Fifteen years ago PAFF started its programs’ implementation. We would like to invite you to see the five-episode video presenting the Foundations' activities aimed at supporting education, development of local communities and sharing Polish experiences in transformation. The video was screened during the Foundation’s 15th anniversary jubilee meeting held on May 15, 2015.
Episode I – Direction: good education
This episode is about PAFF’s activity in the field of education. Its presented by Jerzy Koźmiński and Radosław Jasiński. The Foundation’s initiatives are addressed mainly to small towns and villages, and their leading motif is to equalize educational opportunities of children and youth, in conjunction with striving for general improvement of the quality in education. We will see the impact of participation in PAFF undertakings on the lives of Kamil Wrzos of the “Inspiration Generator” Foundation, “Youth Science Lab” project coordinator, former volunteer of the “PROJECTOR – student volunteers” and alumnus of the “PAFF Leaders” Program. Radosław Mysłek tells us how the Bridge Scholarships Program helped him decide to study at university and achieve university diploma, while Agata Misztal, a scholarship holder, shares with us her experiences from the summer internship in the USA under the Polish-American Internship Initiative (PAII). Next Grażyna Kapaon a PAFF Leader and the principal of the Elementary School in Strachówka points out to the benefits gained by her school from joining the group of “learning schools”.
Episode II – We support local communities
The episode tells about the Foundation’s involvement in supporting local communities, especially in small towns and rural areas. The ability to solve local problems and improve the quality of life depends on the local community activity and cooperation skills. Therefore the Foundation pays so much attention to initiatives which build and strengthen the social capital. Andrew Nagorski, Jerzy Koźmiński, Professor Anna Giza-Poleszczuk and Joanna Lempart-Winnicka tell us about this area of the Foundation’s involvement. We will visit Tczew, where Paulina Kremer of the “Generations” Foundation presents the “Act Locally” Program results, and Złocieniec, where Krzysztof Zacharzewski, a PAFF Leader and the head of the Drawa Partnership Local Activity Group participating in the “PAFF Local Partnerships” Program was elected mayor in 2014. Furthermore, Gerard Misiaczyk, ICT Mobile Advisor under the “ICT for Local Development” Program addresses the issue of new technologies’ impact on building the social capital.
Episode III – We share the Polish experiences
Apart from acting to bolster the effects of transformation in Poland, the second main area of the Foundation’s involvement is supporting democratic and free market transformation in other countries of the region, especially through sharing the Polish experiences. This objective is pursued by means of such programs as the Lane Kirkland Scholarship Program, the “Region in Transition” (RITA) Program and the “Study Tours to Poland” (STP) Program. Jerzy Koźmiński and Renata Koźlicka-Glińska present the Foundation’s activities in this area. Marzena Rafalska of the “Educator” Association, the coordinator of the alternative preschool education project implemented in Georgia as part of the “RITA” Program and Giorgi Mieskhidze, representing Civitas Georgica, the partner organization in Georgia, tell us about the practice of international cooperation under these programs. In addition, Ewa Romanowska of the Borussia Foundation presents the idea of study visits to Poland, while participants in the “Study Tours to Poland” and Nataliia Torkoniak, the Kirkland Program scholarship holder from Ukraine, share their impressions on their stay in Poland.
Episode IV – The Library Development Program
For six years the Polish-American Freedom Foundation partnered the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation in the implementation of the Library Development Program – a unique initiative thanks to which almost 4,000 Polish public libraries from small towns and villages got access to computer hardware, software, the Internet and training. Darren Hoerner of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation; Rafał Kramza, the President of the Information Society Development Foundation (the organization managing the Library Development Program) and Izabela Bochińska, the Director of Municipal Public Library in Wołomin tell us about the important role played by libraries in local community development.
Episode V – Facts and Figures
The number of programs implemented by the Foundation within 15 years of its operation, initiatives offered, its program beneficiaries, and allocation of funds for its program activity are shown in the sixth and final episode of the video – a brief presentation of PAFF activities between 2000 and 2015.
