Belarus, the country settled on the Eastern frontier of the EU, has 10 million inhabitants, many of who are really longing for democracy and the rule of law – despite of official declarations. They do not feel intimidated by the threats of their President and his enormous security apparatus, wish to introduce a democratic form of governance and insist on the independence of the Belarusian State, which was created not long ago, and their own Belarusian identity. The pictures from the Independence Square in Kiev are unforgotten, especially the moment when two Belarusian patriots were uncoiling a banner between all the demonstrators dressed in orange: “Ukraine today, Belarus tomorrow!” Thus they gave a sign of hope to many people in this apparently quite isolated country. Maybe their wish will be fulfilled soon and a flourishing civil society will develop in Belarus.

With the initiative of our Belarusian partner, an organisation called “Social Projects”, and together with the German-Russian Exchange, a volunteering agency was founded in 2006 in the city of Gomel. We hope to give a small contribution to establish a lively and democratic civil society in Belarus.

The aim of this volunteering agency is to promote the concept of volunteering at the local level and to build up a network for the NGOs of this region. Our task includes setting up a database and providing information material as well as organising and facilitating workshops and conferences on the topic of volunteering. Furthermore, the volunteers and the staff of the NGOs should attend to the volunteers through seminars and trainings, in order for them to be prepared to their work.

The volunteering agency is settled in the heart of the city – hidden somewhere in a wildly romantic backyard with an old factory work room, surrounded by old cars, which would fill many lovers of old cars with enthusiasm, a fountain, the spirit of which should be revived, and an old, but very agile and humorous housekeeper. Inside the factory work room, two courageous and dynamic women, Nina and Irina Kekuch, installed a cosy office, with computers, a corner for seminars and everything that is useful for a volunteering agency.

If you are interested in our project and want to get more information about it, please contact Ms Evelyn Scheer on 00 49 30 44 66 80 15 or by email: evelynscheer@austausch.org.