TWI
for the Children, Inc.
HUMANITARIAN
SUPPORT - 2000
Future
Projects Planning Trip
4 - 10
November 2000
The
purpose of this trip, that was in conjunction with the November 2000 Training
Workshop, was to deliver supplies to orphanages; provide assistance to
children with disabilities; begin an assessment of the possibility of
establishing an Education Center; and to dedicate a Media Center at the
University in Mostar.
November
4, 2000 (Saturday):
Dr. Dupont completed the
November 2000 Training Workshop in Bosnia and departed for Washington Dulles.
Team member Audrey Ciccone, Producer with the Discovery Channel, arrived in the
afternoon via Swiss Air.
Bobby met
with Al Hunley in the evening
to discuss possibilities of developing the "TWI American Business Training Center in Sarajevo"
program. It was agreed that Al would be the TWI for
the Children consultant in charge of the assessment, to include hiring local
people to do the assessment. It was decided that he would be paid to be in
charge of the assessment, for hiring the participants, accumulating the results
and passing on the results of the assessment to the TWI Board of Directors in
Springfield, VA. The assessment will begin as soon as the assessment team is on
board. Assessments are due the end of January.
Actions
Taken:
> As a result of the assessment completed in May 2001, it was decided that the
proposed project was beyond the financial capability of TWI for the Children and
the project was not adopted.
November
5 (Sunday):
TWI "in-country" interpreter team coffee get-together on the walking
street in Sarajevo. Those present: Melissa,
Amina, Jasmina, Keko.
They all expressed a desire to work with our
summer camps again this coming summer. We
were joined by Sanel and Samir
from the Zenica Orphanage.
Later in the day
Amina and her father met with Bobby to discuss the
possibility of her coming to the states.
We discussed the possibilities of her coming in the summer of
2001 for a one month visit and internship program.
Actions
Taken:
> Amina was invited to come
to a private school in Springfield, VA for her Junior year, however the school
did not get approval from INS to have foreign students-therefore she was not be
able to do this. However, Amina came to the United States in 2001 for a
month's visit and internship as part of the TWI International Studies Project.
November
6 (Monday):
Departed early morning for Mostar to:
Medicine
for Children:
> Delivered Dimetapp (cold and allergy medicine) to Ms. Sabaheta Kodic, Director-Mostar
Orphanage and to Dr. Braco
Hajdarovic, surgeon at Mostar Hospital for people
unable to pay for medicine.
Bobby was asked to visit the orphanage during the
March 2001 Training Workshop when Dr. Roland Reed will be on the workshop team. We will
work with students from the Mostar Theatre (who have been working with the
children in the area of play acting but who have no experience in working with
children with emotional and behavioral problems) and students from The
University Dzemal Bijedic Mostar in the field of child care. We were asked to
teach these students how to use play/puppetry to allow children to share their
emotions and untold stories that are causing these emotions and teach them how
to use information that comes from this so that the caregivers can better
understand the children. It was explained that the caregivers have their hands
full with the daily care of the children and need outside help, therefore for
this teaching workshop we may have some caregivers present but the emphasis will
be on teaching 'others' to do this activity as helpers to the caregivers.
TWI American Library and Media
Center at the Dzemal Bijedic University in Mostar
November 6, 2000
Dedication
of TWI American Library.
The
TWI for the Children committee met with Dr. Elbisa Ustamujic, Dean, The Dzemal Bijedic - Mostar, professors,
students and guests to open the 'TWI American Library'.
The Committee delivered
approximately 150 books at this time. The opening ceremony was on the evening TV new in
BiH.
The Committee met with the Dean and Prof.
Jasna Lizde, English professor, to discuss adding a Media Center to the
Library. Audrey, producer at the Discovery Channel in Bethesda, Maryland,
presented the idea of adding a Media Center to the Library and it was accepted.
TWI delivered
audio/visual equipment to
the Library to include a Sharp TV and VCR with dual capability that will use
European and US videos.
Opening
the TWI "American Library"
University Dzemal Bijedic
Mostar:
November 6, 2000
The
English Library reception was a great success. Bobby
Houser, Dean Ilbisa Ustamujic, and the Minister of Education dedicated the
library.
Requests for additional books were
received from a guest attending the reception: Trade Books (ie. architecture, agriculture, encyclopedias are needed.)
After the dedication, a luncheon was held for Dean Ilbisa, Professor Jasna
Lizde, Assistant Professor Adi, Audrey, Bobby Houser, Vjeko Saje, and Fatima and Braco
Hajdarevic. Fatima is the Mostar
coordinator for TWI projects. she has worked on the Library project from the
beginning when it was first suggested by Mr. Zlatko Semsudin Serdarevic,
journalist with Mostar TV at the concert at the Pavarotti Center when Felicia
Stoval represented the TWI Musical Exchange Program at the Sarajevo Winter
Festival and at the Pavarotti Center. The
group discussed possibilities for expansion of the Library.
After
the Luncheon, Audrey Ciccone provided
TWI
audiovisual equipment (Television and VCR) and educational programming donated
by Discovery Global Fund.
Needs of the University:
·
"Hooked on Phonics" (anything teaching phonetics)
·
"Headway Audio/or video cassettes (Oxford University Press -
60DM) with workbooks included, or
·
Any English language teaching videos
·
Any video type learning resources
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to return to Completed Projects.
School
for Special Students:
Visited with the Director and students of the School for Special Students in
Mostar. These young adults have physical and mental disabilities who make
their living by making wooden flowers, pictures and puzzles and selling them to
the public. TWI purchased a mixture of flowers, pictures and puzzles at a value
of approximately $125. These items will be sold at the traveling exhibit of
"Children's Artwork in Bosnia and Herzegovina" that includes artwork
from orphanages, schools and special schools.
November
7 (Tuesday):
House
of Peace at Rama:
Departed for RAMA,
a Catholic Monastery located in the Croat
area of Bosnia and Herzegovina, to meet the new
director of the Monastery and to discuss the possibility of TWI having a
summer camp program the summer of 2001. At this time, the bedrooms are not
completed, but the Priest said they should be ready by May 2001 - and he invited
us to plan on coming the last week in June. We discussed having the camp for
children with disabilities and their parents, but would have to discuss this
more thoroughly after getting the approval of their doctor at the Pediatric
Clinic in Sarajevo. It is a four hour drive and this may be too difficult a trip
for the children to make. At the
close of our visit, the Priest gave Audrey and Bobby a RAMA cross for their desk
and a cross on a ribbon. Following this visit, the Priest took us to meet with
the Principal of the local school to discuss a summer camp there this summer.
The Principal was enthusiastic about the camp and asked us to consider the last
two weeks in June when school would be over, but the teachers would still be
there.
Since
2000, TWI for the Children has held several Camps for Disabled Children and
Training Workshops at the House of Peace. Additionally, we have held
Camps2Kids at the local school near the monastery.
November
8 (Wednesday):
Library
for the School at Visoko:
Left in the morning for Visoko to meet with
Mr. Sulejman Husic, Principal, and Ms.
Belma Prelic, English Language Teacher, to make an assessment of the
school needs. Audrey had prepared an assessment that would help the Discovery
Channel and TWI to determine their needs and she handled this portion of the
visit. We discussed the value of using video teaching as an optional teaching
method and we were told that they had no audio-visual equipment, therefore the
use of educational videos would not be possible at this time. Audrey will
present the assessment to The Discovery Channel for them to make a judgment on
bringing their video educational program to the Visoko school.
We discussed the part of their schoolyard that had been damaged in the
war - a building adjacent to the school that had been used as a cafeteria and
four classrooms. The playground is also in bad condition and in need of repair.
The Principal expressed a need for help to repair the building and
playground.
•
Job Skills for Teenaged Orphans:
We visited with Jasna and Moris and their new baby. Later in the
evening Bobby and Jasna discussed, by telephone, the quilt program that would
teach teenage orphans job skill - with Jasna as director of the 'quilt program'. She said she would
like to do this, as well as to expand the program to teach other sewing
and fashion design skills. It was decided that Bobby would send her a
Memorandum of Agreement with the details that she would review, sign and return.
November
9 (Thursday):
Educational
Center for Disabled Persons:
Bobby, Audrey and Vjeko visited a Clinic in Sarajevo for children
and adults with disabilities. Although it is a small clinic, the Director and
her staff are very creative. Dika, the director, has established an Association
of People with Disabilities, whose members can use the fitness equipment and
other materials in the Clinic free of charge. The vision for their members is
exciting and totally focused on their needs. For example, members are hired and
paid to run the library, video rental center and coffee bar that are all located
in the Clinic. We interviewed the members who were there and heard their
aspirations of being independent and self-sufficient. One man wanted to start an
accounting business and another wanted to start a chess game club that would be
located on the grounds of the Clinic. Bobby briefly discussed the idea of an TWI American Business Education and Training Center.
They were delighted.
Airport
School for Camp2Kids:
We visited a school on the other side of the airport in the
Republik of Srpska that is the 'brother school' to the school in Ilidja where we
have had a summer camp for the past three years. The Principal had left, but we
met with Mara, his sister-in-law and
teacher at the school. Vjeko explained the camp activities and she said
she was sure the Principal would be interested. She seemed pleased with our
visit and said we were the first Americans to visit the school.
Vjeko will call the Principal to discuss the idea of having a camp at his
school this summer 2001 and will notify TWI about his response. Vjeko suggested
that we consider a joint camp with the Ilidja school, which is their 'brother
school'. In the evening, Bella Sedjic hosted a farewell dinner for Audrey
and Bobby. Overnight Sarajevo.
November
10 (Friday):
Training
Workshop
Discussions:
Bobby met with Mrs.
Bonnie Miller, wife of US Ambassador
Tom Miller, at the
residence to discuss the work both Bobby and Mrs. Miller are doing in Bosnia and
Herzegovina. We were joined by Ambassador
Miller and briefly discussed the TWI program for Veterans and Soldiers
with Disabilities we are working on with the Ministry of Veterans Affairs in
Sarajevo, which the Ambassador has worked with us. Mrs. Miller, a social
worker and consultant, and Bobby discussed their work with children in Bosnia
and Herzegovina. She has just written a workbook for parents with emotionally disturbed
children and she said the CTT trainers could use the workbook in our workshops
as a handout and/or guide. It is being printed at this time. Audrey discussed her role as TWI Media Consultant and the role the
Discovery Channel was playing in our educational program in the University and
possibly at the school in Visoko.
Follow-On
Actions
Discovery
Channel: Audrey presented her report to the Discovery Channel
on the presentation of the
donation of 10 Discovery Channels videos and teaching guides to the University
"Dzemal Bijedic" Mostar and her assessment taken at the Visoko School
to determine if they qualify for a Discovery Channel program to be installed.
> The Discovery Channel did not qualify the Visoko school for a channel
installation.
> TWI for the Children donated a
TV/VCR.
Quilt
Project:
> Bobby prepared a Memorandum of Agreement for the Quilting Program
and sent it to
Jasna, who will serve as the Director of the project.
> Mary McInnis is working on
the US side to prepare the quilts.
Child's
Walker:
> Bobby talked with Suzann at the Springfield Clinic and received the donation of another
walker for Aldin (donated one was too small). She also received a leg brace for Laijla.
Books
for University
Library in Mostar:
> Bobby contacted organizations that donated books to ask for their assistance
with this program. By request, the
Classics were the first books to be donated and we continue to collect
English Grammar Books, English Dictionaries and books on Ecology next - and at
the same time continue collecting the Classics.
Summer
Camp:
> Met with
Lisbeth, Jason and Lisa to discuss Camp 2001 theme and places to have camps. And
then set up a meeting of people from past camps who are interested in coming
again this summer - to discuss theme and dates and teams.
> Prepared
Golden Books/Audio tapes of stories for "ESL classes".
TWI
for the Children, Inc.
Visit with the Children with Disabilities
Laijla, Aldin, Mehmed
November. 7, 2000
Laijla:
•
Laijla:
8 years old. Date of birth - February 16.
•
We gave her a walker with back and side support that was donated
by Suzan Syron's Pediatric Clinic. Ms. Syron is a Pediatric Physical Therapist
and thanks to Nicole Wilkes Roche, who works at the clinic, several donations
were given to TWI for the children we work with in the Sarajevo area.
•
We tested the walker and concluded that Laijla's doctor must
evaluate the walker and determine the correct height it must be raised
to/properly adjusted.
Problems
Laijla is having:
·
Her foot is constantly curving, making it hard for her to walk.
Although this is a problem, she is able to walk but is unbalanced and with
difficulty.
·
Her mother believes she needs an orthopedic shoe or brace to
support her foot.
·
Laijla's doctor is against a brace because he doesn't want her to
rely on it. Bobby measured her leg and will discuss this with Suzan Syron - and
ask for her opinion. A possibility is to take a brace that the mother can show
to Laijla's doctor that can be used in the event he should decide to use it.
·
Ask Ms. Syron about a type of shoe to help her walk better.
•
We gave her a set of utensil holders donated to TWI by Ms. Syron.
There is a strap with a slot for a spoon or fork that wraps around her hand and
is held fast by a velcour strap. This will allow Laijla to feed herself. This
was very exciting for her and her mother! We also gave her a place mat for
dinnertime.
•
We gave her a stuffed animal donated by a person at Discovery
Channel.
•
Bobby has a vest for Laijla which Ms. Syron had suggested to try.
Laijla puts her arms
through the back side of the vest and it is then wrapped around the back of the
chair and buttoned. This will hold Laijla straight up in the chair. Nicole
suggested that the chair have a cone attached in the chair that will fit between
her legs and help hold her in place.
Aldin:
1.
We took a walker to him that was donated by Ms. Syron's Pediatric Clinic,
but it was too small.
2.
We measured him from waist to foot (90 cm - around 86 cm, but his father
suggested one to measure up to 90 to allow for growth.
3.
We will ask Ms. Syron if she would donate a new walker similar to the one
she donated for Laijla for Aldin.
4.
Problems Aldin is having:
•
He has a difficult time trying to walk, because his feet turn
inward and he trips over them
•
He cannot feed himself
5.
Resources at his home:
·
He sits in a special wooden chair with a tray, foot stool and a cone
support between his legs in a chair that was donated by a social worker who was
doing volunteer work in Bosnia
·
His father made a walking rail in the back of his apartment for him to
exercise on. The rail is made out of pipes that were supposed to be used to
repair the heating system in the apartment building, but the city workers had
purchased the wrong pipes and just left them - and his father put them to good
use.The apartment has no heat, but Aldin has an exercise apparatus
·
He
uses the walking rail and does so well, but he stumbles over his feet
·
He
has a wheel chair
·
A
brace is being made for him that will keep his feet straight - this will make
the possibility of him being able to walk easier
·
TWI
donated 200DM for the shoes that he will be able to wear with the brace.
6.
We gave him a set of utensils - and one for his brother, who is not
disabled, so he can help Aldin learn to feed himself by eating together - with
both using the utensils
7.
We have a vest for him that will hold him upright in a chair. At the
moment, he is unable to
sit with his back to the back of the chair and this vest should help hold his
spine upright.
Mehmed:
1.
We took a utensil holder and place mat for him to use during meals
2.
We also donated a ball for Mehmed to use to strength the muscles in his
fingers
3.
Problems he is having:
•
At this time, he cannot move his fingers. Nicole, pediatric
physiotherapist who works with TWI in our program for children with disabilities
suggested these items and the clinic she works for donated the utensil holder
>
We
delivered donated walkers to Laijla
an 8-year old girl
and Aldin a 14-year old boy. A utility holding set and placemat were given to Mehmed, a 14 year
old boy who has been unable to feed himself or use his hands in any way.
These children attended the Camp
for Children with Disabilities.
Please
help us continue to assist these wonderful children. 
Donate
now by credit card to help the TWI Program
Updated:
11/25/2004