UkraineWorks.org

Home [/] Contact us Etching of me done by Andriy Shabunin, a member of the National Union of Artists of Ukraine and a recipient of international prizes for his etchings, resides in Ivano-Frankivsk. Assumptions and Misunderstandings Memoir of an Unwitting Spy Based on saved letters I’d written family and friends while in the Peace Corps, I have recorded a short but fascinating period in the history of Ukraine. Read more At Risk Children It was in 2000 while teaching English to 9 th formers in the Stryi Gymnasium that I first became interested in working with Ukraine’s at risk youth. As part of a class in Environmental Science, I had students do a “re-use” project with donations earmarked for the areas three orphanages. In 2003, I started Friends of the Morshen Orphanage - which in 2006 I expanded to include an Internat (boarding school) in Mykolychin. Since the appointment of a new director, the school’s condition has improved markedly. But to turn a dilapidated warehouse for children of alcoholics into a decent educational facility for children will take time, money, dedication and tremendous energy. Your help is needed! Read more Hutsul Folk Artists In 1993, in conjunction with Kolomiya’s Ethnographic Museum and with the help of an excellent interpreter, I hosted an exhibition of Ukrainian folk art. My interest was fourfold: to recognize the many artisans producing high quality folk art in the region, to provide them with a market, to attract tourists to Kolomiya and to help the local economy. Because I wanted Kolomiya to be seen at its best, we invited a fabulous troupe of young dancers to perform and the owners of my favorite cafes to provide refreshments. Although my interpreter and I had done most of the work and the exhibition had been a success, employees of the Ethnographic Museum voted never to do it again. But that did nothing to quell my interest in folk art or in helping artisans. By funding a self-sustaining website for highly skilled and creative artisans, I hope to continue this tradition. This month’s artisan is renowned wood carver Mykola Strynadyuk of Kosiv. Read more Support for Green Tourism In 1993, Kolomiya was largely litter free. Plastic bags were used and re-used, washed and dried and used again. Then, in the late 1990s, seemingly almost overnight, ice cream appeared in wrappers, single serving packages of cookies were introduced, and even in the bazaar, vendors handed customers produce in small plastic bags. Plastic bottles of Coke, Pepsi and Sprite showed up and the formerly pristine countryside took on the appearance of a garbage dump. We hope gradually to reverse this trend. Tanya Bovich has not only begun producing cloth bags which are both sturdy and attractive but she has also pledged to contribute $1.00 from the sale of each bag to educating school children about the harmful effects of littering. Read more Home | Assumptions and Misunderstandings | Children at Risk | Hutsul Folk Artists | Support for Green Tourism | Contact us