28 MARCH 2002

Change comes slowly to Chukotka, but it comes, and with it comes the need for Friends of Chukotka to look at changes in what neighbors can do to help most. For this we rely a lot on what families tell us in their letters.  Most villages now report adequate food staples in their stores, but other items are unstable in terms of the amounts available. For example, several women wrote from different villages that they needed needles and thread. Unemployment is still very high, meaning that in each village there are a large number of families who can't buy what is in their store. Pensions and aid to children have increased a little but are still adequate only for food staples and a few small items.

AFOC has been unable to get information from Russian Customs on what we need to do to assure a "humanitarian aid" shipment will be accepted on that side. American Customs has become more fussy also after 9/11. Therefore parcel post still seems the best way to get to the villages for now. We will continue to focus each month on what can help people to help themselves at the local levels where many agencies can't reach much as yet. But many things we are doing seem just right, according to the letters we get back from families and local groups. This spring we used a grant of $2000 from the American-Russian Center of the University of Alaska to send twenty more fish net webs, and lures, (in boxes of outdoor clothing and boots) direct to families. We ordered another 15 nets, and again another 20 with funds from two private donors who have supported us for years. These funds also cover the postage costs. Working in partnership with the Russian Far East Task Force our goal is to reach 6-12 families (depending on size of village) in each of the forty villages with net webs by end of 2002. That will mean we have also sent clothes or other items as well to all forty. AFOC's goal is only eight more villages.

Due to the success of our nationwide call for yarn, we are also able to send a small quantity of yarn in every family box. If they write back indicating they would like more, we send more. This, like net web, is lightweight and easy to send, but of great benefit to the family and for barter or a small cash income for the women. Warm sox was one item we were having a hard time procuring and this is our solution. As materials become available in Anadyr for low prices, we will purchase items there using local coordinators, to be transported to the villages by trusted couriers. We plan to try it this spring for villages close to Anadyr. The advantage is speed of delivery as well as savings.

This last fall-winter we tried another means of reaching the youth with clothing by sending direct to the regional boarding schools, since that is where they are most of the year. We got a huge grant of used ski jackets from the American Friends Service Committee and about 20 more boxes of coats from several church groups to carry this out. We have heard from two of the schools that the boxes arrived and are anxiously waiting to hear from the others. Five church groups in our network continue to support large numbers, mailing direct to the regional orphanage, the hospitals, and three village administrations. The rest of our network (about 30 groups or families active) mail direct to Chukotkan families or donate postage money. They get lots of interesting letters back, and many have established quite a  connection. That was one of the goals of AFOC. Based on requests, one of the new ideas we would like to raise funds for is sending of basketballs with the other school supplies we send. Alaskans know that winters can be long and Chukotkans like basketball just as much as we do. One way to raise the spiritual and social health of a community is through healthy recreation for the whole family. (If they can't play or watch basketball, they can knit!)

To those of you who prefer to send funds, we continue to rely on donations for the postage, pixie lures, mailing tape, and the small items like soap, dental floss, school supplies, etc. that we stuff in the corners of the boxes. Postage will continue to be our biggest cost at $48 a 20 lb. box, but a great amount of valuable donations can go in that box.

Here are some of the things that have been requested by individual families:
footwear (always #1)
raingear
summer boots
hip boots
nets
fish lures
school and hunting backpacks
yarn
needles
thread
skin sewing needles
seed beads and needles
colored pencils
baby bottles
warm sox
mittens
Occasionally we get a request for a Bible in Russian. We get requests for penpals from students, but we can't find any US students that want to send old fashioned letters. They are all into email! When Chukotkans travel to Alaska for research meetings we encourage them to come look at the things in our storage and take whatever they wish. It is interesting to see them go for pencils and pens and other items we take for granted.

FOR YOU DIRECT MAILERS TO FAMILIES, WE NEED TO REMIND YOU TO SEND ONLY ONE OR TWO BOXES AT A TIME TO A FAMILY, KEEPING THE TOTAL VALUE UNDER $100 U.S., FROM EACH DONOR FAMILY. Some of you want to send more at a time, but then the gifts need to come from different people. Postmasters can be more liberal about this, but we can't guarantee that. These are personal gifts we are sending, not humanitarian aid, and there is a limit on what they can receive from one donor without paying duty. Since the mail is often piled up at a regional location until there is a full load to go to a village, each donor should consider sending only one shipment (under $100) every two months or so. We have had trouble with this only at one location, but one time is enough for me to send out a reminder. We have not been able to get a clarification from Anadyr; that postmaster was not the one who gave us a problem. Therefore take heed!

Have you looked at Patty Gray's website lately?
www.chukotka-ethnography.org
She has a new interesting section on the problem of alcohol abuse, something to face everywhere across the far north of our world.  The way we can assist with this problem is through prevention activities such as Alaskan orgs attempt: improved opportunities for work and recreation alternatives in remote small communities. We are addressing that need with much of what we send. Your suggestions are welcome!

AFOC January 2002 Newsletter

AFOC October 2001 Newsletter

AFOC September 2001 Newsletter

AFOC July 2001 Newsletter

AFOC April 2001 Update

AFOC February 2001 Newsletter

AFOC January 2001 Newsletter

AFOC December 2000 Newsletter

(If you browse these other newsletters, come back to this page by using the "Back" button on your browser)

Return to the AFOC page