Can I be Cinderella?

Disney's Cinderella

Again and again I am struck by how some of the least fortunate children in Armenia live. Walking into the grey and cold dormitory, I feel a bit ashamed that I have complained about the temperature in my apartment. Even though we have two ovens in the Smiley Club room it is still cold. But the children come anyway.

Who said that Cinderella is for girls?

At the last meeting some of the volunteers came up with the idea to make a theatre performance of Cinderella. Today we are at the dormitory to ask them if they want to participate. Can you imagine their answer?

With us we have a surprise; the Cinderella DVD. Equipped with a laptop from the Norwegian Red Cross and speakers from the office we show the movie. Occasionally a mother or father knocks on the door and asks their child to come for dinner. The lucky ones who get to see the whole movie sit in the cold room with a look in their eyes that asks; can I be Cinderella?

Can I borrow your hat Kaja?

I hope it's not my mum in the door asking me to come home for dinner...

Contingency plan

If a major earth quake or another disaster strikes Armenia tomorrow, are we prepared, and how do we coordinate our work? This was the major question discussed when representatives from the government, local and international NGOs were gathered in Yerevan for a two day conference about disaster management in the end of January.

The main goal of the conference was to start the process of making a contingency plan. Edmon Azaryan, head of the Armenian Red Cross Society Disaster Management and Population Movement Department explains;

“A contingency plan is meant to coordinate individuals, agencies and organizations to effectively conduct a rapid and effective response. Contingency planning ensures the availability of stand-by resources and provides mechanism for rapid decision-making that can raise disaster response effectiveness and ultimately save lives”

Manush holding a presentation

During the two day seminar the participants were informed about each others work, and also discussed in working groups how they could coordinate their work more efficiently. When I talked with Manush Melkominan, the 22 year old head of the International Department in the Armenian Red Cross Society, she emphasized how important seminars like this is “It is important to remember that you do not work alone in this field-exchange of experience is crucial.”

The process stared at the conference will continue, and the contingency plan will be finished in mid March 2007.

Paying close attention.

Sitting between representatives for UNDP and MSF (leger uten grenser)