[strawbale] Fwd: Kosovo Needs Straw Bale Builders !

[Catherine Wanek <blackrange@zianet...>]

Hello all- Below is a message from Lois Nicolai, who is
currently supervising registering Serbian voters for the upcoming
election in Kosovo.
She has been sending regular reports (I will also forward on her latest
report, sent two days ago, which gives some background to her
request.)

I am very torn -- as I am very committed in the next few months, and
cannot organize such an effort. I would be willing to donate some money,
however.
I have also forwarded this to the Builders without Borders steering
committee -- but we in the US are so far away.  I could perhaps get
some people to commit some financial assistance.

I know that there is the upcoming gathering in Slovenia to prepare for,
but can anyone help with this appeal?   It seems like a very
good symbolic opportunity, and Lois' ability to organize are
formidable.

Do feel free to contact her directly, and CC me on your emails.

Thanks for reading this.
Catherine



> Dear Catherine,
>
> Finally -- Kosovo Needs Straw Bale Builders !  I have been searching
> for two years to find a need to build that first strawbale house here in
> Kosovo, and here it is.
>
> Please take this very serious.  I pray you, or someone within the
> Strawbale Builders Community will consider my plea seriously --
> immediately!
>
> If you read my 4th Report from Kosovo that I sent today, you will have
> read about this little man who came to me this week.  He is probably
> in his 60's and his father in his 80's.  Their home in Zubin Potok
> was bombed by NATO two years ago, and there just isn't anyone to help
> him.
>
> Zubin Potok is in northern Kosovo, in Serbian country.  There isn't
> any NGO's helping in this region at all, and the people of this region
> feel so deserted by the International Community.  
>
> Millions and Millions of dollars are being poured into the Albanian
> communities of Kosovo, but no-one is helping the Serbian people.  It
> is a real disgrace.
>
> I spoke with CIVPOL, the United Nations Civil Police.  They are in
> the municipal building where I am working with OSCE registrations for the
> Nov. 17th election coming up.  The Assistant Chief of CivPol is
> Keith, an American.  He said if you will come and build this man's
> house, the entire police department will help in every way we need them
> -- right down to helping with the labor. But they don't have $$$$.
>
> The United Nations Administrator of the municipal building is Christine
> Boyle, from Scotland.  She is on vacation in Scotland for two more
> weeks.  I am certain she will help us in many ways also. 
>
> We also have the Danish KFOR troops there, whom I am sure will help
> us.   
>
> We have the straw -- the wood for framing -- and probably everything else
> you need.  What we don't have, we'll find.  
>
> This could put Straw Bale Building on the front page of the news, also,
> because it is an excellent story about the Int'l community coming to the
> aid of a family home that was blown up by mistake by NATO.  
>
> Please send this e-mail to all the builders everywhere.  Please send
> it to Netherlands -- to Denmark -- and to everyone in both Europe and the
> USA. I don't have any of their addresses with me today here in
> Pristina.  I am certain the European builders will help, because
> they really wanted to come to Kosovo when I met with them in 1999. 
>
> If it is possible, why don't you or someone you want to send in your
> place come as soon as possible and we can explore all the
> possibilities.  You do not need a visa, and you can fly from the USA
> thru Vienna or Zurich or some other European country into Pristina
> Airport in Kosovo.  I will come down the evening you arrive and pick
> you up.  You can stay with me in my apartment.  I have a little
> 2 bedroom apartment, so I have room.
>
> I do believe waiting two years to find the right time is now! But we need
> to do it right away.  I will be here in Kosovo until the elections
> Nov. 17th, and the weather gets bad in November, so we need to start
> immediately.
>
> Hope you get this .  Wow, I just found some of the addresses of
> those in Europe, so I will send them a copy of this letter.  Let's
> make this a GIANT Int'l project. 
>
> Looking forward to hearing from you.
>
> Love,
> Lois Nicolai