Subject: Greetings to fellow members
From: Richard Tracy (mciosh@mcikyr.bishkek.su)
Date: Mon Apr 05 1999 - 01:58:25 EDT
To the Members of the FERGHANA-VALLEY Discussion List:
My name is Richard Tracy and I am the southern regional manager for Mercy
Corps International. In this e-mail I would like to describe a little about
myself, a little about Mercy Corps and then the questions I would like to
put up for discussion.
Biography:
I have a bachelor's degree in Business Administration and a Master's degree
in Business Education from small colleges in the northeast of the United
States. I first arrived in Kyrgyzstan in June of 1995 as a member of the
third group of Peace Corps Volunteers. My assignment was to the foreign
language department at Osh State University. I taught English there for two
years. An additional work site was with Ron Taylor at the Osh Institute of
Western Education. I taught business and computers to adult learners.
Not only did I fall in love with Kyrgyzstan but also with one of it's
citizens. My wife, Angelina and I have been married for over a year now.
This is rather personal information to share with over 200 other people but
I wanted to let you all know that I have more than just a "work" connection
to Kyrgyzstan.
Mercy Corps International:
Since 1979, Mercy Corps International, a non-profit voluntary organization
based in Portland, Oregon (USA) has provided over $300 million in assistance
to more than 50 countries. Know nationally and internationally for its
quick-response, high impact programs, Mercy Corps allocates over 92 percent
of its resources directly to programs that benefit the needy.
Mercy Corps opened its first Central Asian office in Almaty, Kazakhstan in
1992. By 1994, it had opened three additional offices in the region,
located in Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan, thereby establishing
itself as one of the few international organizations to have a region wide,
on-the-ground presence in Central Asia. Mercy Corps' Central Asia Regional
Director, based in Almaty, Kazakhstan, provides regional oversight and
supervises each of Mercy Corps' Country Directors. The Kazakhstan office
also provides logistical support to the other Central Asian offices and
liaises with USAID's Central Asian Mission in Almaty.
In Kyrgyzstan, MCI's focus has been diverse. Distribution of rice and oil
to hospitals, boarding homes and kindergartens has been the backbone of our
program. Over the past 4 years it has grown to encompass such programs as
food for work, boarding home/school repair and kindergarten support. In
addition to humanitarian aid, much time and effort has been put into
establishing agricultural,women's micro and small to medium business credit
programs.
Another focus now is to help create food security for the institutions we
have been working with over the past four years.
Questions:
* Having lived here in Osh for almost four years, I have seen many changes
(some good and some bad). I would like to know what others have seen and
what trends they think might be in the future.
* I have personal experience working with local government (some good and
some bad). Is it possible to build a sustainable program without involving
government? If not, what are some of the ways to work with the government in
order to avoid problems?
* Could this discussion list also act as a means of communication for a
collective effort should there be a natural disaster that effects one part
or several parts of the Ferghana Valley? If not, I would welcome to host
this particular aspect so as not to detract from this discussion group.
Thank you for organizing this forum.
Best regards,
Richard E. Tracy
Southern Regional Manager
Mercy Corps International
333 Lenin Street
Osh, Kyrgyzstan 714000
Phone/Fax: (33222) 5 54 86
5 69 51
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If dialing outside of Kyrgyzstan*
996 3222 5 54 86 *
5 69 51 *
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