Shtesë » English

In Memoriam to the biggest humanitarian and courage man - Eli Eliezri

E marte, 05.10.2010, 09:56 PM

IN MEMORIAM TO THE BIGGEST HUMANITARIAN AND COURAGE MAN – ELI ELIEZRI

THE AMERICAN JEWISH JOINT DITRIBUTION COMMITTEE

KOSOVA ACTIVITY REPORT JUNE 1999 – JUNE 2001

INTRODUCTION BY THE AJJDC REPRESENTATIVE

On June 26^th 1999, Still with NATO troops in the background in Kosova, I, as a representative of AJJDC (and later World ORT also) arrived in Prishtina, the capital of Kosova, in order to assess the situation and to find ways in which to help.

I was faced with the devastation of war torn city, with broken and defaced building, homes, public building and schools.

Children were roaming in the streets with no place to study and without a daily routine. Seeing the children playing by the road side brought to my realization that our most important initiative was to bring back order and help these children to return to their normal lives.

After visiting the Faik Konica school on Mother Theresa Street, a school that was badly damage and deserted of children, we decided that they should be able to return immediately to their schooling and that we should take upon ourselves to pay the teachers salaries.

Thus, we commenced our organizations program of activities, most of which are based on the schooling and education of the Kosovar children, whether by building and renovating schools, or insuring the safety of the children by building fence around the schools.

Donations and contributions for our projects were received by different donors, The Jewish Coalition of America, the Jewish Federations and the AJJDC. It should be pointed out that many of our activities are in cooperation with World ORT, that contribute to the different activities from their expert know how, as is elaborated in this report.

I wish to conclude that our job, in the past and today, is important and significant. I take this opportunity to thank all AJJDC staff in Kosova, local and International as a whole. Finally I wish to thank to all of our different partners, such as UNMIK, UNICEF and any other NGO working with us in the region.

ELI ELIEZRI

AJJDC and World ORT

Representative in Kosova

THE AMERICAN JEWISH JOINT DISTRIBUTION COMMITTEE (AJJDC) was one of the first NGO’s to arrive in Kosova after NATO intervention, in June 1999. The idea was to assess the situation and plan an activity program in Kosova. Since then, many programs and activities were implemented by the AJJDC Kosova Team.

This report will describe our activities in Kosova since June 1999. Due to the large amount of data, this report shall only summarize and describe the most important programs, which the Kosova team undertook in the last two years.

The AJJDC’s activities can be divided into two main categories, activities that were identified by the Kosova Team itself of other entities, such as the United Nation Mission in Kosova (UNMIK), UNICEF, Kosova Forces (KFOR), the International Organization (IOM) and other Non-Governmental Organization (NGO’s).Some of the projects were set up by request of the beneficiaries themselves, such as school directors.

In most of its activities , the AJJDC is not only providing funds, whether as full or joint funding agency with other groups, but is also actively implementing the programs or projects. For example, the Youth Magazine project (jointly funded), the KPC training or the computer training of teachers, which aims at enabling them to teach their pupils computer skills, which well be further described below.

One of our key principles is to get the local community involved in our activities and allow them to take part in the needed work. This conceptual perspective has been adopted in the program, which provides each school in our care with a certain amount of money (Petty Cash) which they utilize according to their needs. Another illustration, described in detail further on, is the projects of building fences, which the school personnel builds with material donated by us, with the support and supervision of our consultants and engineers.

It should be noted that most of our projects or activities, as will be reported here, concern the children of Kosova whether directly such as providing them with coats or indirectly by re-construction of schools.

SCHOOLS RENOVATION AND REHABILITATION IN KOSOVA

SCHOOLS IN PRISHTINA

The program of renovation and rehabilitation of schools in Prishtina was divided into three phases, plus personal accounts for schools program which will be elaborated as follows:

PHASE I - EMERGENCY WORKS.

PHASE II - PRIMARY SCHOOLS

PHASE III - SECONDARY&NEW PRIMARY SCHOOLS

SCHOOLS PERSONAL ACOUNT - IN ALL AJJDC SCHOOLS

PHASE I – EMERGENCY WORKS

As the team of AJJDC’s mission arrived in Kosova, it met with all the school directors in and outside Prishtina. Together with them, we decided to start by first dealing with the “EMERGENCY REPAIRS” such as glazing, sanitation, canalization, electricity, insulation, roofing, doors, doorframes and others. It is important to emphasize that all schools had grave sanitation problems and most of them the toilets could not be used at all.

THE FIRST PHASE

In the first phase we repaired all the glazing in most of the schools of Prishtina and in some schools we completely renovated the toilets including pipes and all necessary equipment. In all schools old and amortized equipment that could not function was replaced with new. All leaking, surface were checked and repaired. Many crucial places, which required paint, were replaced. In DARDANIA 46 doors that had been totally damaged and broken during the war, were replaced with new ones. In NAIM FRASHERI we completely renovated the gymnastic room including parquet, new plaster and paint. In total, only within the emergency action plan, we fixed about 5000 m2 of glazing, 4 boilers, 52 sinks, 154 doors, 480 m2 ceramic tiles, 154 accessories, 1320 m2 roofing, 460 m2 insulation, 57 toilets and more. By the end of September, 1999 all schools were ready to start the new academic year.

It should be noted that after the emergency repair (Phase I) were completed, all schools are undergoing additional repairs which were either less urgent or required much more time and planning the others, as will be mentioned in the section on Phase II and Phase III of this report.

PHASE 2 – PRIMARY SCHOOLS

As mentioned above our work in the schools of Kosova started with emergency work. Some of the first schools in which we started rehabilitation were FAIK KONICA and FADIL HISARI primary schools in Prishtina and Prizren.(See below).After successfully managing to help these schools in the first month, we undertook, upon the request of UNICEF, to renovate all primary schools in Prishtina, a total of 14 schools (including FAIK KONICA)

The schools in Prishtina are the following:

FAIK KONINA
ELENA GJIKA
NAIM FRASHERI
ILIRIA
PJETER BOGDANI
PJETER BOOGDANI – KOLOVICE –SATELLITE SCHOOL
GJERGJ FISHTA
NAZIM GAFURRI
ZENEL HAJDINI
DARDANIA
ISMAIL QEMALI
METO BAJRAKTARI
HASAN PRISHTINA
ASIM VOKSHI
EMIN DURAKU

As part of Phase II, we renovated all of the above-mentioned schools. Only a brief review will be provided, as it is impossible to mention the work done in all the schools.

FAIK KONICA – SCHOOL

We painted all the internal surface of the school and some of external surface of the school. In addition, we installed a computer lab, elaborated below, and provided the school with a generator.

ELENA GJIKA - SCHOOL

We renovated most of the school. This included the painting of all external surfaces and renovation of all the toilets. In addition, we prepared a quite innovative project for a pre-school. The kindergarten is a very unusual and different day Care Center from the ones that already exist in Kosova, due to its modern decoration and a special program planed by the school director and us.

PJETER BOGDANI - SCHOOL (+ SATELLITE SCHOOL)

As part of our renovation program, we painted all the external and internal surface of this school, changed the roof tiles completely and built the toilets.

ILIRIA – SCHOOL

In addition to the Emergency Work in this school, we contributed, upon the request of KFOR, all the needed funds for the renovation of the sport hall in this school.

GJERGJ FISHTA – SCHOOL

As part of our renovation program we painted all the external surface of this school and re-isolated of the school roof. In addition, we erected a full computer lab including all the required furniture. We also surrounded the school with a new metal fence and a concrete basis (170 m) and painted the existing one. (See also in Computer & fence chapter).

NAZIM GAFURRI – SCHOOL

The school is situated in a very poor area and was extremely neglected. The school property was not surrounded and protected by any fence and therefore was used as a parking lot for trucks and cars. This was of course a very dangerous and undesirable situation, which existed for years. We launched a joint venture with BRITISH KFOR and surrounded the entire school with a metal fence of 460 m2 on a concrete base.

In addition to all other works, the school had an unfinished Annex with (Skeleton). We financed and supervised the conclusion of that Annex with the addition to two floor toilets. In the last few weeks, we also financed the creation of two rooms that linked the Old school with the new Annex.

ZENEL HAJDINI – SCHOOL

As part of our renovation program we painted all the external surface of this school and renovated the school toilets.

DARDANIA – SCHOOL

Because of this school’s bad condition and neglected situation, we painted and plastered the entire school surface, inside and outside, changed some of the roof tiles and the doors. In addition we provided all the funds to re-paint the entire school fence.

Recently, upon request of the school we finished renovation the school’s sport hall, for the enjoyment and benefit of the pupils of this school.

ISMAIL QEMALI – SCHOOL

Upon request of the school, we recently painted and plastered the internal school surface, which was in a very damaged state.

HASAN PRISHTINA – SCHOOL

We changed the toilets, re-isolated the roof and did other necessary work. We have recently finished renovating the school’s sports hall including replacing all broken windows for the enjoyment of the pupils of this school.

ASIM VOKSHI – SCHOOL

Although all emergency works were completed in this school, we did some additional work such as changing many doors and old canalization pipes.

EMIN DURAKU – SCHOOL

The school had no proper toilets. Therefore as a first stage we re-built an annex of three floors with 18 toilets.

In addition we painted and plastered the external surface of the school.

PHASE III

SECONDARY AND NEW PRIMARY SCHOOLS

After concluding all emergency work and other work as mentioned above, in different schools in Prishtina, the AJJDC undertook the renovation of some secondary schools.

SAMI FRASHERI – SCHOOL

As part of allocating, this school, as a location for one of our Computer Labs, we then renovated the entire school from inside. We also agreed with the school director to use one of the school’s rooms as an editing room for our YOUTH MAGAZINE. Recently we provided the school with a generator and prepared a special room for it. We also fixed part of the roof in this school.

XHEVDET DODA – SCHOOL

This school is one of the oldest and most neglected schools in Prishtina. We rebuild the 400m fence in this school and , since no NGO was willing to renovate the external surface of the school , we decided to renovate it, changing the pipes and the roof completely. It should be mentioned that in order to re-plaster the school, we had to remove all the existing plaster. This renovation was successfully completed in March 2001.

SHKENDIA – SCHOOL

We are assessing the work that needs to be done in this school. We might renovate the entire school surface internally and externally.

SCHOOL PERSONAL ACCOUNTE

In addition to the work that is financed and supervised by as, we gave the schools an initial amount of money, which is meant to enable them to fix their small daily problems on their own with their own staff. This financial support took place during the year of 1990 and it has been decided to renew all school funds in the year 2000 as well, in order to allow all schools to continue to perform minor technical and cosmetic repairs.

In addition, we are keeping track of the needs in all our school and extended the funds above mentioned when necessary. We are performing additional works according to the schools needs.

SCHOOLS IN PODUJEVA

Our work in this region, some of which are still are still in progress, can be divided into three: emergency work in co-operation with other NGO’s, full construction work (category 4-5) and school re-building upon the request of UNICEF.

EMERGENCY WORK

ELENA GJIKA – SCHOOLS– BUILDING NO.2, LOCATED IN SHAJKOFC

The glazing work in this school has been completed. In addition the entire school was plastered and repainted and e new floor was installed for the entire school (the old floor was made of wood and was totally rotten).

ALI AJETI – SCHOOL – SATELLITE SCHOOL IN BALLOFC

We took on ourselves to do only the glazing in this school. The work in this school has been completed.

ALI AJETI – SCHOOL – SATELLITE SCHOOL IN LLADOFC

We took on ourselves to do only the glazing in this school. The work in this school has been completed.

KADRI KADRIU – SCHOOL IN LLAUSHA

The glazing work in this school, as it is under the responsibility of another NGO. (I.I.S.A.)

JETA E RE – SCHOOL IN TERNAVA

The glazing work in this school has been completed. We shall not continue to work in the school since the Islamic relief has already asked to rebuild a new school in Ternava.

JETA E RE – SCHOOL IN HALABAK

The glazing work in this school has been completed. We did not continue to work in the school since the Islamic Relief has already asked to rebuild ë new school there!

FULL CONSTRUTION WORK (CATEGORY 4-5)

EMIN DURAKU – SCHOOL IN BAJQINE

This was a category 4 school, which was burned and destroyed by the Serbs. We undertook upon ourselves to reconstruct this school entirely. In addition we donated ë fence to surround the entire school.

JETULLAH GASHI – SCHOOL IN DOBERDOL

The glazing in this school has been completed. In addition as part of the second phase, we did the plastering and renovated the entire school. In addition we redid all the electricity, the floor and the toilets of the school, and added a new playground with asphalt grounds. The school was renovated as category 4 re-construction and was finally surrounded by a 60-meter fence.

ALI AJETI – SCHOOL IN SFEQEL

These schools were severely neglected. We therefore replaced one of the roofs and all the floors, doors and windows, electrical system. We undertook many other qoerks, including painting and plastering in both schools. In fact, we renovated the school as category 4 reconstruction.

RE-BUILDING UPON REQUEST FROM UNICEF

Based on our expertise, UNICEF contracted us to be the implementing contractor in the category 5 re-construction, of two schools in Podujeva region as follow:

SHEFKI KULETA SCHOOL IN TERNAVA – 6 CLASSROOMS

SAMI FRASHERI – IN MURGULL – 4 CLASSROOMS

SHOOLS IN PRIZREN

The reparation works in FADIL HISARI PRIMARY SCHOOL, have been completed , including the re-painting and plastering of all the external surface of the school. We also installed a computer lab in this school (see further below).

The school, directors received funds on a regular basis, to help with minor technical and cosmetic repairs, which may be performed by the school janitor. Further, we contributed funds for the erecting of a fence for the safety of the children in this school.

SCHOOL IN KAMENICA

Although our organization undertook to assist and help schools in Prishtina and Podujeva region only, we were approached by UNMIK and of the director of NUHI BASHOTA, school in Tygjevc , Village in Kamenica. They requested that we do some emergency work, which included replacing the water system and repairing the toilets in the school. The work is in progress and includes installing 4 Km of pipes to renew the water supply.

FENCES

The fence-building program in the different schools is divided into three different implementation projects:

1. FULL FENCE DONATION

2. MATERIAL CONTRIBUTION AND SUPERVISION

3. FENCE PROTOYPE, IN COOPERATION WITH UNICEF.

1. FULL FENCE DONATION

In some of the schools in Prishtina, the property was not surrounded and protected by any fence. It is therefore used as a parking lot for trucks and cars. This dangerous situation has existed for years. Taking into account the children’s safety, we decided to donate several fences in the following schools:

NAZIM GAFURRI SCHOOL IN PRISHTINA

We donated a fence of 460 meters with a concrete base.

XHEVDET DODA – SCHOOL IN PRISHTINA

We donated a fence of 400 meters with a concrete base.

GJERGJ FISHTA – SCHOOL IN PRISHTINA

We donated a fence of 170 meters with a concrete base.

JETULLAH GASHI –SCHOOL IN DOBERDOL

We donated a fence of 60 meters with a concrete base.

EMIN DURAKU – SCHOOL IN BAIQINCE

We donated a fence of 190 meters with a concrete base.

2. MATERIAL CONTRIBUTION AND SUPERVISION

We are in the process of building a model program where we donated all the needed material for a school fence, prepare the plan and supervise its construction. The concept behind this program is community participation. The school janitor’s skills were put to use,and we provided him with vocational training in welding

The first school in which we started to build this model is ELENA GJIKA school in Shajkofc.

3. FENCE MODELS IN COOPERATION WITH UNICEF

We were recently requested by UNICEF to prepare a project model to build fences in the 22 schools that are currently under construction. We will then prepare a drawing with each school’s trainee and supervise the implementation of the fence.

COMPUTER LABORATORIES IN KOSOVO

Six computer labs have been set up in Kosova, four in Prishtina and two in Prizren in the following locations:

* FAIK KONICA – Primary School in Prishtina.

* SAMI FRASHERI – Secondary School in Prishtina

* GJEGJ FISHTA – Primary School in Prishtina

* 28 NENTORI - Secondary school in Prishtina

* FADIL HISARI – Primary School in Prizren

* QENDRA E ARTIZANATIT – Vocation Training Centre in Prizren

Five out of the six lab, mentioned above, are being used for teaching computer skills to different schools teachers and other mature candidate in the afternoon. In the morning, most of the computers labs are used for older children in the different schools.

It should be noted that in Sami Frasheri School, the lab couldn’t be used afternoon, since the school has a full time computer-training program as part of the school curriculum.

In Gjergj Fishta School, the computers have been given to us via KFOR that we upgraded. At the present, we are in the process of training a few more groups in the afternoon for mature students.

In each lab, there are between 10 and 15 computers that are installed by JDC/ORT’s computer expert, Mr. Arber Fazliu. Today, we employ 5 computer teachers that train and teach the students in various programs, such as Basic Computer Training. More than 820 students finished and qualified for a Diploma.

The objective is to use the existing labs around the clock by opening as many groups as possible in the morning and afternoon, in this way we can provide introduction to computer courses to as many people as possible.

As for the lab set up in the Prizren Training Centre – Artizanati, we are providing a course in Accountancy Management, as a follow-up to Basic Computer Training. Until today we trained more than 10 people in this unique program. In basic computer training, we trained more than 500 people.

Since new accounting laws were introduced, the program is being restructured. In the next few weeks, we will open one more course in Accountancy Management and three more Basic Computer Training programs.

In conclusion, we have trained more than 1.300 people to date in different areas of computer skills. More than 820 people have received a diploma from ORT, our partners in vocational training.

It should be noted that we have also set up one lab in the capital of Macedonia , SHKUPI (Skopje).

YOUTH JOURNALS

The “MILENIUM”

The purpose of the Mileniumi Youth Journal was to set up an innovative non-political and non-profit semi-professional training program and youth journal for and by secondary school children of Prishtina. We hoped that such a journal would foster a critical approach using journalistic tools.

Our organization, with UNICEF as a joint financing partner, implemented the proposal for the establishment of the magazine, which became a huge success. The magazine is now being printed in 15.000 copies every month. It therefore reaches a large part of the youth between the ages of 14-18 in Prishtina. The magazine is also being distributed outside of this city.

We established an editing room that includes all the necessary hardware and software, with Internet facilities and full furniture. We provided the youth with several cameras and any other equipment they might need

Until today,we issued 11 colours editions of the 40 to 50 pages each. We plan to publish another 7 numbers of the youth magazine, and to recruit more student journalists for the magazine. We want to extend the magazine’s activity to towns outside of Prishtina, publishing articles from young people of different places.

In accordance with the Youth Journal Objectives and Regulations, we are providing the members of the “Mileniumi” youth magazine, with vocational training in different fields of journalism such as design (layout), journalism or photography. Until today more than 30 journalists have received various trainings with international and local media professionals, travelling around Kosova as part of their training. The youth were also invited to participate in seminars with professional newspapers. A Mileniumi journalist will soon participate in a seminar outside Kosova.

THE SERBIAN MAGAZINE

When Mileniumi was established, it was planned that youth from all ethnic groups would participate in the same program. However, it was soon concluded that this is not possible for various reasons, which UNICEF agreed with, that will not be specified in this report.

Recently, we were approached by UNICEF to initiate a similar magazine on the basis of the success we had with “Mileniumi”. We were asked to establish a similar magazine for the Serbs youth in Kosova.

The implementation of such a project will be different in some ways from “Mileniumi”, as a result of the different community structure of the Serbs in Kosova. At the moment, there are around 4.000 Serb youth between the age of 14 and 18, living in isolated communities, all over Kosova. We are in the process of assessment of a plan to produce and distribute the magazine among them, in the same objective and professional way as “Milenium”.

SPECIAL PROJECTS

SCHOOL BAG DISTRIBUTION

In the 1999 school year, we purchased 3600 school bags, which were distributed among first graders in primary schools. The school bags were distributed in more than 20 schools. Most of the schools received bags for all first-graders and some of the schools received bags for all pupils.

This year, we set up a continuation program. We purchased 5.000 high quality school bags, which were distributed to all new students, first-graders, in more than 35 primary schools.

SHOE DISTRUBUTION

We received 20.000 pairs of children’s shoes from an American donor. Five thousand has been donated to Macedonia via the Jewish community and we have brought 15,000 pairs to Kosova.

The shoes were distributed among Kosovar Children with the help of local communities, and especially to those who are orphans, have a parent in a Serbian jail or simply have financial problems.

COAT DISTRIBUTION

This year, based on an assessment in some Kosova villages, we initiated a winter coats distribution. We purchased 5,000 winter coats in different colors. We distribute them in all the villages around Podujeva region and in other regions where there is need. The aim is to reach to all children that cannot afford to purchase winter coats.

TENT DISTRIBUTION

Stimulatingly, of renovating different school as presented above and in order not to delay the schools beginning we gave ten winterized tents to five schools, which were completely destroyed. (A list of these schools was submitted to UNICEF in September 99).

HOSPITAL BED SHEET DISTRIBUTION

Last year, at the request of the Prishtina Hospital Glaciology Department, we purchased 800 bed sheets to all beds in this department.

This year, based on immediate need, at the hospital management’s request, we decided to purchase 6,000 bed sheets for Prishtina Hospital as a whole.

This year, as opposed to last year, we insisted that the sheets be produced inside Kosova, to engage the economic development of the textile industry. It should be noted that we also gave “Mitrovica” Hospital in North Mitrovica 1,100 sheets as well.

CHOIR – ZENEL HAJDINI – SCHOOL

In April 2000 we were asked to support the Choir of Zenel Hajdini School. We supplied them with a unique uniform to al the children and maintain their welfare. From that date until today this Choir has been performing all around Kosova as a semi professional choir.

DUPLICATING/PRINTER MACHINES

As a starting point, we have brought two professional duplicating/printer machines, which are located in ELENA GJIKA, and DARDANIA primary schools in Prishtina and are to be used by all surrounding Primary schools of Prishtina for their daily needs. As a follow to that program, we bought another 8 machines that were distributed in the following locations –SCHOOLS AND UNIVERITEIS:

GJERJGJ FISHTA

NAZIM GAFURRI

ZENEL HAJDINI,

ILIRIA

NURSERY SCHOOL

FADIL HISARI

PRISHTINA UNIVERSITY

DARDANIA

The last machine will be donated in North Mitrovica in a location soon to be decided.

In each one of these locations, we provide all needed ink and master every few month and provide 5,000 sheets of paper every few weeks for the use of the schools. In total, we have distributed 10 machines and more than 150,000 photocopy pages.

The location of all machines has been selected carefully, taking into account the size of the student population or users in each location, and the number of neighbour schools that could make use to these machines.

It should be mentioned that these machines are much more powerful than normal copying machines and are very easy to maintain. Therefore they will be a great help to the school.

ESTABLISHMENT OF PSYCHOLOGY DEPARTMENT

Upon request from different official bodies in Kosova, such as UNMIK, the University International Rector and Minister of Education and NGO’s, we have been asked to finance the establishment of a Psychology Department.

The reasons behind such a project are many. The conceptual background as mentioned in the project Proposal, made by Dr. Mr. Moshe Landsman, is as follows:

“There is no need to convince anyone that a war-torn Kosova desperately needs well-trained mental health personnel who will make a meaningful contribution to rebuilding a critically injured and torn society. Even if Kosova were not so traumatize there is little doubt of a basic need for the mental health personnel to aid in the ongoing processes of living in modern society-schools, mental health clinics, developmental clinics and evaluation.

Today in Kosova there are less than ten applied psychologists of any kind. In a territory of over two million people this is unacceptable to say the last. One of the reasons for such a small number of psychologists is that the University of Prishtina has no program to train psychologists. The following proposal is an attempt to address this problem in a way that will be fitting to the specific needs of Kosova.”

At the moment the whole project is in the preliminary stage. During the next few months, more surveys and planning will be made, and we hope that this year the institute will be open for registration.

MUSIC ACADEMY – COMPUTERIZE COMPOSITION ROOM

The Music Academy in Prishtina University requested that we set up a computerized composition room. We prepared a plan to build the laboratory in the Music Academy and financed it entirely.

The location of the room is inside the Academy. According to a plan made by us with close collaboration with the Academy personnel, we started at the preliminary stage, renovating the room completely, changing the floor and replacing the door, adding unique bars with curtains on the windows and all the necessary furniture to the room.

In the second stage, we purchased 6 top of the line computers with all relevant equipment such as headphones and sound cards. We created 8workstation for students with a very powerful server and professional 2000w speakers. We also financed the purchasing of one high-level sound card from Austria with the supplementary software. Each will feature a computer and a synthesizer.

VOCATIONAL TRAINING – WITH WORLD ORT

SEWING AND CUTTING – VOCATIONAL TRAINING CENTER

The concept behind this Vocational Training program was to train local workers in the field of professional sewing and cutting. We have reached an agreement with the manager of “Printex” textile factory in Prizren.

We will train approximately 20 local workers in professional sewing with the help of “Printex” experts. These trained workers shall hopefully integrate the factory after their training. The 18 hectare factory is lacking professional workers and any trained manpower will be hired by the factory.

We also provided vocational in sewing that more than 60 students completed in “Artizanati”, one of our training centers. As part of providing comprehensive vocational training in this field, we also opened a follow-up program to teach cutting. In this additional program, more than 30 students concluded their studies. In total around 90 students received a diploma.

METAL AND WELDING VOCATIONAL TRAINING CENTER – PRISHTINA

As part of our co-operation with World ORT and our Vocational Training Program, our intention was to train local workers in the field of professional metal work. For this purpose, we have brought a welding expert and professional teacher from Israel. The trainees shall produce metal products. At first, these will be mainly playground accessories, which shall be donated to schools in Kosova. As a rule, all products shall be adapted to local needs.

Three 60 hour courses were completed, including Arc Welding and Gas Welding. In total, we trained 46 candidates in our workshop in Prishtina, at the Technical School “28 Nentori”. Each student that finished and qualified for Diploma received a Welding machine (ES 210), Helmet and box of electrodes, that will belong to the school that each member is part of. The idea of providing each student with these tools is part of our concept to allow them to practice the sills they gained in their own schools.

According to the model program built and taught by Mr. ARIE KORIKEN with the assistance of Mr. EDMOND TRBUNJA, more then 55 people have completed there studies.

METAL AND WEDING VOCATIONAL TRAINING CENTER – PODUJEVA

In these days we are in the process of establishing a similar Center as in Prishtina in the Technical school in Podujeva, supervised by Mr. KURAKIN.

ENGLISH LANGUAGE CENTERS

To date there are about 2,000 registered to learn English. By September 2000, we already provided for more than 500 people elementary English courses and more than 100 continued with an intermediate English program. The courses took place in 8 different schools in Prishtina and in one school in Prizren. Today the courses take place in 10 different schools.

400 sets of English books were bought in the UK and sent to Kosova. These include textbooks for teachers and students, student workbooks and the accompanying cassettes. All the mentioned books have been distributed to all the students that concluded the English courses as mention above.

In the last few months we were in the process of re-organization of all English Vocational Training following the summer vacation with our external pedagogic supervisor, Dr. SHYKRANE GERMIZA, the VICE DEAN of the English Department in Prishtina University.

The supervisor job description was to create a unified teaching program to all our English Vocational Training and a close supervision of its progress. As part of achieving this global the Supervisor made a seminar to all the previous teachers and new teachers. In total 10 teachers participated in the seminar.

Accordingly, we opened more than 30 groups of English courses, training more than 600 people in Elementary program (Headway) every three month. In these days, we open another three groups of pre-Intermediate and intermediate level. In the following 2 years more than 1000 people participate in this school and more than 500 graduate and received a diploma from World ORT.

It is important that we teach English to Kosovars in order to enable them to use the IT packages since the U.N. Mission in Kosova (the body which is currently governing Kosova) wants to give priority to IT in Kosova. Basic English Training is fundamental for any in Kosova.

EXECUTIVE REVIEW

Since we arrived in Kosova, we have carried out a variety of activities and programs that can be summarized as follows:

SCHOOLS RENOVATION & REHABILITATION

As part of the Emergency Action Plan (Phase I), we fixed approximately 5000 m2 of glazing, 4 boilers,52 sinks,154 doors, 487m2 ceramic tiles, 154 accessories, 1320 m2 roofing, 460m2 insulation 54 toilettes and more. By October 1999, all schools were ready to start the new academic year.

After successfully helping these schools in the Phase I Program, we undertook, at the request of UNICEF, to renovate all the primary schools in Prishtina, a total of 14 schools (including Faik Konica). As part of these Phase II projects, we did different jobs from plain painting to renovating toilets and even entirely building some annexes. We renovated 3 secondary schools..

We also did emergency work in 5 schools in Podujeva region and rebuilt 3 schools as category 4-5 from skeleton. At the moment we are concluding the Category 5 construction of 2 schools in this region on behalf of UNICEF.

In total, we financed and renovated 40 schools around Kosovo in accordance to their needs and conditions.

We continue to finance the “Schools Personal Account” (Petty Cash) in more than 15 schools.

In total, we donated and supervised the installation of more than 1,200 metres of fence with a concrete base. We prepared a fence model with the participation of the community. It will be implemented in 22 schools at the request of UNICEF.

COMPUTER LABORATORIES

Six computer lab have been set up in Kosova, three in Prishtina and two in Prizren. In these labs, we trained more than 1000 people in basic computer skills and other programs. We also provided computer training to more than 280 members of KOSOVA PRTECTION CORPS upon request from IOM and KFOR.

YOUTH JOURNALS

We are currently financing the MILENIUMI youth magazine. The magazine is being printed at 15,000 copies every month. This project is being expanded to a magazine for Serb youth in Kosova.

SPECIAL PROJECTS

We donated and distributed:

8,600 school bags to first-grade students.
20,000 pairs of shoes primarily to children in Kosova and some to children in Macedonia.
5,000 winter coats in different colors to children around Kosova villages
10 tents.
6,800 sets of bed sheets (pillow, bed cover and blankets) to Prishtina Hospital.
10 duplicating/printer machines in a various academic institutions, including periodical supply of ink and master and more than 150,000 sheets of paper.

ESTABLISHMENT OF PSYCHOLOGY DEPARTMENT

We are in the process of evaluating and planning the establishment of a Psychology Department in Prishtina University hopefully starting in the Academic year 2001.

MUSIC ACADEMY – COMP. COMPOSITION ROOMS

We set up a top of the line Computerized Composition Room that includes 8 computers, 8 synthesizer, furniture and equipment.

VOCATIONAL TRAINING – WITH WORLD ORT

As part of our Vocational Training Program, we trained more then 150 people in sewing and cutting, 60 people in welding and more than 1,000 in English.

THIS REPORT HAS BEEN WRITTEN, EDITED AND DESIGNED BY:

IDO.A. SINAI, ADV.

JUNE 2001 – PRISHTINA - KOSOVA