Dushanbe team set to visit U.S.

After many weeks of working through the red-tape of planning an extensive visit around the world in the U.S., the Dushanbe team is finally set to come! They are scheduled to arrive in Chicago on August 7 and return August 18.

Those who will make up the Tajik team include a delegate from the Dushanbe city mayor's office, a university English teacher, a lawyer specializing in volunteer organizations, translators, and students from School #21 who were among the original pen-pals with students at Holy Cross school in Fort Wayne. Victor Ibragimov will lead the team.

During their visit in the greater Fort Wayne area a variety of activities are planned for the team, including:
- public school tours
- Indiana-Purdue University tour
- Glenbrook mall visit
- Fort Wayne tour (zoo, city parks, museums, etc.)
- Regional city visit (Chicago, Detroit, Indianapolis?)
- Recreational time (state park perhaps)
- Volunteerism training
- Volunteer mentoring/projects at Black Pine Animal Park
- Amusement park or "fun time"
- and surely more!

We are looking forward to a great cultural exchange and learning experience! Stay tuned for more news...

Lori

Dushanbe Zoo volunteers complete new lion habitat

Hi everyone,
The construction of new lion habitat is finally completed. Bobo (green
T-shirt in pictures) is a lead volunteer with over 500 hours worked at the
Dushanbe Zoo working on different projects: installation of volunteer
center room, painting the habitats of exotic animals, working on
playground area, improving the wild pigs habitat, creating the new lions'
habitat, and working on the garden area preparation. He is a hard worker and
now has many skills to share with other volunteers.

Enjoy the pictures!
Victor
(Correspondence received 7/15/08)