US-Russia Volunteer Initiative (USRVI)

Stories from the Field

Daria Khrustaleva and Konstantin Dyakonov
Interfaith AIDS Ministry of Greater Danbury, Danbury, CT

Daria Khrustaleva (left) giving
presentation on HIV/AIDS
transmission to youth in Danbury.

Daria Khrustaleva and Konstantin Dyakonov worked with the Interfaith AIDS Ministry of Greater Danbury in Connecticut. Daria and Konstantin developed their professional competency by learning American methods of HIV/AIDS outreach, while sharing the state of disease prevention in Russia with their colleagues. They worked as co-trainers during peer education trainings with high-school students and youth on HIV/AIDS prevention, participated in a prevention project for Brazilian immigrants in the area, prepared and delivered food baskets, conducted nutrition meetings for people living with HIV/AIDS, and led a presentation for students at Western Connecticut University on sexual health in the United States and Russia. At the beginning of her volunteer work, Daria said "It’s been a really great opportunity for both of us to work in IAM. We are eager to learn as much as possible and we are happy that we can do it here. It’s an honor for us to work in an organization with such tremendous experience".

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