Your Tax Dollars at Work

I realize that taxes are high, and how the government spends taxes is often controversial. We can speak with sympathy since we owed money to the IRS this year when our taxes were filed. We have always wanted to pay our fair share of taxes, but of course, no more than our fair share. I think our perspective is a common one. I would like to share a few experiences these past few weeks for which I gladly pay taxes.
Two weeks ago we went to Barda to visit our friends and fellow Volunteers, Bill and Dorothy. Dorothy’s school is in terrible physical shape. It is very old, cold, and very depressing. She took us to the school so we could see the new school, 13 rooms and administration offices, was under construction and will be dedicated next September. At the site the sign read “A gift of the American people under the direction of the Army Corps of Engineers.”
A couple of years ago Dorothy’s counterpart went to a meeting where such projects were discussed, and she asked how her community could apply. She followed up, and next September boys and girls will have a much better learning environment.
Last Sunday we were returning to Shirvan from Salyan for our periodic lunch with closest fellow Volunteers, and the bus had only a few empty seats. Linda and Melissa were together and I moved to the last row where men always sit. A young man sat next to me and explained in excellent English that he lived in Lankaran and was going to a wedding in Melissa’s village.
He works (contracts) with USAID (United States Agency for International Development). He is currently a regional director for a project. As we talked about USAID and all the funds help provide in Azerbaijan. I mentioned how life was much better in Azerbaijan because it was much easier to find and purchase pasteurized milk and dairy products because of the PAL dairy products produced in Lankaran. He noted they were one of the companies that received help in organizing and developing businesses with the aid of USAID.
Then last Monday, my counterpart hosted a Citizens Journalism seminar. The seminar was conducted by Voice of America radio personnel (funded by USAID). In Azerbaijan, last year the government decided that Voice of America would not broadcast over the FM frequency. Now the broadcast is by short-wave and a very active web site (www.azadliqradiosu.az).
The essence of the seminar was to promote citizens as journalists. With the internet resources available anyone can write about issues, problems, and solutions. The photos are of the seminar. I really like the picture of the woman intensely discussing an issue. The final photo is of the leader interviewing participants about a particular problem in our community, which was then broadcast over the short-wave.
The seminar provided insight into using Youtube not for entertainment, but political activism. There were many fine suggestions. The seminar was in the Azeri language. All the people I have mentioned are Azerbaijanis helping build a better country with the help of only a few of our tax dollars.
Every day I go to work and see many young people and adults learning computer basics, using the internet, Microsoft Office, Facebook, and Google for information and communication outside their spheres. I look just above their heads to a sign “This equipment is a gift of the people of the United States of America”, and I am truly moved and grateful.