Thanks for the support! We’re ready to get 2011 Jampar started!

The Youth Corps program this year is completely different than what it has been in the past. With record-breaking number of applicants and participants the program blew up from one location having two two-week camp sessions to four locations. There will be two two-week sessions in Gyumri, one two-week session in Stepanakerd and Shushi respectively, and a one week “supercamp” in Broshian. How is this possible with 25 people? There will be two groups alternating from location to location with Group 1 completing the first session in Gyumri then working in Shushi, Group 2 closing the second session in Gyumri and instead starting off in Stepanakerd, and then both groups joining up and running a huge campsite in Broshian.

Today, Vache, Arpa and I sat for three hours separating supplies between different campsites. In a small hallway in our hostel we blocked off the road to the restrooms and set up our workroom where we counted, recounted, then divided construction paper, name tags, key chains, notebooks, pens & pencils, toothbrushes and toothpastes, soccer balls, and my personal favorite a t-shirt for the participants that was actually designed by a past “camper” from Gyumri.

While taking inventory and tediously attempting to divide the supplies evenly the topic of where the supplies come from came up. Although Youth Corps participants bring a box prepared by the council which is filled with supplies most of the supplies are actually bought in Yerevan. The logic behind it is to support the local economy… one that according to Forbes magazine has the second worst economy of the world. So to those individuals who have donated to the program THANK YOU! This is where your money has gone…. straight to the children.

Tonight I will go to sleep counting from 1-200, mumbling in my sleep whether the toothbrushes should go in Gyumri Box 1 or 3, and dreading waking up in a few hours to split up the campers classroom activity photocopies (6 huge boxes full). I will sleep knowing that these supplies are material belongings that we take advantage of having in Los Angeles, but here it is not something everyone can afford.

Patil Aslanian