Blog Posts tagged with "Azerbaijan"

September 15 is the first day of school in Azerbaijan and I was fortunate enough to attend the opening ceremony for Barda school #2 located about 400 KM west of the capital Baku. It was a great honor to join the Deputy Minister of Education, Cabinet Minister for Internally Displaces Persons & Refugees, Regional Mayor and US Embassy Charge D'Affaires, Adam Sterling, in opening our 16th new or renovated school in Azerbaijan.

School children flowers in hand, excited about their brand new school.

This $670,000 school, built by the US Army Corps of Engineers in cooperation with a local contractor, is simple by US standards with outdoor latrines, a small boiler and water tank. Each of the classrooms had 3 rows of 2-person desks and a chalk board at the front. But, if you could have seen the joy of the parents, children and local community you'd have thought we'd built them the Taj Mahal.

When this community absorbed some of the 1 million IDPs in Azerbaijan they lost their school. The old dilapidated school is now filled with blanket walled shelters that serve as homes for the IDPs living there. This forced the children to attend school in shifts using small temporary shelters with no windows. So while the simple 13-room school house donated by US Department of Defense might seem basic to the average American, it was a drastic improvement for the children of Barda.

Students perform a dance at the ribbon-cutting ceremony as the U.S. Chargé D’Affaires to Azerbaijan, Mr. Adam Sterling, Deputy Minister of Education, Regional Mayor, local media and myself observe.

And Sept. 15 was all about the children of Barda school #2 and the ability to provide a healthy environment for them to learn. I was, at once, impressed with the turn out of the local and national media, the kids in their sharp uniforms, the parents and teachers all so grateful for making a dream come true. This is more than just building a comfortable learning environment, but about partnering with Azerbaijani people to build a future.

On the wall of the media room, were only two maps: one of Azerbaijan, the other of the United States of America. It is clear to me that our caring gift of a schoolhouse has helped shaped a positive US image for these students, parents and teachers of, at least, this school. The principal was presented a book of images of the USA. She told me, glancing through the photos, that she was inspired by a country that represents freedom, democracy, and equal opportunity for all...and that she would leave the book in her office to inspire others as well. We are making a difference-one schoolhouse at a time.

Me testing out the new basketball hoop donated by the Peace Corps.

Greg Zielinski,
CAPT, CEC, US Navy
“HA all the way…for the Love!”

U.S. European Command
J-4 EN Division Chief