Center for Civil Society International ([email protected])
Mon, 16 Nov 1998 13:28:50 -0800 (PST)
Sender: "Dennis McConnell, Maine Business School" <[email protected]>
Subject: Assistance for Flood Victims in Ukraine
I have today received information about the terrible flooding in
Western Ukraine, and information as to how others can assist. The
information was sent by a Peace Corps volunteer working in the
region. I am forwarding the note as received. Please feel free to
direct inquiries to the Peace Corps contact noted at the end of the
note.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Dear Friends,
All is quiet now and I though I'd take a moment to share the events
of the last week from Transcarpathia, Ukraine.
Rakhiv sounds more like a war zone these days with all the
helicopters and heavy equipment working non-stop to repair damage
done by flooding of the Tysa River last week. As many of you may
have heard, considerable damage was reported in Mukachevo, Chop,
Hoost, Tyachiv, and Rakhiv. The local Red Cross estimates that in
the Rakhiv District alone, 250 houses have been severely damaged,
seven of which were actually swept away in the river.
Three people from our town died and one family are still missing.
We've estimated that over 1,000 adults and 2,000 children in our
region have been directly affected and are in need of warm
clothing, food and household goods. Outside our district the
numbers are even larger. However, getting aid to Rakhiv is
difficult. Both roads, to Uzhgorod and to Ivano Frankivsk, are
totally destroyed. The train is running sporadically due to severe
damage to the tracks.
One shipment of aid arrived by train yesterday (flour, powdered
milk, cheese, grains, and clothes) but most of the grains were
soaking wet and the clothing was in poor condition. There's not
much to buy in the stores these days, and hopes are that the road
to Uzhgorod can be repaired within the next week. I spent some time
there yesterday. A line of refugees was walking the now built up
section of road, dodging bulldozers and military support. Most
villages and some parts of Rakhiv are still without electricity,
water, and heat. To make matters worse, snow started falling four
days ago. Three main bridges are gone. My first apartment is under
water. Thankfully I now live on the third floor!
My counterpart amazes me. Her house was under seven feet of water.
They had time to save the pig and then her invalid father. The car,
all kitchen appliances, and furniture in their house are covered in
mud and water. She told me that in her heart she thought they
should buy insurance, but they just couldn't afford it. They've
lost most everything. Her brother and small dog (Beem) have to
stake out the yard at night because people are stealing their apple
trees. That's right. I couldn't exactly figure out why except that
now the fence along the river is gone and since there's no heat
people need wood to burn. She told all of this to me with a smile
on her face. She even brought me a cabbage, some carrots and
potatoes because she knew I might be having trouble buying food.
She just lost everything and she brings me vegetables. That's why I
love Ukraine.
Many people have expressed a wish to help us with our post flood
efforts. What we really need, aside from a couple million dollars
to repair the roads, bridges, and electrical plant, are warm
clothes and household goods like sheets, blankets, pillows, etc. As
for clothes, people really need warm jackets, hats, boots, socks,
pants and shirts. Also, the hospital could use more bandages,
syringes, crutches, x-ray film, antibiotics, etc.
For fellow Peace Corps Volunteers in Ukraine: Elizabeth in Uzhgorod
suggested organizing a clothing drive in her school. I think this
is a great idea and would encourage other volunteers to follow her
lead. Perhaps collection points could be organized in Ivano
Frankivsk and Uzghorod and then combined and sent to Rakhiv or
other needy areas. Perhaps
Elizabeth would agree to coordinate in Uzhgorod. Is there anyone in
Frankivsk (or maybe Lviv) that could help out?
For my friends abroad, especially Rotary, please contact me if you
think you may be able to send a shipment. Sometimes we have trouble
with humanitarian aid packages at the border, but I'm working with
the District Administration and we could arrange for clearance. I
realize that the flood aftermath in Central America is far more
devastating, but not to the families here who've lost everything.
Thanks to everyone for your concern and help. Just as long as the
rain stops, I have no doubt we'll be able to pull together and
rebuild our community.
All aid shipments should be sent to:
Carpathian Agency for Regional Development
1 Myru St.
Transcarpathia, Ukraine 295800
But please contact me as to your plans before sending anything!
Best wishes,
Juniper Neill ([email protected])
-------------------------------------------------------------------
*******************************************************************
* Dr. Dennis McConnell * E-mail: [email protected] *
* Maine Business School **************************
* University of Maine * Tel: 1.207.581.1988 *
* Orono, Maine 04469-5723 USA * Fax: 1.207.581.1956 *
*******************************************************************
*----------------------------------------------------------*
| CivilSoc is an electronic news and information service |
| provided free of charge to 1,200 subscribers worldwide. |
| CivilSoc is a project of CCSI--Center for Civil Society |
| International ([email protected]) in Seattle, in |
| association with Friends & Partners. For more informa- |
| tion about civic initiatives in nations of the former |
| USSR and elsewhere, visit CCSI's web site at: |
| |
| http://www.friends-partners.org/~ccsi/ |
*----------------------------------------------------------*
This archive was generated by hypermail 2.0b3 on Sun May 23 1999 - 13:35:06 EDT