send the stuff with Counterpart as soon as it is collected. We will try to do it in the middle of next week and the week after next. FSA FLEX alumni will also go to schools and propose them to do such drives in schools, like Jeremy Mellenthin (Peace Corps) has already done in his school!

All the best, Olya.

You are doing an awesome job!!!

ACTR/ACCELS FSA FLEX KYIV PH 252033 Kyiv-33 UKRAINE vul. Volodymyrska 60, kim. 201 Tel: +380 (44) 224-7356 Fax: +380 (44) 224-6960 Email: fsakiev@faust.kiev.ua