Legal Commentary

Jill Nawrocki, who left ALM to join the Peace Corps, where she is working with young people in Africa, is a treasure. She is an absolute delight, smart, perky (in a good way), indefatigueable, warm, with a joyous personality and outlook.

Her experiences are so humbling, and just reading her missives makes we want to cry for the things we take for granted, and what a huge difference in people's lives can be generated by just small change. Like just giving a toothbrush and toothpaste to a child.

It makes me cringe to think of how much money I fritter away on Diet Cokes. Anyway, let me turn the mic over to Jill (with the request that you e-mail this to your dentist, and ask her or him to forward it to others in the dental community).

Dear Friends and Family:



As many of you know, I've been serving as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Namibia since last November. I'm living in a small town of about 5,000 people where access to basic health care needs?like doctors and dentists ? is extremely limited.



My primary assignment is in health education and outreach. This includes the development of a girls' club, an after school sports program, life skills training for area youth, community workshops, leadership camps and HIV/AIDS awareness. One of my new projects is developing a preventative dental care curriculum for primary school learners.



And I'm asking you for your help.



Two dentist serve the entire Kunene Region?the second largest in all of Namibia. Scheduling an appointment can be difficult?and at times, even impossible. While most people in America see a dentist twice each year, children in Khorixas are lucky to see one twice in a lifetime.



Prevention is essential, which is why my workshops will focus onteaching some 2,000 kids in Khorixas and the Khorixas District about proper oral care, daily brushing and regular flossing. I'd like to provide each learner with the necessary tools: floss, toothpaste and a toothbrush, as part of this.



Which is why I need your help with funding.



Just $3 (about N$23) can provide one learner with everything he or she needs to get started with proper oral care. The money spent on sending one flat rate box overseas could buy about 35 toothbrushes or 50 tubes of toothpaste.



I am serving in a developing country, and because of this, the logistics of this project are less than ideal. Money cannot be sent here directly, since envelopes are usually searched and checks can be cashed without a signature. But if my Peace Corps experience has taught me one thing so far, it's to use whatever you've got in whatever way you can.



With that in mind, my mom (THE Brenda Nawrocki) has agreed to collect donations stateside and deposit them into an account I have access to here in Namibia. If you provide her with your email address she will contact you upon receipt. I will also let you know once your purchases have been made and which schools they are going to help. In addition, pictures and stories from the workshops will be posted on my blog.

[Note from Mon: I don't want to publish Jill's mom's address on the web, so e-mail me and I'll provide it to you. Jill's also looking into a PayPal acct.]





Sure, the arrangement may be less than ideal. But this is your opportunity to help children in a place where help is rarely found.



Please let me know if you have any questions.



Thank you,



Jill Nawrocki

PCV, Namibia





For more information on this program and my community go to:



http://jillnawrocki.blogspot.com/2008/03/healthy-teeth-for-healthy-kids.html