Oregon Guardsman donates supplies to underserved Kosovo school

Photo By Sgt. Miguel Ruiz | Oregon Army National Guard 41st Infantry Brigade Combat Team Maj. Chad Plaisted delivers donated supplies to an underserved primary school Oct. 6, 2020, in Bivolak/Bivoljak, Kosovo. Some months before the donation Plaisted, alongside fellow Kosovo Force troops, participated in a group cleanup at the school where he noticed the students’ lack of services and supplies. “I asked my wife to reach out via social media to friends and family in the U.S. to offer an opportunity to donate supplies to the school,” said Plaisted. “Many obliged and mailed nearly a dozen boxes of supplies to our U.S. camp in Kosovo. Me and other Soldiers delivered those supplies to very deserving children today.” The NATO-led KFOR mission has been one of peacekeeping and ensuring the safety and security of all Kosovo community members since 1999. Plaisted and other 41st IBCT Soldiers have been deployed in Kosovo since the beginning of 2020 as members of the U.S.-led brigade level KFOR Regional-Command East. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Spc. Miguel Ruiz)  

CAMP BONDSTEEL, KOSOVO

10.06.2020

Story by Spc. Miguel Ruiz 

100th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment

BIVOLAK/BIVOLJAK, Kosovo - Kosovo Force troops donated school supplies to an underserved primary school Oct. 6, 2020, in Bivolak/Bivoljak, Kosovo.

KFOR’s Regional-Command East planning officer, Maj. Chad Plaisted, organic to the Oregon Army National Guard’s 41st Infantry Brigade Combat Team, led the effort to gather the generous array of school supplies ranging from notebooks to arts and craft materials and other school-house necessities.

Some months before the donation Plaisted, alongside other peacekeeping-KFOR troops, participated in a group cleanup at the school where he noticed the students’ lack of services and supplies.

“I asked my wife to reach out via social media to friends and family in the U.S. to offer an opportunity to donate supplies to the school,” said Plaisted. “Many obliged and mailed nearly a dozen boxes of supplies to our U.S. camp in Kosovo.”

“Me and other Soldiers delivered those supplies to very deserving children today,” he added.

Lavdim Klinaku, the primary school’s director, said that the school, which caters to first through fourth-grade students, is often overlooked by local government funding due to a low student enrollment count.

“There are less than 100 students at this school and basic supplies can be difficult to acquire,” said Klinaku. “We are very thankful to all involved in donating these supplies. It means very much to our students and their families.”

The municipality surrounding the school, Bivolak/Bivoljak, is only a 30 minute car ride from Kosovo’s capital city Pristina but is significantly less populated, lacking in quality infrastructure and is noticeably neglected.

Slovenian Armed Forces Sgt. 1st Class Iztok Kosi is a team leader within one of KFOR’s liaison monitoring teams whose mission centers around communities like Bivolak/Bivoljak.

Kosi said he and his LMT members meet with community leaders like school director Klinaku, government officials, or religious leaders on a daily basis in order to foster positive relationships between KFOR personnel and community members.

“We facilitate two-way communication while advocating for the needs of the communities in which we operate,” said Kosi. “Through KFOR donations, meeting with community members or other community-outreach events we aim to help these communities as best we can.”

Since its establishment in 1999 KFOR’s mission has been one of peacekeeping and ensuring the safety and security for Kosovo’s community members while supporting their government institution's developmental initiatives in education, economy, and healthcare among others.

“This has been a humbling experience for everyone involved in this donation,” said Plaisted. “These children are enthusiastic about learning, are very deserving, and I hope today’s donation inspires more giving in the future.”

• Date Taken: 10.06.2020
• Date Posted: 10.12.2020 03:56
• Story ID: 380735
• Location: CAMP BONDSTEEL, ZZ