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The Community Development Support Program in the Russian Federation

Project Complex

Valaam – Our Common Home

Grant amount $61 655   Grantee contribution $37 437   Total amount $99 092

List of thematic projects included in the complex:

• Modernization of Street Lighting
• Valaam Pottery Workshop
• Green Island  Environmental Site
• Playground  
• Sustainable Development Leadership School  

Municipality Profile Valaam Island is located 40 km from the city of Sortavala and is part of Sortavala Municipality. The population of Sortavala is nearly 21,400 people, of whom 400 live on Valaam. On this island stands the Spaso-Preobrazhensky Russian Orthodox Stavropigialny Monastery, the northern patriarchate of the Patriarch of All Russia. Project activities are aimed at the population of both Sortavala and Valaam.

 

Municipal problems addressed by the project complex

The problems of this municipality are related to  inadequate energy efficiency at municipal facilities; solid waste management; public participation in regional development; infrastructure; public health improvement; unification of the island’s organizations to form a common cultural and educational environment; organization of tourism activities; involving tourists in conservation activities; and low level of community leaders’ capacity to promote social partnerships, resolve conflicts, carry out projects, raise funds for development programs, and form public-private partnerships.

Project complex goals

• Consolidate the community through founding and equipping a Community Cooperation School consisting of an environmental education and tourism center, a pottery workshop and a playground.
• Bring together Valaam Island organizations to form a common cultural and educational environment centered around the local school.
• Tackle social issues and improve the quality of life of the island’s population.
• Promote economic development on Valaam through joint reinvestment decision-making with the Sortavala Municipality.
• Encourage more active involvement of community members and especially of future leaders (local pupils and students) in regional sustainable development.

Project complex contact

Vladimir Shishkin, headmaster of Valaam General Education School

Contact Information

4 Tsentralnaya St., General Education School, Valaam Settlement, Sortavalsky Raion, Republic of Karelia 186756;  tel.: 88143038211;
fax 88143038211; e-mail: Schvalaam@onego.ru

Organizations – members of the project complex consortium

Title	Category	Profile
Sortavala Municipal Administration	Municipal	Overall guidance of the municipality
Valaam General Education School, a municipal educational institution of Sortavala Municipality	Municipal	Educational activities
Kindergarten  # 15, a municipal child-care and educational institution in Valaam Settlement	Municipal	Child-care and educational activities
St.Petersburg State University	Government	Educational and research activities

Project period (months)

12

Start date

05/01/ 2007

End date

04/30/2008

Project

Modernization of Street Lighting

Organization
Sortavala Municipal Administration
Type of organization
Municipal
Start date: May 1, 2007
End date: April 30, 2008
Project summary
This project will replace old street lighting lamps with new environmentally safe and energy-efficient ones in the city of Sortavala in accordance with the approved City Street Lighting Improvement Program.  Energy savings from the Modernization of Street Lighting Project will be reinvested in social programs intended for Valaam Island.
Location
Sortavala
Contact information
6 Vyainemyainena St., Sortavala, Republic of Karelia 186790
tel./fax: 8 81430 2-52-00/2-52-01 e-mail: Sortavala_admin@onego.ru

Project coordinator – Nikolai Zayats, head of Sortavala Municipal Administration

Project goals and anticipated results

Project goals:

• Improve the living environment in Sortavala;
• Further develop the city street lighting systems;
• Create conditions for the social and economic development of the city of Sortavala and of settlements included in Sortavala Municipality: Zarechye, Krasnaya Gorka, Lamberg,  Lakhdenkulya, Nukuttalakhti, Oiyavois, Rantue, Tokkarlakhti, and Valaam.

Anticipated results:

• Installing 300 energy-efficient and environmentally safe lamps at the Sortavala street lighting system will allow to reduce power consumption by 102, 294 kW/h and save 110, 300 rubles in 2007 and  44, 000 rubles in the first quarter of 2008 (to be included in the 2008 Budget).
• Energy savings comprising 110,300 rubles will be channeled to social programs to be implemented on Valaam Island: landscape improvement and organizing youth activities.

• 15 community members will be involved in landscape improvement and waste management social projects on Valaam, including 10 young people and students.

Total project amount $ 35 000     Grantee contribution   $10 000    Grant amount $25 000

Project

Valaam Pottery Workshop

Organization
Valaam General Education School, a municipal educational institution in Sortavala Municipality
Type of organization
Government
Start date: May 1, 2007
End date:  February 28, 2008
Project summary
This project will set up a pottery workshop as the basis of a cultural and educational project “The History of One Valaam Clay Pot”; acquire and install equipment for the workshop; organize a school museum and carry out exhibition and educational activities; and acquire exhibition equipment.
Location
Valaam Settlement
Contact information

4 Tsentralnaya St., General Education School, Valaam Settlement, Sortavalsky Raion, Republic of Karelia 186756; tel. 88143038211; fax 88143038201

Project coordinator – Vladimir Shishkin, headmaster

Project goals and anticipated results

Project goals:

• Create conditions for the integrated development of the schoolchildren through a study of pottery traditions of Valaam from the point of view of the cultural, environmental and health aspects of the island.
• Set up a school museum and organize exhibition and educational activities.

Anticipated results

• Creation of new pottery items from Valaam clay; and arranging and conducting joint exhibitions and a permanent exposition.
• Conducting three master-classes and four excursions.
• Creating designs for pottery ware and conducting practical lessons for children.

Total project amount $ 8 280       Grantee contribution $ 0        Grant amount $8 280

Project

Green Island Environmental Site

Organization
Valaam General Education School, a municipal educational institution in Sortavala Municipality
Type of organization
Government
Start date: May 1, 2007
End date: February 28, 2008
Project summary
Building a tourist base camp.
Creating and cleaning a network of excursion and patrolling routes.
Creating a pilot school garden and a tree nursery.
Delivering lectures and conducting excursions to natural landscapes and historical monuments.
Location
Valaam Settlement

Contact information
4 Tsentralnaya St., General Education School, Valaam Settlement, Sortavalsky Raion, Republic of Karelia 186756; tel. 88143038211; fax 88143038201

Project coordinator– Dmitry Salenko, chief forest officer of Valaam Forestry

Project goals and anticipated results

Project goals:

• Organize accommodation for tourists and involve them in conservation activities.
• Arrange summer practical work for schoolchildren.
• Plant trees and shrubs to restore the monastery’s gardens.

Anticipated results

• From 200 to 400 kg of trash will be removed
• 2-3 km of irrigation ditches will be cleaned
• Ant hill on an area of 5-6 hectares will be enclosed
• Patrolling during the fire danger period will be carried out along 5 routes on 45 km
• 500-600 seedlings will be grown
• An ornamental plants nursery will be set up
• Trees and shrubs will be planted on 0.2 h in the settlement
• Data will be collected for a booklet devoted to Valaam nature monuments

Total project amount $ 8 610       Grantee contribution $ 1 500      Grant amount $7 110

Project

Playground

Organization
Kindergarten # 15, a pre-school education municipal institution, Valaam Settlement, Sortavala Municipality, Republic of Karelia
Type of organization
Municipal
Start date: May 1, 2007.
End date: November 30, 2007
Project summary
This project will build a playground for pre-schoolers and elementary school pupils; develop a set of activities and game guidelines for the playground; and create a natural history element of the project.
Location
Valaam Settlement
Contact information:1 Tsentralnaya St., Valaam Island, Sortavala, Republic of Karelia 186756; tel.: 8 81340-38-178/38-262
Project coordinator – Olga Golubtsova, kindergarten headmaster

Project goals and anticipated results

Project goals :

• Develop an infrastructure for improving the health of community members and especially children.
• Involve community members in regional development decision-making.
• Create conditions for the physical development of pre-schoolers and elementary school pupils and organize safe health activities.

Anticipated results:

• A playground will be built to create additional conditions for improving the health of the local children.
• A decrease of respiratory illnesses and a general improvement of the children’s physical condition.
• The kindergarten’s participation in the project and interaction with the island’s organizations will expand its methodological and educational potential.

Total project amount $ 6 000       Grantee contribution   $ 0        Grant amount   $6 000

Project

Sustainable Development Leadership School

Organization
Kindergarten # 15, a pre-school education municipal institution, Valaam Settlement, Sortavala Municipality, Republic of Karelia
Type of organization
Municipal
Start date: May 1, 2007
End date: April 30, 2008
Project summary
This project will organize a Sustainable Development Leadership School intended for various sectors of Valaam Island’s community, including local officials and entrepreneurs, and consisting of three 3-day seminars on the practical implementation of a sustainable development plan and a 2-week youth environmental camp with the participation of local schoolchildren and volunteers – students of St.Petersburg State University.
Location
Valaam Settlement
Contact information 7/9 University Embankment, St.Petersburg, tel. /fax:8 (812) 328-4159/328-3568; e-mail: sdp-spsu@yandex.ru
Project coordinator – Svetlana Chernikova, vice-dean of the Geography and Geoecology Department

Project goals and anticipated results

 Project goals:

• Teach local community leaders to form social partnerships, resolve conflicts, implement projects, raise funds for development programs, and form private public partnerships.
• Involve local residents and future leaders (schoolchildren and students) in addressing regional development issues.
• Strengthen interaction among the island’s population, local government and businesses with the aim of promoting sustainable development.

Anticipated results:

• Three 3-day seminars will be conducted. The educational program will instill practical leadership skills in 15 community activists who will attend a full educational course.
• An initiative group will be formed to develop and implement LA21 for Valaam Island.
• 15 student volunteers, 25 local school students and young people from Valaam Island and Sortavala will take part in the work of the environmental camp.
• Guidelines and manuals on environmental improvement and sustainable development projects will be written and published by school teams (3 printer’s sheets, 200 copies).

Total project amount  $ 41 203     Grantee contribution  $ 25 938       Grant amount  $15 265