The American International Health Alliance Partnership “Sakhalin-Houston” involving the Korsakov Central Rayon Hospital and the Baylor Medical College in Houston, Texas conducted its concluding conference entitled “Dissemination of Success” on April 28-29 at Senigorye. Officials from the Sakhalin Oblast Department of Health, Korsakov Rayon and other Sakhalin rayons as well as medical personnel and administrators from the two partner medical institutions attended. Ms. Ivazyan again served as the chief organizer of the dissemination conference. The attendees discussed and reflected upon the main accomplishments of the four year partnership that: saw medical personnel from both partners conduct on-site visits exchanging approaches, ideas, and know-how; raised awareness of upfront disease prevention as the best public policy for maintaining a healthy population; placed heavy emphasis on women’s reproductive health as well as methodology and public outreach directed toward early detection of breast cancer; and successfully attracted additional resources into the partnership provided by Sakhalin oil and gas implementers. These major prongs of success: professional exchange of know-how; emphasis on disease prevention and early detection; public outreach; and attracting outside resources are models for future US-Russia health initiatives. Also in attendance were participants in other AIHA Partnerships representing the Tomsk RI (the Tomsk-Bemidji Partnership) and the Volga RI (the Samara-Iowa Partnership) as well as Sakhalin US – RFE Active Partnerships involving health issues. Coordinator Halstead presented short remarks noting RI RFE health activities directed at HIV/AIDS prevention, promoting adoption amongst the Russian population, recent IV Program US visits made by RI RFE nominated Sakhalin medical specialists, and his personal hope that the USG will fund a program in the RFE in the future directed at preventing cigarette smoking.

 Coordinator Halstead met in Khabarovsk with Garry Ledbetter, Director of the Russian Far East Civic Initiatives Program on April 21. Mr. Ledbetter became the Director of the CIP during March. Discussions centered on: recent CIP grass roots, advocacy, community action, and resource center-based grants; Mr. Ledbetter’s upcoming assessment conducting visits to Sakhalin, Magadan, and Kamchatka Oblasts; the intermix of concurrent Sakhalin Oblast, Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk City, and oil and gas operator grant making activities being conducted on Sakhalin; the role of the RI in US assistance efforts in Russia; and the overall US assistance picture in the RFE in terms of individual USAID and US State Department-funded projects. Mr. Ledbetter and Anna Lygina, CIP Program Specialist then visited Sakhalin April 26-27. During the visit, the CIP representatives met with Sakhalin Oblast and Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk officials as well as oil and gas operator representatives with responsibilities in the social, public outreach, and NGO sectors. A large focus of these meetings was placed on avoiding duplication in grant making to collectively assist grant-makers in achieving more widespread and beneficial impact.

 Coordinator Halstead met in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk with Konstantin Porublev, Senior Credit Specialist for the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development Russian Small Business Fund on April 27. Mr. Porublev was visiting Sakhalin checking on the work of the Small Business Fund’s local partner banks – Sberbank and the Dalnivostochniy Bank. He reported that the level of interest shown by RFE banks in providing credit to entrepreneurs and small businesses was increasing appreciably. Correspondingly, the loan portfolios to SMEs made by Small Business Fund partner banks are increasing rapidly. Mr. Porublev also noted that banks themselves are more and more approaching and contacting the Small Business Fund hoping to become a partner bank. This development is a marked difference from the situation that characterized Small Business Fund and bank relations just a few years ago. Prior to his Sakhalin visit, Mr. Porublev conducted a similar visit of Small Business Fund Khabarovsk partner banks. These visits are illustrative of the truly RFE-wide approach that the Small Business Fund is employing also conducting activities in Primorski Krai and Magadan, Amur, and Kamchatka Oblasts.

The Open World Program with assistance from the American International Health Alliance conducted a two-day seminar on April 26-27 at Senigorye (30 kilometers outside of Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk) entitled "A Healthy Community" for 24 alumni of the October 2003 US-based training visit "Community Leadership Development Program". The alumni hailing from Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk and Smirnikh, Poronaisk, Tomari, and Nevelski Rayons were previously introduced during their US training visit to the healthy community's concept, medical strategic planning, and the US health care system. Marina Ivazyan of AIHA served as the chief organizer of the seminar that featured the alumni detailing how they have followed up on their US experience in their daily work activities. Also attending and presenting short remarks during the seminar were the Deputy Director of the Sakhalin Oblast Department of Health, Coordinator Halstead, and Assistant Coordinator Vasina. More information about the CLDP can be found at: www.openworld-aiha-communityleadership.org/english/index.htm.

The FOREST Project celebrated and marked “Earth Day” on April 22 through simultaneous events held in Khabarovsk Krai and Sakhalin Oblast. In Khabarovsk Krai, Patrick Perner, Director and other FOREST staff assisted in organizing a commemorative ceremony held at the Russian Federal Nature Preserve “Bolshikhektsirsky Zapovenik”. The ceremony featured remarks by the Director of the Preserve (representing the Russian federal government), officials from the Krai Forest Service, foresters, the NGO All-Russia Forest Protection, Mr. Perner, and Coordinator Halstead. The remarks focused on the need to use forest and other natural resources in an environmentally sustainable manner and praised the strong cooperation between FOREST and the Krai Administration. Excerpts from the ceremony, which was also attended by more than 100 school children aged 10-16 representing six schools, were widely shown on the Khabarovsk evening and morning television news. After the ceremony, the school children planted trees in an effort to raise awareness of the need to conduct reforestation and protect the environment. An environmental competition was also held focusing on teaching the school children about the Krai’s ecology. In Sakhalin Oblast, Vitalina Khristoradova, Director of FOREST’s Sakhalin Office organized events entitled “Decorate the Earth with Flowers” held at two grade schools. The school children aged 9-12 participated in various contests involving planting flowers and drawing “Earth Day”-related themes with winners receiving stuffed animals as prizes. The teachers and class leaders involved voiced hope that such events will become a tradition and be held on an annual basis. Excerpts of the events were shown on the Sakhalin evening television news. Assistant Coordinator Vasina attended these events with Ms. Khristoradova  and helped to organize the television coverage.

Leslie Anderson of Portland State University visited Sakhalin State University, Khabarovsk State Technical University, and Amur State Pedagogical University for separate three day intensive teaching stints during the middle part of April. Professor Anderson instructed students on various aspects of business development particularly regarding how a successful business is established and operated. The teaching stints also featured student-centered discussions regarding the economic and other factors that influence the standard of living of a given nation. In regards to his Sakhalin activities, Professor Anderson was introduced to SSU students by Coordinator Halstead with scheduling and logistical support provided by the Assistant Coordinator Vasina who also serves as the PSU-SSU contact person.

Assistant Coordinator Vasina working with the Public Affairs Section of the US Consulate General in Vladivostok organized a conference telephone call on April 20 between three within the last year Sakhalin participants in the International Visitors Program and the PA Section. The Sakhalin residents who were nominated by the RI RFE and participated in the IV Programs “E-Government and E-Learning”, “Tuberculosis Control in the US”, and “Understanding the US Adoption Process” positively and negatively analyzed their US visits for the PA Section for purposes of improving the effectiveness of future IV visits.

An event featuring William Rougle, Deputy Director of the “Eurasia Foundation” in the RFE was held at the American Corner. Mr. Rougle gave a presentation regarding the work, activities and direction of the Foundation including its future plans. The event’s attendees were interested to learn that Mr. Rougle: speaks fluent and is a past university-level instructor of Portuguese; is the author of several books; is an accomplished traveler; and enjoys studying numerous languages. An interesting nuance of the event turned out to be that one of the attendees also speaks Portuguese and consequently, Mr. Rougle and this attendee conversed afterward in their most unexpected common language.

Kevin McCaughey, Senior English Language Fellow resident in Vladivostok, visited Sakhalin State University's Institute of Economics and Asian Studies April 3-7. During the visit, Mr. McCaughey conducted a four-day seminar attended by 25 English instructors presenting creative, non-traditional for Russia approaches to facilitating English acquisition by students. Mr. McCaughey also interacted with SSU English students providing pedagogical and practical advice relating to: translation; oral speaking; creative writing; and English literature. SSU Vice-Rector Viktor Korsunov and numerous SSU English instructors strongly praised Mr. McCaughey for his extremely interesting English teaching approaches that SSU faculty hope to inculcate into their self-described "rather rigid" English curriculum. SSU, the English Language Office at the US Embassy in Moscow, and the RI RFE closely cooperated in originating, arranging, and organizing Mr. McCaughey's visit to Sakhalin.

The Institute of Economics and Asian Studies of Sakhalin State University announced the winner of its English language competition for students at a ceremony on April 1. Lyudmila Kim  took second place and due to the first place finisher already being employed, Ms.  Kim will serve as the RI RFE's intern over the next two months. Coordinator Halstead and Assistant Coordinator Vasina attended with the former giving remarks congratulating the winners and participants and recalling to the student's enjoyment how he had spent  April Fools Day 2001 ice fishing from 6 am to 6 pm sitting on the Sea of Okhotsk in Sakhalin's harsh cold without a bathroom and with limited food, then suffering from partial snow blindness trying to read his computer monitor the next day. All present agreeing (in good English) that only a fool would spend a Sunday day off in such fashion!