Author Archives: cosv

INTERVIEW TO…Suzana, administrator in Montenegro

When did you start working with COSV? And how?

In the 90s, COSV had just arrived in Montenegro, following the civil war in the former Yugoslavia, and the state of emergency for refugees from Kosovo. I did an interview with COSV representatives and the next day I started working as an interpreter. I went through almost all positions and roles in this NGO, starting from scratch, developing my competences every day.

What does it mean for you working for an NGO?

This type of work is a constant challenge to all points of view.  Always new, interesting, offers many opportunities to develop both professionally and personally. The fact that I can think of and search tools to find solutions to the problems of my country, that’s satisfying. I find it a great job, full of life.

How is your involvement in an international NGO perceived within your social context?

Working for an NGO in my country means to receive respect to the activities and attempts than you do to improve the conditions of life in your society. People are aware of the various efforts that you make to improve the reality, and respects you, participating and cooperating with more attention than as they would do with those who come from other professional ranges of society.

What do you think is the main impact of the job you are doing?

Working with COSV for many years, we have developed beautiful projects, leaving a variety of human and material values to my country, giving it the chance to recover from the war and develop as a country worthy to be called European and civil. Actively participating in all activities and being involved in this process I can only be proud of what we did. Every day I can see the positive impacts of what we have achieved, together with our many partners, both in human terms, offering opportunities for social inclusion of vulnerable groups, and from the point of view of infrastructure that can be used for the development of new sustainable policies in the areas of tourism and economic development.

Which have been the most meaningful experiences?

For me, the most significant experiences were the ones who brought me to higher levels in acquiring new knowledge, learning new approaches and growing professionally. I cannot chose one in particular because I think all of them are very important for every step I made in my working life.

Have you experienced changes and disappointment in these years?

Changes – of course! I actually have started “from scratch” knowledge about NGOs, then, I have been living many changes. With full knowledge I can say that I have not had any professional disappointment, indeed.

What’s your favourite proverb?

“All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any” (1 Corinthias 6:12)

At what age did you get out of the house?

At 18 years.

With whom do you live?

Alone.

Do You have pets?

No at this time.

What cannot you resist?

To love.

In what are you unbeatable?

In being a friend.

Tattoos?

Yes, two.

What makes you blush?

A glance from the person I am in love with.

What are you afraid?

Loneliness in old age.

A hero of the story?

Moses the Egyptian.

A person that you appreciate in international politics?

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi

What do you expect from your future?

A quiet life, healthy, full of travels and discoveries of new worlds, full of good times and love, with money enough to live a life of dignity and no more.

How do you see Montenegro in 20 years?

I want to see a country that has been able to resume his road, that recognizes its potential to develop into a paradise for those who live here and all those who come to visit.

Letter to President Napolitano on the “Cavour promotional campaign”

Ngo Association Link 2007 – Cooperating in Network, adheres to the letter addressed by a broad grouping of civil society organizations to the Italian President Napolitano, expressing displeasure and opposition to the Ministry of Defence’ decision to use the Cavour aircraft carrier in a five months promotional campaign of the Italian arms industry, along with other commercial, military and humanitarian activities.

In particular, LINK2007 opposes the inappropriate involvement on the humanitarian aid, that based on precise codes of conduct and international constraints must be neutral, independent and distant from any exploitation for economic purposes, including the field of armaments as in this case.

Moreover, some of the countries that the Cavour tour will visit are affected by serious tensions and worrying setbacks in terms of human rights and internal democracy. Given these facts, the initiative appears even more inappropriate: based on a logic of promoting Italy abroad, it may end up feeding strong criticism against our country.

In all cases, to promote Italy abroad the Government can’t make an instrumental and subordinate use of humanitarian aid, contravening those codes that have been endorsed at international level.

www.link2007.org

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Adareeb, West Darfur, the inauguration of the new health center

Adareeb, 10 kilometers off-road from Kulbus, West Darfur … here the 10th of October was inaugurated the 12th health center in West Darfur, within the program of maternal and child health that COSV is realizing in West Darfur.

The PHCU (Primary health care unit) of Adareeb consists of a hall for a medical examinations and a room for visits to pregnant women; the Community Health Worker and a Midwife ensure the basic health care and pre-and post-natal care to the population of the village, referring the cases that need more appropriate care to the health center of Kulbus.

In addition, a peer educator will be responsible for outreach activities to promote the approach of pregnant women to the centers to seek advice or assistance, and the vaccination campaign for children under 5 years of age.

Many people of the community participated to the inauguration: the wise men of the village, in their white jallabihe followed by the women in their multicolored veils, have approached the center for its first official opening ; it will soon be equipped with the necessary materials and medicines to carry out medical examinations and awareness campaigns.

The center is located next to the village school , where the community and the authorities have joined together with COSV staff to emphasize the importance of the opening of this center , which finally allows the population to receive first aid without having to walk up to Kulbus . Dr. Abdallah , doctor in the hospital of Kulbus , asked to the community to collaborate as much as possible , to take care of their center , so that it becomes a point of reference for the population.

The Commissioner , Mohamed Abdallah , the authority which represents the entire province of Kulbus , pointed out that the proximity of the center to the school wants to send a clear message , that health care should go in parallel with school and education system to support the growth of boys and girls of the village; he also emphasized that  40 other villages in the town of Kulbus are still without any health service and that water constitutes another priority.

The health coordinator for COSV in West Darfur, Yousif Abdelbagi , reiterated that these results have been possible thanks to the collaboration between different actors , first and foremost the community, which becomes the true guardian of the health center .

Adareeb health center is another important small step in the path that COSV, together with the Ministry of Health and the local NGO NAHDA, are making to improve maternal and child health in support of the most vulnerable population: pregnant women and children under 5 years.

The program, begun in 2005, has always involved the Ministry of Health, which in recent years has provided much of the staff of the centers, and that from now on will be supported by the COSV directly to take charge of health centers in the perspective of a sustainable management of the services offered to the population.

written by Claudia Cui, COSV Co-director, responsible for international projects.