Volunteer work in the balkans with balkan sunflowers

So I emailed resumes and missive to major alleviation organizations. No response. But when I emailed an enquiry to Balkan Sunflowers (BSF), I received a quick reply. Though the item on what I would be doing were sketchy, I was invited to come to Republic of Albania. Balkan Sunflowers was the inspiration of Wam Kat, a Dutch peace militant with long and varied experience in the wars of the former Yugoslavia. His Republic of Croatia diary, an about daily net report during the before war, had been followed by one thousand. It even caught the attending of Al Gore, who cited Kat's attempt as an illustration of the difference individuals can make in the world. In late June I flew from Hub of the Universe to Rome—commercial message flights to Albanian capital were uncertain during NATO operations—and then to the port city of Bari.

As prearranged, in Bari I met a Canadian volunteer, Chelsea, to share the overnight ferry ride to Republic of Albania. In Durazzo we were captured by an energetic taxi driver before we'd disembarked and our bags muscled out of port on a large cart earlier we could protestation. An hour later Chelsea and I entered the Balkan Sunflowers Peace hostelry in Albanian capital. Though most refugees returned to Kosovo, Balkan Sunflowers continues work in Republic of Albania and Macedonia, as well as in Kosovo. Our children's activities include games, athletics, drama, music, environmental awareness, video, art, and film. We have restored city parks, installed playgrounds, painted a major city mural, helped on a refugee camp paper, hosted therapist and children's theater troupes, distributed tens of thousands of teddy bears, and much more. Volunteers pay their own travel and day-to-day expenses and make a one-time contribution of $120. BSF provides food, housing, and accident insurance. For more information see www.balkansunflowers.org.

RAND ENGEL left business consulting behind in response to the Kosovo refugee crisis. He has coordinated Balkan Sunflowers Kosovo activities since July 1999.