Alaskan
Friends of Chukotka (AFOC) is
a non-sectarian
group
based in Nome, providing mainly clothing, nets for fishing,
sewing tools, and school supplies to villages all across Chukotka. Many
of those who
participate
in AFOC are people who made trips to Chukotka early on, when the border
first opened and there was an atmosphere of excitement and euphoria. As
news of deteriorating conditions in Chukotka reached
them,
they felt compelled to act and try to help their neighbors and
friends
-- and in some cases, relatives. AFOC works by trying to draw attention
to the specific needs of residents of Chukotka, by disseminating
information
about the region, and by trying to coordinate the efforts of various
relief
agencies who are willing to help deliver aid to Chukotkans. One of the
ongoing projects of Alaskan Friends of Chukotkans sponsors is a
family-to-family gift box by post project. AFOC has gathered lists of
specific
Chukotkan families and their needs, and Alaskan families prepare boxes
for them and ship them by regular post. The postal system is slow, but
it is generally reliable for parcels, and it bypasses the problems of
U.S.
and Russian customs surrounding large aid shipments. If you would like
to help AFOC with their efforts to aid Chukotkans, contact coordinator Nancy Mendenhall at the postal address, e-mail, or
phone
number
above.