After 9/11: A Safer World?

a letter from GlobalGiving

As each of us reflects on the 10th anniversary of 9/11 today, my colleagues and I invite you to consider what it might take for all of us to live in a safer world tomorrow.

Heartbreak and fear ran rampant in the days after 9/11, but in the months and years that followed, we have learned of the heroes who emerged from the devastation. You’ve heard the stories--ordinary citizens on hijacked planes gave their lives for strangers on the ground; firemen and policemen ran up smoke-filled stairwells to help people escape.

But there's another story that you may not have heard:

Gene Steuerle lost his wife Norma, who was on Flight 77 that struck the Pentagon. Despite his grief, Gene chose to respond with generosity instead of anger. Gene joined with Joyce Manchester and David Stapleton, two others who lost good friends on 9/11, to start the Safer World Fund. They pooled their resources to give to grassroots education, health and development projects in the Middle East.

“We wanted to honor the memory of our friends in some way. Not only was it in our country’s best interest to help the people of Afghanistan, we felt a moral obligation to do so,” Joyce told me earlier this week.

“Supporting opportunities for girls in Afghanistan was the obvious way to honor our friends,” David explained. David had conducted research with his friend Leslie, who was also on Flight 77, to investigate the important role that women play in economic development, especially in countries like Afghanistan and Pakistan. They had concluded that, “educated, healthy mothers are more likely to raise sons who will build rather than destroy.”

Starting today, Gene, Joyce, David and their friends are offering a 50% match of any donation to the beneficiaries of the Safer World Fund. That means that your $100 donation towards school supplies for Afghan girls or vocational training for women in Pakistan will actually become $150 for the project.

Would you consider donating to a Safer World project today, not only as a tribute to 9/11 victims and heroes, but also to play an active role in reversing the appeal of extremism for young people in the Middle East? You can even make your donation in honor of a hero that you know or in memory of a loved one.


Joyce, David, and Gene believe that dignity, opportunity, and hope can triumph over the allure of extremism. Terrorism needs a community in which to breed, and your good will helps build positive communities instead. Please join us in helping to create a safer, more compassionate world after 9/11.

 
With reverence and gratitude,


Alison Carlman and the GlobalGiving team

Update from Empowering Girls in Bangladesh on GlobalGivi​ng.org

Rima is an 18 year-old girl from KharijJomal Char. Rima’s father died leaving her family destitute. Rima hoped to take her secondary school examinations but feared that her family could not afford the examination fees. She was further frustrated to learn that her guardians were searching for a husband for her because there were few opportunities for Rima to earn money.


Rima joined the Kishoree Kontha (KK) group, focused on developing the social and financial competencies of adolescent girls, empowering them to develop strong voices and shape a bright and healthy future for themselves. Rima became a Peer Educator for the social competency unit and received 40 hours of basic training on the subject from Field Trainer Zinat. Rima eagerly took part in the financial competency and educational support sessions and was excited when her group began “Safe Savings.” Rima started saving money each week from her school stipend and began to assess opportunities to engage in income-generating activities. She yearned to practice her learning from the KK project and earn money to cover her examination fees.

Rima’s family possessed some unused land and a pond on its property and so at the conclusion of her Safe Savings cycle, Rima invested in tree saplings and fish so that she could cultivate both to sell. Rima currently has fish in her pond with a market value of 5000 Taka ($71) and she knows she can easily sell some to cover her examination fees.

Additionally, with the income she is earning, Rima can consider education beyond secondary school. “I am very happy that I could use the learning about finances to secure my educational future. I now feel confident about pursuing additional education…I am really grateful to the project and Field Trainer Zinat who brought this program to us.”

Rima’s guardians have also been happy to see her become involved in income-generating activities. Mujul Begum explained how Rima’s activities have reduced the household burden and helped prove that girls can be assets to their families. Mujul notes, “We are no longer looking for a groom for her marriage. We like the Kishoree Kontha activities. Before, girls spent any extra money [from their lunch or transportation allowances] on cosmetics and other unnecessary items. But now they are saving and this will help them have positive futures.”

Rima has been encouraging other girls in her area to save and engage in income generating activities that can help secure their futures and change the way their families view them. Field Trainer Zinat is proud of Rima’s achievements and commented: “It makes me happy when I see how confident Rima is. When I met her for the first time, she was very introverted and scared about her education. Now she encourages other girls to continue their education and to earn money. I think things changed for Rima because she regularly attended the [KK] peer education sessions and worked at applying her learning in her practical life. I now have high hopes for her future.”

Update from Guatemala

Update on Women's Health Classes

By Claire Melvin - Project Coordinator
 
Wuqu’ Kawoq has collaborated on educational opportunities for Guatemalan midwives for years, and in January of 2011 we began a pilot program to expand our model to include education for other women in our communities as well. The pilot program is a series of five themed classes on sexual health every two weeks for a total of ten weeks. The themes include: getting to know one’s body (essentially a women’s anatomy class), sexually transmitted infections (STI) and HIV/AIDS, cervical cancer and menopause, family planning and contraception, and the final class is a review of all of the themes and a graduation with diplomas.


In addition providing education to the women, we encourage them to attend our monthly women's clinics where we provide pelvic/papanicolaou exams, STI testing and treatment, as well as contraception (birth control pills and injections) free of charge to each of our patients.

We started our first round of classes with 3 groups of women, ranging in size from 7 to 18 students, in Santiago and San Pedro, Sacatepéquez. In the past month we have completed these classes and successfully graduated 27 students. These classes were extremely successful in terms of participant reception as well as attendance. We will continue to offer these classes and expand them to other communities!

Guest Post; Enough Excuses

Enough Excuses: Why We Owe it to Others (and Ourselves) to Volunteer

By: Joy P., who has written at length about online accounting degrees and what it takes to become a phlebotomist.

The holiday season is upon us, and so is the call to give freely to good causes. Whether it’s donating canned goods to your local church or giving $10 to the Salvation Army Santa ringing his bell outside the mall, we’re all a little bit more generous with what we have during this time of the year.
This is also the perfect time of the year to consider giving something else to those in need—your time and effort. Volunteering is a lasting way to make an impact on others, way beyond what an equivalent monetary donation would. If you’re feeling guilty right about now, you’re not alone—we all make excuses to ourselves as to why we can’t volunteer. Consider these ways to break free of those old mantras and really give back in the new year.

• I’m just too busy: Really? Count up the hours you spend eating out at restaurants, watching TV, and surfing the Internet every week. You can’t cut back one hour of that time to put towards a good cause? I think you can--and once you start, you’ll realize that it’s much more rewarding than those other diversions.
• I don’t know where to start: It’s easy: start with what you know and are interested in. Do you love kids? Be a big brother or big sister. Antisocial? Consider writing a column for the local activist newsletter. The number of volunteer opportunities is endless. Just start with something you’re already passionate about.
• I can’t become attached to someone like that: Most people won’t admit it, but one of the scariest things about volunteering is growing to care about another person or a cause in a deep way. While you’re worried about spreading yourself too thin, however, did you ever consider that the person you’re helping will probably give you as much support as you give them? It’s not a one way street—volunteering is fulfilling for everyone involved.
• I don’t have anything to offer: Everyone likes to bring their own insecurities in as an excuse. “I’m just a silly freelance writer,” I say to myself, “what could I ever have to give anyone?” Did you ever stop to consider that the skills you have that you take for granted—being a decent writer, for example—are likely someone else’s dream? Don’t sell yourself short; there’s someone out there who would love to have you teach them what you know.
• I’m no saint—how can I help others?: Some people make the mistake of thinking they have to be a righteous, perfect person to volunteer without being a hypocrite. In some cases, though, a flawed mentor is the best role model of all. I had a writing teacher who admitted to me that she was too scared to write throughout her twenties, though she now has a successful book and fellowship at a great university. Being honest and sharing your true self is potentially one of the best things you can do to inspire someone else.
• I can’t make a regular time commitment: Do you think you’re the only person in the world who has trouble upholding your weekly duties? You’re not alone, my friend, and there’s no reason why that should stop you from volunteering. Many volunteer opportunities are intermittent or low commitment; there’s no guilt if you miss a time, but you’re still free to show up if you can. From a monthly church clean up to helping with a food bank, check out a “training wheels” volunteer opportunity where you can help out, but not feel burdened by it.

Guest Post; 5 Ways Volunteering Can Change Your Life

5 Ways Volunteering Can Change Your Life

By: PJ Molan, who helped compile the list of the best social work schools and is working towards becoming a forensic scientist.

There are lots of persuasive reasons not to volunteer. It’s time consuming, often uncomfortable, and can force you to face facts about the state of the world and yourself that you’d perhaps rather leave alone. Once you take the plunge, however, you come to realize that all those excuses are far outweighed by the transformative ways volunteering can change your life, for the better.

1. Realize Your Ability to Change Lives

Throughout my college and young adult years, I’d cultivated a view of the world that went something like this: “It’s terribly screwed up, way beyond my ability to do anything about it.” This perspective left me with a general sense of anger, and powerlessness. A few years ago, I joined a group of writers that teaches the process of creative writing to inner city kids, and I realized that any skill you possess has the ability to change lives, and in the process, make a small but non-negligible impact on the world. It’s how you decide to use those skills that matters.

2. Get Catapulted Out of Your Comfort Zone

I grew up in a poor household, and although I harbored a lot of anger about the economic disparities in the U.S., once I got a decent job I didn’t want to think about the realities of being poor anymore. Seeing those inner city kids face the stress and anxiety that comes from growing up without security, I realized how selfish and ultimately comfortable I had been in my own apathy. Volunteering will take you out of your own apathetic zone, and reawaken the issues that matter to you.

3. Form Life-Long Relationships With Other Volunteers

Modern society is defined by a general sense of anonymity. It’s easy, if you don’t make the effort, to go through life with a series of superficial friendships that don’t go at all beneath the surface. As you’re volunteering and going through this personal transformation, there will be other volunteers going through it as well, people who you’re likely to form lasting, rich relationships with, due to your shared experiences.

4. Experience the Joy of Giving

Giving of yourself in a serious manner is exhausting, and that’s why most people don’t bother to do it. It’s easier and nicer in a lot of ways to put all your time and money into pampering yourself. When you volunteer and see the look of gratitude on the faces of the people you’re trying to help, however, you’ll experience a profound satisfaction at your ability to make someone else’s life a little easier. It’s a feeling of connectedness between people of very different cultures and backgrounds that few get to experience in their lifetime.

5. Gain Confidence In Yourself

Volunteering may be one of the hardest challenges you’ve faced to date. Your project may go incredibly off course, and you may be upset at your inability to enact the changes you had planned. If you’re working in the third world, you’ll probably be homesick, hot, and uncomfortable for a good chunk of the time. But once you’ve made it through you’ll know that you can do anything—a very empowering feeling that you will carry with you throughout your life.

Teachers Killed in Pakistani Province

Pakistani students demonstrate against the killing of a school principal in Quetta, Balochistan's capital, on March 22, 2010

Pakistan: Balochistan Militants Killing Teachers

Attacks on Education Harm Students, Reduce Development Prospects
December 13, 2010

(Islamabad) - Militant groups in Pakistan's Balochistan province should immediately stop killing, threatening, and harassing teachers and other educators, Human Rights Watch said in a report released today. Attacks and bombings by various nationalist, sectarian, and Islamist armed groups have damaged schools and universities, killing and wounding students, and severely harming education in Balochistan.


Go here to continue reading

Volunteers Build 225 Kona AfricaBikes in The Gambia

COOLEST IDEA EVER!

I LOVE this idea- ingenius!

West Seattle Women Help Gambian Girls Pedal Their Way to a Better Life

by Lori Hinton

“Hand me that pedal wrench,” smiles Sandy Murray, wiping her brow while assembling one of 225 Kona AfricaBikes in 110-degree heat at a remote school in The Gambia’s up country village of Medina Wallom.

Murray, an emergency room nurse and Medical Teams International volunteer, and industrial hygienist Barbara Trenary have traveled to this West African country on multiple occasions for humanitarian work, but this year marked the beginning of an incredible ride.

What brought these Seattle women and a handful of volunteers all the way to The Gambia some 8,000 miles away? A chance to help break the cycle of illiteracy in Gambian girls.

How? By assembling hundreds of ultra durable Africa-specific bicycles for kids to use as transportation to school—thanks to fundraising efforts from local non-profit HopeFirst Foundation and Kona Basic Needs.

Sights Set on Gambian Girls

Surrounded by Senegal on the West African Coast (also known as the Smiling Coast), The Gambia is Africa’s smallest country with just over 4,000 square miles and a population of 1.66 million (World Health Statistics 2008). It’s ranked in the lowest 25% of world economies with over 60% of the population living below the poverty line (Integrated Household Survey 2003/04). The majority of Gambians live on less than $1-2 per day. The capital of Banjul offers some modern amenities, but once the black top ends, the villages that make up most of the country are without resources that the West takes for granted. Most lack water, food, healthcare, schools, and enterprise.

The Gambia suffers from some of the lowest literacy rates on the African continent with just over 60% literacy in young adult males and only 40% literacy in females (2003 Census Education Statistics Report). Education is available to all, in theory, but girls tend to be sent to school last and often drop out early due to financial hardship and the obligation to help at home—from countless hours of grain grinding and carrying water to finding firewood, caring for younger children and preparing food. These responsibilities, in addition to living far distances from middle and secondary schools, make attending and completing school extremely difficult (it’s not uncommon for schools to be 10–12 miles way from any given village).

“The girls’ chores are non-negotiable so it’s difficult to break the cycle; this is an integral part of their culture,” explains Murray. "But the girls in The Gambia have what it takes to succeed—the work ethic, the drive, the ability, and the smarts,” says Trenary. “They just lack the opportunity.”

“Studies show that once women are educated, they become the change makers in their own society,” explains Murray. “Our goal in The Gambia is to promote opportunity for women by removing barriers to the education of girls.”

The need was obvious. With no buses or public transit, transportation to school was the missing link for children who live too far to walk. Transportation could mean the chance to learn for all children—girls and boys alike.

Enter AfricaBikes

“This program started in 2006 when Bicycling Magazine approached Kona to provide bikes for healthcare workers delivering HIV Antiviral drugs in Africa,” explains Russell Carty, Kona Basic Needs Project Director. “Our mission is to use Kona AfricaBikes to help provide transport, shelter, food and water to those with difficulty in attaining them.”

To date, Kona’s donated upwards of 3,500 AfricaBikes, 469 of which will reach Malawi, Rwanda, and The Gambia this year alone.

Kona’s AfricaBikes are made of durable steel with an integrated back rack and basket— designed for the conditions of riding African terrain. They are built with a single speed (no gearing) and simple pedal back foot breaks so that they’re low maintenance and easy to fix.

“The Kona AfricaBike is like a Land Rover,” grins the group’s Gambian driver, mechanic and local expert Alpha Jallow. “They’re sturdy and made to last forever, if you take care of them. Whoever designed these is a genius.”

The idea for two-wheeled student transportation resurfaced when Wallom Jallow, the village elder of Medina Wallom (with whom HopeFirst Foundation works on other projects), presented a proposal requesting over 100 bikes for area children to ride to school. His goal was to send more kids to school but the problem was getting them there. Assisting Gambians at the village level based on requests from village leaders, HopeFirst Foundation’s path to the next project was clear: Raise money, deliver, and build bikes for Gambian kids to pedal their way toward education, and ultimately a better life. Soon thereafter, the non-profit began a massive organizing and fundraising effort.

“Based on consultation with village elders and school headmasters, we knew the village schools had to control the distribution and maintenance of the bikes (versus individual ownership) in order for this to be a sustainable project,” explains Trenary. “Transparency is assured via local community committees who oversee the administration of the bike program.”

To qualify for the use of Kona AfricaBikes, each school submits applications for an equal numbers of girls and boys. Students must be at least 12 years old (big enough to ride these adult bikes) and live a minimum of 5 kilometers from school. Students are also required to deposit a small annual maintenance fee. The bicycles are distributed to the qualifying students at the beginning of the school year (recording serial numbers for accountability), returned at the end of the year, and securely stored for the summer.

“We have worked on projects with WWF in Tanzania and Peace Warriors in Kenya. When we heard of the HopeFirst project, we felt it really fit our goal of how Kona Africabikes can be used to make a difference while showing potential for taking an already successful program in an exciting new direction.”

Kona committed and the program had wheels. For every two bikes that HopeFirst Foundation raised funds, Kona donated a third. In total, 225 donated bikes made their way via container ship from the factory in Indonesia all the way to the port of Banjul in The Gambia, just in time to be trucked up country and built before the school year began.

“In the 11th hour our shipping donation fell through and Kona heroically stepped in to cover shipping costs. Kona went above and beyond their already huge commitment; they were instrumental in making this program a success,” explains Murray.

The Result
The smiles on each Gambian child’s face say more than words can describe. And the eight volunteers who built the bikes while experiencing a new culture, agree the reward of knowing you are helping kids get an education is immeasurable.

“For me, it’s all about helping create a better balance of resources,” describes volunteer Julie Cohen San Clemente. “Offering the bikes as a means for kids to learn was a great way to help spread those resources in an effort to make the world a more balanced place.”

The long-term results of this program are yet to be determined, but HopeFirst Foundation saw promising signs of success during the mere three weeks the group was in country.

“We’ve already seen a huge increase in the number of kids who want to attend school due to the bicycle program,” beams Murray. “And in the village of Jurunku, we actually witnessed village boys willingly teaching village girls how to ride a bike for the first time. The girls need the support of boys (and the support of their entire village) to make this program succeed, so this is a step in the right direction.”

“The last day [in Jurunku] goes down as one of the best days of my life,” Trenary adds. “These girls hunkered down to learn how to use tools and assemble the bikes. Then they hiked up their skirts, hopped on, and learned to ride, right in front of our eyes. Seeing their faces light up at the fact that these bikes were for them, and that they had the equal opportunity to use them to learn was nothing short of joyous. I’m so proud of these girls.”

It is just the beginning, but in a way, HopeFirst Foundation is using the bicycle as a vehicle for change in The Gambia. To help break the cycle of poverty also improves the health, welfare and economy of the whole nation.

How You Can Help

• Donate to HopeFirst Foundation
A small, hands-on non-profit, donors can see directly where their money goes. A minimum of 95% of donations goes straight to HopeFirst Foundation projects in the field.
• Volunteer to Travel with HopeFirst Foundation to The Gambia
 send inquiries to sandym@hopefirst.org

• Volunteer to Travel with Kona on a BikeTown Africa Project
For more information on bike projects in other African countries, visit: http://moonshinemedia.co.za/BikeTown_Africa/Participate.html

• Buy a Limited Edition Kona AfricaBike T-Shirt at Alki Bike & Board.  Shop owner and Kona dealer Stu Hennesey not only sells the unique men’s, women’s and kids’ tees at $25 each (all proceeds going to the program), he was a key component in teaching the HopeFirst Foundation crew how to assemble and repair Kona AfricaBikes before leaving for The Gambia. Hennesey also provided the group with discounted bike tools.

(About the Author)
Lori Hinton is a West Seattle-based freelance writer and author of West Seattle 101. Hinton has a passion for meaningful travel and visited The Gambia as one of eight volunteers who built Kona AfricaBikes with HopeFirst Foundation.


(Photo Credits)
Lori Hinton, www.hintoncreative.com, September 2010
Barbara Trenary, September 2010

Today on GlobalGiving- Your donations will be matched 30%-50%!!!

WOEZO FOUNDATION MATCHING DAY!!!

Help 450+ repatriated refugee children attend FREE school in Liberia! Please use this link to make donations to the Educate Repatriated Refugee Children in Liberia Fund and GlobalGiving will match 30-50% until funds last!!! Thank you donors & GlobalGiving!!!

Such a great opportunity to make your giving go a little further- I know I am jumping on this today!

Favorite GlobalGiving Project of the Week: Provide Scholarships to Sierra Leonean Children

Provide Scholarships to Sierra Leonean Children

Summary
Project seeks to guarantee educational opportunities, a basic right, to deserving and exceptional children from a lower economic background, through the provision of assistance through scholarships.

What is the issue, problem, or challenge?
According to the United Nations 2007-2008 Human Development report, Sierra Leone ranks as # 177 (last place) in Human Development Index. Thousands of families live below the bread line and in the current global crisis simply cannot afford to continue to send their children to school. Consequently, many children are forced to drop out of school because of financial hardships or inadequate funds. These frustrated children sometimes end up in undesirable activities with their potential wasted.

How will this project solve this problem?
Project will grant much-needed scholarships that will enable deserving students to continue their education. The funds will cover tuition, books, school supplies and uniforms. Mentoring support will be provided to ensure growth and success.

Potential Long Term Impact
Project contributes to the achievement of UN Millennium goal - ensuring that children will complete primary schooling. It is an effective long-term investment to eradicating poverty & will help improve the quality of education and lives in general.

Project Message
I have seen many children learn under dire circumstances or drop out of school due to poverty. Through this project we are supporting education – an important key to development in my country.
                          - Joanne Tucker, Project Coordinator

Funding Information
Total Funding Received to Date: $1,739
Remaining Goal to be Funded: $43,260
Total Funding Goal: $45,000

Favorite GlobalGiving Project of the Week: New school for girls in Kenya

Sorry I haven't posted in a few days- its been crazy busy over here! I'll be back up and runnung soon- in the meantime, aren't these ladies absolutely beautiful?! I'm so excited for them- such bright and promising futures with a good education and a new school!

New school for girls in Kenya needs your support

Help to establish a first 100% financially sustainable school in Kenya. Providing high quality free education for girls from the poorest families and will enable them to lift themselves out of poverty.

Project Needs and Beneficiaries

Ondati is one of the poorest regions of Kenya, where HIV infection rates are the highest in the country. Schools are just few and far between in the area, which makes it particularly hard for girls to access education. To create new opportunities for them, the Ondati community decided to establish a secondary school for girls in the village. The aim is to make the school financially self sufficient, to empower the students and raise generations of educated and entrepreneurial young women.

Activities

School has just started providing girls a relevant education where traditional academic learning is reinforced by building practical skills, business experience and a ‘can do’ attitude. The school teaches business through running their own businesses

Funding Information
Total Funding Received to Date: $70

Remaining Goal to be Funded: $4,930

Total Funding Goal: $5,000