I’m happy to report that a few of my projects from last fall have wrapped up – and I have printed materials to prove it!

Remember the marketing project I designed for my co-workers?  The one where we learned about target markets and developing promotional messaging?  And they had to create their own marketing campaigns?  Well, even if it didn’t go exactly as planned, it still went.  And now we have colored brochures and flyers for every program and service we offer that they’ll use for years to come.  Win!

The best part about all this is that my co-workers designed these materials, so they can update and reprint as needed.

In all seriousness, I’m really happy with how this project turned out, as are my co-workers.  I’m not sure they’ve drastically changed their promotional strategies or if lots more new people are utilizing our programs and services now, but I do know that my co-workers realize that they don’t need to hire an expert to solve their problems; they can at least try to tackle them on their own.

Back in September, I mentioned that health-inspired art competitions for kids were being held across Georgia, using my committee’s Health Education Lecture Series DVD.  (Ours in Akhaltsikhe covered reproductive health, if that rings a bell.)  A friend and I chose the best 13 pieces of artwork for inclusion in the 2012 Healthy Living Art Calendar.

Now, picture Sean and me taking numerous trips to visit a graphic designer in Tbilisi and attempting to explain and critique various drafts of this calendar, all in Georgian.  Are you laughing yet?  Actually, our designer was spectacular and very patient with me pointing at the screen and saying simple, likely grammatically-incorrect things in Georgian such as, “I want this more bigger!” and “Too much blue, red better I think!”

And, best of all, the calendars are fantastic!

Bright and colorful, just like a kids' art calendar should be!

May's Tobacco Awareness art was the most artistic of the bunch...

...but my personal favorite is the art for November, Men's Health. (Also in this picture you can see the quick facts we listed at the bottom, which pertain to that month's theme.)

Finally, I’ve mentioned a few times that the grant my director and I wrote to the US Embassy last year was funded.  We’ve been implementing this project since July, and as a part of the outreach for the Women’s Democracy School and Information Center we created a website, and now a booklet.  Granted, these things were supposed to be done in September, but what can you do?

The booklet contains simplified descriptions of Georgian laws that impact women (domestic violence, gender equality and human trafficking) so they are more aware of their rights.

For some reason, almost all the pictures of people in this booklet are my co-workers or part of my director's extended family. The bottom picture, for example, is my director's daughter and sister. I'm only featured in one, with my friend and former volunteer Martyna, looking bored out of my mind. Of all the pictures!

It feels good to wrap up some of these projects, like I can put a big check mark in the “Accomplished!” box.  And these accomplishments, regardless of how successful (or unsuccessful) they were, give me momentum and confidence to try to get a few more checks before we leave.  Onward!