Africa

Hello friends and family! If you are here for the bachelor post, don't fret...it's below. But first you have to read about my upcoming African adventure and make a donation. I hate asking for money and I'm pretty sure it won't happen again so don't miss out on this once in a lifetime opportunity. Thank you again to those who have already donated! I appreciate your support so much and encourage you to read the message below to learn a little more about where your money will be going toward and what I will be doing.

I’m writing today to tell you about a project I’m involved with and to ask for your help.  As you may know, the AIDS pandemic in Africa is creating orphans on a scale unrivaled in world history.  It is estimated that there are more than 30 million orphaned children in sub Saharan Africa alone.  For many of these children, access to even the simplest of things, food, shelter, clean water and education are out of their reach.

I have decided to spend a few weeks during the spring of 2013 volunteering in Zambia with Mothers Without Borders (MWB), an organization whose mission is to nurture and care for orphaned and vulnerable children.  MWB achieves its mission by supporting local, community-based programs that provide safe shelter, nutritious food, clean water, education, health care, vocational training, and access to caring adults.  Mothers Without Borders offers volunteer opportunities in villages, community schools, orphanages and drop in centers for street kids.  
 

Since making my decision to spend some time volunteering in Zambia, I have learned of the tremendous need that exists there.  These two boys are among the estimated 1 million orphaned children who live in Zambia.   More than 20,000 children live on the streets.  Their days are spent scavenging for food in trashcans and alleyways, or begging for handouts.

I will have an opportunity to teach some of these children in community schools, tutor them in reading, English and math, play games, and offer comfort and hope.  I will also assist with constructing homes and a school for orphans at the Mothers Without Borders Children’s Resource Center.  I’m very excited to have this remarkable opportunity and am writing today to ask for your help.

The total cost for my volunteer expedition is about $5000.  This cost includes flights, lodging, and 3 meals/day for myself, as well as funding scholarships so the children can go to school, providing foot-powered sewing machines to the women in the MWB sewing club, and purchasing bricks to build homes and a school at the MWB Children’s Resource Center.

Please support my work by making a personal or corporate contribution directly to MWB by visiting https://www.motherswithoutborders.org/donation_form.php and enter my name in the "please apply donation to" field. MWB is a 501(c) 3 non-profit corporation, so your donation is tax-deductible as allowed by law, and 100% of the money you donate goes directly to volunteer efforts and program supplies.  Please visit www.motherswithoutborders.org to donate on-line and to learn more.

Please know that every donation helps!  My wish is to alleviate hardship for the people I will serve in Zambia, not create it for you, so please know that I appreciate any help you can offer.  If you have questions, please feel free to reach out to me.  

Thank you for your support!