Here is a list of some projects I’ve done or am in the process of doing since I entered my site 13 months ago. I also would be more than happy for you to comment on what YOU think would be a good (and realistic) project. Keep in mind, these are just projects, and do not reflect the work I do inside the classroom.
August 2010 – Books for Poverty – Officially the Ministry of Education is supposed to fund all the textbooks for students under the poverty line. Many students who were at the line didn’t get books from the government, but still could not afford them. Along with the ERC Director we raised hundreds of dollars for textbooks.
October 2010 – Teaching Medical Professionals English – This project fell through pretty quickly. My counterpart and I were supposed to teach English to the members of the medical profession and schools. Turns out we started competing with a municipally paid program doing the same thing. We ended it.
May/June 2011 – Beehives for Families – Another leftover project from a former Volunteer. He raised the money to get the beehives, I just oversaw that it actually happened.
March 2011-July 2011 – American Councils FLEX Teacher – I was chosen by American Councils in Tbilisi to be a Pre-Departure Orientation teacher for the students accepted as exchange students. We had training in Kiev, and along with another Volunteer participated in 2, 3-day long orientations for exchange students. This is probably the best thing I’ve done since coming to Georgia.
June 2011 – English-Georgian, Georgian-English Dictionaries – Raised funds to buy 100 dictionaries for English classrooms in my school and surrounding villages.
May 2011-April 2012 – Fitness Club – I am trying to raise funds to buy equipment to start a small fitness club in Keda. I have the interest of people, but not the money. Keep in touch, because I may be asking YOU for money soon. Just kidding. But, no, seriously…
August 2011– New Blackboards and White Boards – I am looking to help every classroom and school by raising money and buy blackboards and whiteboards for schools in the region. There are probably over 100 chalkboards that need replacing, and my goal is to hit 20 of them.
