From: "Fatimakhon Ahmedova" To: Cc: Subject: RSEP Date: Sunday, May 20, 2001 5:48 PM Dear friends, My name is Fatimakhon Ahmedova, I am from Tajikistan, Khujand.Do you know where it is? No? This is not a capital city. Thi is a town situated in the northern part of Tajikistan. People from Tajikistan were not aware of all your programs before. Who could go to the USA 3-5 years ago? Just rich people who paid bribes to the people siting in Dushanbe, the capital. Years of 2000 and 2001 became famous for our little town because 4 people- citizens of it- had come to the USA. All of them were the finalists of the RSEP selection Committee. I was among them. After my several attempts to pass through the competition in Dushanbe I came to know about the bribes system. But I was against paying of any kind of sum to anyone. I saw how people worse than me in their knowledge could pass through the competitions and won the trips to the USA ans spend their time there free of charge owing to some American Programs (though this is an irony, they were far from scince and they were richer but smart and poor were out). After thinking deeper I sent my documents to the USA, Washington DC ( it was my first attempt to RSEP) and I was called to take part in interviewing which had been successfully passed by me.I spent wonderful and unforgetable time in the USA. But all those was possible due to the support of the Washington Office of RSEP. I have never had any trouble with the transportation, checks, useful information and materials. The Pre-Academic Session was so well-done that after my reaching of the very place I had known where to go and what and how to do. I`d like to emphasize the very fact of my coming to the USA. Don`t you think that the facts that people living not in the capital are very rare in your programs can serve as the proving facts of the fair and useful activity of the RSEP? I come to believe in fair selection due to this my coming, due to RSEP, which tries to select people not just from the capital-city but also from its suburbal towns. Just think, please, that last 2-3 years people who were involved into the ACTR/ACCELS Programs had been citizens of Khujand. I know all of them because we live in a small town. Some of them didn`t know what the computer and e-mail is. Now we write letters to each other ( I am in the USA, they are in a small town -Khujand). They are involved into new life, new kind of activity. All of them are doing something useful trying to apply new knowledge, widening their own world outlook. Now all of us are interested in what is going on in the world, how to react on it, what to doin future. For example, me. I know what kind of projects I`ll do in the nearest future. I came to know a great number of new people- scientists, journalists, teachers, eduators, students and even schoolchildren. One of my ideas will be describing the program activity everywhere i my Province on the base of our NGO. Could I do it if I would apply to another program through Dushanbe? NO! I tell so because of my sad past experience. Besides, I want to stress that the announcements about RSEP can be found in Khujand in newspapers. No one announcements about IREX or about other programs for researchers you cn find in local press.. We know about the activity of RSEP, and the local office in Dushanbe tries to do its best in advertising of all the programs they have in time: FSA, RSEP, Muskie and etc. I am in despair and I want you to support the Program more in order for such people like me to have the real opportunity to come and to spread their knowledge in their small, but full of smart and poor people towns far from the USA ans Washington, DC. Thank you for your attention and time shich you apent reading my emotional letter.Sorry. Sincerely, Fatimakhon Ahmedova RSEP Alumnus 2001. Tajikistan, Khujand. --------------------------------- Do You Yahoo!? Yahoo! Auctions $2 Million Sweepstakes - Got something to sell?