A. Organizational Development

Leadership Development: Ted Simon was elected to the leadership of the chapter in April 1997; Sam Connor was elected Vice President. The CT chapter was awarded a second Leadership Fellowship with the Kellogg Foundation. Lucy McMillan is a participant in the Kellogg Fellowship for International Community Development, Fellows X. She attended the Orientation in Washington, DC, in June, and her second seminar to Brazil. She has been instrumental in the development of the communication for the two chapters, especially in the area of the domestic violence treatment project. Sam Connor, our Fellows IX member visited Peru in January and Brazil in September. Sam also worked closely with the leadership of the Paraiba chapter to provide technical assistance for the restructuring of their organization in Joao Pessoa.

Membership Recruitment: This is growing slowly. The increased presence of new members and the plans for the next annual meeting (May, 1998) promise growth in this area. We are also working to bring in a more diverse population in terms of age, interests and profession.

Communications, Outreach and Media Efforts: Our outreach efforts have been limited to contacting like-minded organizations such as the World Affairs Council, with whom we plan to sponsor jointly a visit to CT from the Brazilian Ambassador next Spring. Media efforts are beginning to crystallize with new member Louise Axelson taking responsibility for community interaction and press releases. Communications in general with our sister chapter have improved via email and fax.

Local Fundraising efforts: Membership dues remain the principal source of income, at $15/yr/member. While there is little progress in terms of other hard cash coming in, there are increased in-kind services, such as donation of institutional space for upcoming meetings.

Maintaining Tax Exempt Status: The Connecticut Partners of the Alliance, the name under which the non-profit incorporation was originally granted, was changed to reflect the current name CT Partners of the Americas, while retaining tax exempt status in Connecticut.

By-Law Amendments: Our by-laws were updated, voted on, and signed in 1997.

B. Programs/Key Projects

1. Farmer to Farmer:

Goals: Continue to introduce goat and fish farming to Paraiba

Results: Made initial contact with Heronides De Barros and farming family; established ongoing contacts, researched current difficulties. There are many, most notably drought.

Institutions Involved and Resources Generated: Community groups in Paraiba, no resources generated yet.

Follow-up Plans: Return trip to monitor once drought ends.

2. Domestic Violence Treatment Training:

Goals: To train a group of 25 university social workers-in -training how to deal with the victims of domestic violence cases.

Results: new member Caroline Easton won sponsorship from University of CT and the CT Chapter of POA to teach for 2 weeks at UFPB in Joao Pessoa.

Institutions Involved and resources Generated: Both UConn and UFPB were involved. Generated resources include an award of $2,500 from POA, DC to continue the 'March 8' project.

Follow-up Plans: Monitoring of the projects from both ends; close contact between our committee for women's issues and Paraiba's sister committee. Get Fellows X participant Lucy MacMillan involved in this project.

3. Organizational Development:

Goals: To improve the communications and structure of the CT/Paraiba partnership

Results: Sam Connor, VP for CT, and Fellows IX member, has made some progress on his Development Project on this topic, for the Kellogg Fellowship. So far, he has completed and compiled the information from two focus groups each in CT and Paraiba. This information provides the basis for the future planning.

Institutions involved and Resources Generated: IPE, the private university in Joao Pessoa, Paraiba played a role in hosting Sam's visit to Paraiba, as did the criminal justice system there. Sam's employer, Community Partners in Action, supported professional time for Sam's work in Brazil, as did the CT State Dept of Public Health, the funding source. This covered Sam's professional time.

Follow-up Plans: This project is ongoing. CT Chapter President Ted Simon went to Paraiba at the end of December to finalize the letter of intention and the jointly prepared bi-annual plan, started by Sam's focus groups in both CT and PB. Sam plans to invest in the annual meeting for the chapter, using the Development Project grant from Kellogg, as well as continue to structure the communication between the chapters.

Correspondence Middle Schools CT/Paraiba

Goal: Develop linkages between school children in schools in Joao Pessoa, Paraiba, and Connecticut.

Results: One Class at Illing Middle School in Manchester, CT is linked with one class in Joao Pessoa, PB, for written exchanges

Institutions Involved and resources generated: The two schools are involved, and resources generated are simply those from the schools to cover the postage.

Follow-up: Ted Simon will be watching this project closely, as the initiator of it. Also, we hope to get Alvarez established with another classroom-to-classroom penpal project next year.

Note: One of the principal objectives of Ted Simon, President of CT chapter's visit was to follow-up on each of the principal projects of the partnership.

C. Financial Information

Our treasurer Jim Snaden has done a stellar job of maintaining financial records.

Signed by

President Ted Simon

Vice President Sam Connor