GlobalGiving Progress Reports

Stop child sexual abuse through global education: "Stop the Silence matching campaign"

Pamela Pine — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 15:56:27 GMT

Hello supporters of Stop the Silence! I hope you are all doing well. Thank you for your past support.

I am writing now to provide an update on our progress and to let you know about an incredible opportunity.

First the update... Stop the Silence is moving swiftly forward in the development of exciting global advocacy with Talk to Stop. We're also providing great programming on the ground with Queendom, a program to reach at-risk 13-19 year old girls (some information on that program is attached). AND, our BRAND NEW Web site will be live soon -- so visit the site (www.stopcsa.org) soon for our great new look and updates on projects.

There's something else I need to reach out to you about. 2009 has been a tough year, but we are determined... Right now, we have the opportunity through the Global Giving Foundation to raise matching funds. Please help us raise $5,000 now to meet our current donation goal of $10,000! If we raise $10 - $2,500, donations in that range will be matched at 30%. Raising $2,501 - $7,500, donations will result in 40% matching! Raising $5,000 will result in $7,000! We can do this with your help!!

Please go to www.goto.gg.3583 (or http://www.globalgiving.com/projects/child-sexual-abuse/) to help Stop the Silence stop child sexual abuse!

Please consider making a pledge for $20 a month (or, if you can give more, wonderful) over the next year. We need to impact this epidemic. Just imagine -- if we could get 1,000 supporters to provide $20 a month, we could put the programs that we're imaging in place. But we need your help.

Thank you!

Pamela Pine, PhD, MPH
Founder and CEO
Stop the Silence
ppine@stopcsa.org

Attachments:

Description_of_Queendom_1009.doc (DOC)

A Sanctuary for Empowering Refugee Girls: "A Volunteer's Perspective.."

Anne Sweeney — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 15:51:14 GMT

As we continue to build our Girl's Empowerment Project, we like share our impact through the eyes of our volunteers. Joe Steele has been passionately working with Heshima Kenya for the past four months:

I had been in Nairobi for 85 minutes when Amina laid the groundwork for what has been a humbling, inspiring lesson in strength and perseverance. I’m a NYC public school teacher come international non-profit volunteer searching for an understanding of the issues facing our world. I found it in Amina, an Ethiopian refugee, who participates in Heshima Kenya's Girl's Empowerment Project.

Amina's story and struggle—flight, abandonment, exploitation, violence—is one that the HK staff have taken on with incredible passion. At HK, a safe house provides the security, structure and consistency that allows each girl to focus on their future, an education program that gives them the tools to define and defend their rights and pursuits and a tailoring and dying course that harnesses the unquestionable skill, drive and dedication that each girl possesses.

But Amina is relentlessly hard on herself for her past and present struggles. She carries the burden of those experiences and the responsibilities of raising two young children in every classroom lesson, every trip to the UNHCR and each beautiful scarf she labors to create. I began to understand in my first few hours here in Kenya the entrenching psychological effects that an unequal and indifferent social system creates—crying, stupid, useless—but also witnessed firsthand efforts to heal those wounds. Each day Amina and the other girls are given the tools they need to control their futures, even if they can’t control their pasts. Each day they help a group of our society’s most vulnerable girls wake up in a safe place, learn skills that demand both respect and recognition and show them that their dreams have value.

Changing lives in the village of Fiarenana: "Give More - Get More to buiilt our school"

Markus Faigle, Jeannette Koijane — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 23:07:14 GMT

Dear friends,

If you considered donating to Zahana again in the 2009 tax year, now (until Dec 1) might be a very good time.

Two of our current projects have been invited to join the Give More - Get More Challenge and GlobalGiving will match your contributions incrementally.

Please help us getting these matching funds. Please tell your friends and encourage them to give too.

The challenge details:

November 10 to December 1 (but ends Dec 1 at 12:59 EST, not your time zone!)

Matches are staggered based on the amount we raise, or in other words: The more of the total amount of all donations* we raise the bigger the match.

We raise up to $2,500: donations will be matched at 30%.
We raise $2,501 - $7,500: donations will be matched at 40%.
We raise more than $7,501: donations will be matched at 50%.

The three projects that raise the most money will receive additional bonuses of $5,000, $3,000, and $1,000.

* Donations up to $500 per individual will be matched by GlobalGiving, so the matching funds don't get depleted too fast.

Links:

Pictures:

A community school for all (children) in Fiarenana: "Give More - Get More to buiilt our school"

Markus Faigle, Jeannette Koijane — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 22:47:50 GMT

Dear friends,

If you considered donating to Zahana again in this 2009 tax year, now (until Dec 1) might be a very good time.

This project building a school in Fiadanana was invited to join the Give More - Get More Challenge and GlobalGiving will match your contributions incrementally. (The link with more information is on the top part of the project web page.)

Please help us getting these matching funds. Please tell your friends and encourage them to give too.

The challenge details: November 10 to December 1 (but ends Dec 1 at 12:59 EST, not your time zone!)

Matches are staggered based on the amount we raise, or in other words: The more of the total amount of all donation we raise the bigger the match.

We raise up to $2,500: donations will be matched at 30%.
We raise $2,501 - $7,500: donations will be matched at 40%.
We raise more than $7,501: donations will be matched at 50%.

The three projects that raise the most money will receive additional bonuses of $5,000, $3,000, and $1,000. More details at the GlobalGiving Give more – Get more Website

* Donations up to $500 per individual will be matched by GlobalGiving, so the matching funds don't get depleted too fast.

Links:

Zahana's Home page

Pictures:

Building the school and everybody helps (JPG)

Solar cookers for the school in Fiadanana: "Give "

Markus Faigle, Jeannette Koijane — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 22:43:57 GMT

Dear friends of Zahana,

If you considered donating to Zahana again in this 2009 tax year, now (until Dec 1) might be a very good time. This project was invited to join the Give More - Get More Challenge and GlobalGiving will match your contributions incrementally. (The link with more information is on the top part of the project web page.)

Please help us getting these matching funds. Please tell your friends and encourage them to give too.

The challenge details: November 10 to December 1 (but ends Dec 1 at 12:59 EST, not your time zone!)

Matches are staggered based on the amount we raise, or in other words: The more of the total amount of all donation we raise the bigger the match.

We raise up to $2,500: donations will be matched at 30%.
We raise $2,501 - $7,500: donations will be matched at 40%.
We raise more than $7,501: donations will be matched at 50%.

The three projects that raise the most money will receive additional bonuses of $5,000, $3,000, and $1,000.

* Donations up to $500 per individual will be matched by GlobalGiving, so the matching funds don't get depleted too fast.

Thank you.

Ihanta, Jeannette and Markus

Links:

Support Entrepreneurial Drive of Women in Ghana: "Thank you for contributing to WomensTrust Programming"

Dana — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 20:19:59 GMT

“WOMENS TRUST IS PROBABLY THE BEST PROJECT I HAVE SEEN IN AFRICA “

The accolade above was given to WomensTrust this fall by Bill Easterly, author of White Man’s Burden and a world-renowned expert on the effectiveness of foreign aid. He has visited our project in Ghana twice to track progress and agreed to be interviewed informally at a recent fundraising gathering for WomensTrust in New York.

Bill has long espoused that the paternalistic “we know what’s best for you” approach to international aid does not work, suggesting instead that aid be given to empower the recipients to construct a foundation on which they can build.

“Solutions to poverty are far more likely to come from people in Africa figuring out what they need rather than from those in the West trying to impose their answers," Easterly said. “Modest efforts like WomensTrust, programs that seek homegrown solutions, are far more likely to yield meaningful reductions in poverty. The great thing about the Dana’s project is, there can be only one World Bank, but there can be 100,000 WomensTrusts.”

While praise from the former World Bank economist is gratifying on its own, the results from which it stems – the changes taking place in Pokuase – offer tangible evidence that we are playing a significant role in aiding the community in its move to sustainability. And our model has the very real potential to be successfully replicated.

The WT staff in Pokuase celebrated 100-percent loan repayment for the last quarter, which is indicative of their growing capability to manage the microlending program and their incredible teamwork. This is an exceptional achievement at a time when inflation is high and economic pressures are mounting. Because we are a bottom-up organization, we benefit from a local team who can use our training and tools to adapt in a changing environment and work with clients who, for the most part, they already know.

This microlending success reflects our local reputation and credibility. Our clients are aware that we are committed to social good – they have watched us for six years partner with the community, build constituencies for change and bring in resources they would never be able to procure on their own. These include scholarships, healthcare, training, equipment and cash – thoughtfully applied to specific programs with measurable outcomes.

Links:

WomensTrust Fall 2009 Newsletter

Attachments:

WomensTrust Fall 2009 Newsletter (PDF)

Publishing a book for children in Laos: "Education in Laos"

Michael Toner — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 06:25:32 GMT

In rural Laos, childrens' futures are at stake. Without an adequate education, these children will not have the opportunity to advance to university, find decent work, and ultimately make a good living for themselves. SEDA recently visited the rural Saravane province in southern Laos to speak with villagers about their concerns, and took the time to visit several primary schools in the area. What we saw were shoddily constructed wooden classrooms filled with sometimes more than forty kids per class. Their morning nutrition consisted of donated corn flour, sugar, and vegetable oil; prepared by the village women in the mid-morning.

   The teachers also commented on the situation, with one of them saying that her monthly salary was only 500,000 kip (roughly 60 dollars) per month, and she received her pay every three months. She said it was difficult to survive.

   When SEDA arrived at the school, the children themselves seemed cautious of approaching, much less speaking to, the strangers, and remained so until we left. Many of the children suffered from malnourishment and malnutrition, apparent from their stunted growth (at 10 years old, some were shy of 4 feet). Many of their white uniforms were stained from dirt and dust, and they lacked any sort of school supplies save tattered notebooks. However, one thing they all agreed upon was their wish for a foreign teacher to come help them learn English.

   SEDA visited several schools on this trip, but in a country where more than two-thirds of the population live in rural villages, mostly supporting themselves through subsistence farming, the lack of decent education is widespread. Many children don't complete their basic education, returning home to assist their families survive by working the crops. The rural children of the Saravane province, and Laos, need your help. Whether it be improved education facilities, basic school supplies, or volunteers as teachers to help add new enthusiasm to the classroom, anything helps. With your time, donations, and support, we can help improve the quality of education for the next generation in Laos.

End child malnutrition in Laos: "Malnutrition"

Michael Toner — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 06:19:55 GMT

Children facing malnutrition in Saravane Province

   Hushed whispers greeted me as I entered the worn, wooden school room in the Saravane province. The students, sitting quietly in their white school uniforms, had one question to ask me during my short visit: How did I get so tall?

   SEDA visited several schools in the Saravane province recently to meet with local villagers and discuss further improvements needed to raise the standard of living for the rural farmers of Laos. During the visits, SEDA noted that the majority of children in the schools suffered from malnourishment and malnutrition. Students ranging between 8 and 10 years old measured less than 4 feet tall, obvious signs of stunted growth caused by lack of proper nutritional meals. One student, when asked, admitted that his meals consisted of rice and chili sauce.

   In rural Laos, malnutrition is widespread, and and access to education on proper nutritional choices as well as healthy foods is severely limited, where people make less than two dollars a day living off small subsistence crops. Until these villagers get the proper education and improve their quality of life through sustainable income, children in Laos will continue to battle with the effects of malnutrition.

   The WFP reported in 2007 that 50% of children under 5 in Laos suffer from malnourishment which has stunted their growth, which I witnessed first-hand on my trip to the school. One boy admitted that his daily diet consisted of rice and chili sauce. Without dietary knowledge and access to a more nutritional variety of foods, the rural children of the Saravane province and Laos will continue to suffer from malnutrition and it's complications. We need your support to help combat this problem so the children lead healthy lives into adulthood.

Pictures:

malnutritionpic.JPG (JPG)

Improving Food Security for Tribal Farmers: "Matching grant opportunity – Please support Seva Mandir"

Poonam — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 21:38:38 GMT

It’s the season for Thanks and Giving…and we hope very much that you will continue your support to Seva Mandir.

We wanted to let you know about an exciting opportunity that we are participating in through our partners, Global Giving. A donation made to any of our projects, on Global Giving between November 10 and December 1, will be matched.

Total donations up to $2,500 will be matched at 30%. Donations in the range $2,501 - $7,500 will be matched at 40%. Donations above $7501 will be matched at 50%. However, please note that only donation amounts below $500 will be eligible for matching – any donation above $ 500 will come to us, and make us more eligible for bonus awards but without the matching amount. SO GIVE MORE – GET MORE!

And if we raise the most money or get the most donations, we are eligible for bonus awards. First place for both categories will each receive $5,000, second place in each will receive $3,000 and third place in both categories will each receive $1,000.

Seva Mandir’s page at Global Giving lists 7 projects. Please see http://www.globalgiving.com/dy/v2/content/search.html?q=seva+mandir

Matching funds are limited, so we request you to act as quickly as possible. You can give and also persuade friends and family to give. Minimum donation is $10 and donations are tax-deductible!

Would you consider giving and also sharing this email with others?

Thank you for anything that you are able to do to support Seva Mandir.

With Greetings for the season,
Seva Mandir

Profit for Poor Farmers: "Matching grant opportunity – Please support Seva Mandir"

Poonam — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 21:36:49 GMT

Fellowship Programme for Tribal Community Leaders: "Matching grant opportunity – Please support Seva Mandir"

Poonam — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 21:35:38 GMT

Rural women support their families and villages: "Matching grant opportunity – Please support Seva Mandir"

Poonam — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 21:33:41 GMT

Send a Child in India to School for a Year: "Matching grant opportunity – Please support Seva Mandir"

Poonam — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 21:32:26 GMT

Building Self Reliant Rural Communities in India: "Matching grant opportunity – Please support Seva Mandir"

Poonam — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 21:30:48 GMT

Immunization for Tribal Children and Young Mothers: "Matching grant opportunity – Please support Seva Mandir"

Poonam — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 21:27:10 GMT

Education Scholarships for Child Laborers in India: "Newsletter Article on Scholarship Program"

Erika Keaveney — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 18:21:31 GMT

Greetings!

Please download the attached newsletter to read an article on the latest developments in the scholarship program for child laborers in Mewat (page 2).

If you have not already done so, we encourage you to subscribe to our monthly newsletter at www.lotusoutreach.org. Alternatively, you can send an email to info@lotusoutreach.org with “Subscribe” in the subject line.

Warm regards,

Erika Keaveney
Executive Director
Lotus Outreach International

Pictures:

Photo of more scholarship recipients (JPG)

Attachments:

Sept/Oct Newsletter (PDF)

Practice Lessons for 7 Disabled Kids: "Project update November 2009"

Hartoyo — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 09:33:10 GMT

Project Evaluation Report
Latest update: November 11, 2009
Project Title : Practice lessons for 7 disabled kids – Project 1788
Reported by : Calincing Love Rainbow Foundation – Indonesia

Summary
Since our latest update report on last August 2009, we were still continuing the program with disabled children in Cogreg village. We received the latest donation from Global Giving in October 2009 is $183. Your donations are very important to us to continue our free educational program in Cogreg village. Below is the detail of program that we have been implemented during August – October 2009. Please support us again so we can help disabled children to do learning activities. Thank you very much for your support.

Reading and singing contest
Children are invited in a small group and follow the reading and singing contest. This event was conducted in their schools with the guidance of teachers and school heads.

In the first contest, the children were asked to read picture-books. Children who read fluently and correctly will be a champion. Many children are beginning to read seemed nervous, but after a few minutes they were well enough to read a story book.

In the next contest, the children were asked to sing in front of his friends. Children who have the courage and can sing very well be a champion. Not all children have the courage to sing and perform in front of his friends. Finally there are two children who have the courage and can sing very well.

Thank you very much for your kind support and donation through Global Giving. Please support us again so we can continue to help our children continue their school and all activities they needed.

Best regards,
Hartoyo
Team Leader

Links:

Video album

Attachments:

Full report (DOC)

Providing Volunteer Opportunities in Japan: "Day of Service 2009"

Marjorie Dewey Chiba — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 08:04:19 GMT

Congratulations to our volunteers, corporate sponsors and NPO partners on another successful Day of Service. This year's event on October 3, 2009, attracted nearly 300 volunteers dedicating their time on 5 large projects. Volunteers made greeting cards with residents of the Hakujusou senior citizens home; learned photography and made one-of-a-kind frames for their photos with the children at the Wakabaryo children's home; took visually-impaired children on a virtual trip around the world to Taiwan, India, France, and Colombia at the international festival; teamed with Special Olympics athletes and their coaches in an exciting bowling tournament; and painted and planted both inside and out on the playroom and garden renovation project at Saiseikai Central Hospital's nursery for infants and toddlers. HOT partnered with California-based environmental designer and founder of With A Brush of Love, Lauren S. Henry on the renovation project. Lauren specializes in designing surroundings for children with special needs. In the evening volunteers shared stories and reflected on the day at the After Party hosted by corporate partner Bank of America Merrill Lynch. Together volunteers gave back approximately 1,000 hours in service to the Tokyo community.

The HOT Day of Service is a one-day event which engages volunteers, primarily from our corporate partners and their families, in larger-scale service activities that may be more permanent or provide a deeper connection to partner agencies than our ongoing projects. The event also serves as a showcase for volunteerism, promotes Hands On Tokyo as a vehicle to provide meaningful service opportunities, enables both foreigners and Japanese nationals to give back in a tangible way to local, underserved populations and raises funds to support Hands On Tokyo's year-round service projects.

Pictures:

Give the Gift of Sight: "Spreading the Word"

Judith Delgado — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 01:12:07 GMT

October was an exciting month for the Macular Degeneration Partnership! We were able to reach out to thousands of at-risk seniors at two events on the West Coast. One of our missions is to raise awareness of macular degeneration and to educate seniors about how they can protect and preserve their vision.

The AARP Annual Event and Expo draws over 25,000 people - all of them potentially at risk for age-related macular degeneration(AMD). Every year, the Partnership organizes a Vision Pavilion in the Exhibit Hall. Thousands of people visited our booth, took a self-test for AMD and learned about protecting their vision. Thanks to donations from FantasEyes and Live EyeWear, more than 100 of them walked away with new sunglasses. The ultraviolet rays of the sun can damage your retina and promote cataracts.

An unrestricted grant from Genentech, Inc. allowed us to work with the wonderful Doris Roberts, from "Everybody Loves Raymond". She drew almost 1200 people to our lifestyle session.

The California Women's Conference was next on our agenda. For one day, 25,000 women gathered to be educated and inspired. Since women are more at risk for AMD than men, this was a great opportunity to share tips for protecting their vision. We met many attendees who have macular degeneration in their family and who did not know about the genetic link and the danger to their own vision.

We continue to send out hundreds of helpful AMD Toolkits every month. People with macular degeneration call and email us with questions and worries. Your past donations have helped us provide help and support to thousands. Thank you for your continued support of our efforts.

Safe Drinking Water for 80,000 Children in Bolivia: "November update"

Matthias Saladin — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 22:29:55 GMT

Dear supporters,

This is a short message with some updates from the field and an announcement of an upcoming opportunity to increase the impact of your donations.

During a recent field trip, two volunteers of the SODIS Foundation, Valerie Grosscup and Jonathan Spear, visited several project schools. They went to schools in El Alto and Oruro, talked to teachers, school directors and students and came back with a lot of impressions and ideas. One thing they learned is that in the schools in El Alto, where project activities had started much earlier than in Oruro, there is much more practice of SODIS and hand washing at the classrooms. This confirms our experience that change does not come over night, neither by a single workshop or training. Whereas these learning moments are important, the key of behavior change consists of repetition and motivation, which takes a lot of time and effort (those of you who have experience in teaching children to brush their teeth or wash their hands may know this…).

The visit of Valerie and Jonathan, along with other monitoring activities of the SODIS Foundation, confirmed that the project is progressing well. Over the past months, the training activities in the field have reached all 231 schools involved in the project. More than 800 students were trained as peer trainers, as well as more than 800 teachers and school directors. In more than 100 schools, some simple structures were installed for exposing the bottles to sunlight. Furthermore, “healthy corners” were installed in over 100 schools, where the treated water is kept and where students can wash their hands.

You may be aware that on a global scale, hand washing is being recognized as an effective prevention not only for waterborne diseases, but also for influenza (including the “swine flu”). This situation highlights the importance of this project, providing over 200 schools with simple yet effective shields against public health threats. The next time you wash your hands, you may want to think about the luxury of safe dinking water coming out of the tap – it saves thousands of lives, day after day.

We also would like to announce an important opportunity: During November, all donations we receive through the website www.globalgiving.com will be matched by at least 30% by the Global Giving Foundation. This means that for example a donation of 10$ will actually generate 13$ of benefits, and the more funds we raise, the more matching money we receive (up to 50% if we raise at least 7,500$ during this challenge). We therefore would like to encourage you considering a donation to the project – every donation makes a difference!

Please let us know if this project update was useful for you by leaving a comment on the website. We continuously strive to improve our services and are grateful for any feedback.

Thanking you for your support,

Matthias Saladin

By the way, you can also find us – and many pictures of from the project – on Facebook. Simply type “Safe Drinking WAter for Children in Latin America” in the search bar of Facebook.

Links:

The latest SODIS clip on YouTube

Pictures:

Green Team: "Schoolyard Gardens a hit in after-school clubs!"

Jennifer Lawrence — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 20:06:08 GMT

Groundwork Somerville is now leading 97after-school clubs in Somerville! We are happy to be at the following schools:

Argenziano
Kennedy
West Somerville
Healey
East Somerville
Prospect Hill Academy
Winter Hill

Thank you so much to the schools for supporting us and allowing us to lead important educational sessions with students in Somerville's elementary schools! Please check out website for more information: www.GroundworkSomerville.org

Also, don't let GlobalGiving's Give More - Get More challenge pass you by. Support GWS and have your donation matched by up to 50%! please go to www.GlobalGiving.com/projects/gwsomervillegreenteam to participate!

Green Team: "Green Team begins parks/playgrounds assessment"

Jennifer Lawrence — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 20:03:04 GMT

Hi folks!

Just wanted to let you know that the Groundwork Somerville Green Team has officially begun their parks and playgrounds assessments! After finishing their own assessment tool, which includes people counts, access to healthy foods, and condition of equipment, they have begun assessing playgrounds, to be completed this year! In 2010, they will continue with the parks in Somerville. Stay tuned for information regarding our April presentation to the City of Somerville.

Don't forget to participate in the Give More - Get More Challenge! GlobalGiving will match up to 50% of donations until December 1. Donate through our home page.

Pictures:

Green Team in a park! (JPG)

Restore Australia’s Forest after the Wildfires: "Matching Opportunity! Give More, Get More!"

Paul Medici — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 19:24:43 GMT

Dear Mates,

Thank you for your continued support of the Australian Rainforest Foundation. We wanted to let you know about an exciting opportunity that we are participating in through our partners, GlobalGiving.

When a donation is made to our project, Restore Australia's Forests after the Wildfire--www.globalgiving.com/2555--on GlobalGiving between November 10 and December 1, GlobalGiving will match that donation at 30%, 40% or 50%. And if we raise the most money or get the most donations, we are eligible for bonus awards up to $10,000. Matching funds are limited, so act quickly.

You can help us raise more money and earn the GlobalGiving prize money by spreading the word!

1) Pass along this email to your friends and families and ask them to tell others.
2) If you are planning to make a donation this year to the Australian Rainforest Foundation, please do so by going to our project on GlobalGiving--www.globalgiving.com/2555.

Thank you very much mates and I hope you have a happy and safe Holiday Season!

Paul Medici
Assistant Project Leader
ARF

P.S. Pass this email along to friends and family!

Pictures:

Protect Vital Rainforest in Australia for Climate: "Matching Opportunity & Tree Certificates"

Paul Medici — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 19:02:43 GMT

Dear Mates,

Thank you for your continued support of the Australian Rainforest Foundation. We wanted to let you know about an exciting opportunity that we are participating in through our partners, GlobalGiving.

When a donation is made to our project, Protect Vital Rainforest in Australia for Climate (www.globalgiving.com/1842) on GlobalGiving between November 10 and December 1, GlobalGiving will match that donation at 30%, 40% or 50%. And if we raise the most money or get the most donations, we are eligible for bonus awards up to $10,000. Matching funds are limited, so act quickly.

You can help us raise more money and earn the GlobalGiving prize money by spreading the word!

1) Pass along this email to your friends and families and ask them to tell others.
2) If you are planning to make a donation this year to Protect Vital Rainforest in Australia for Climate, please do so by going to our project on GlobalGiving at www.globalgiving.com/1842.

***Also, for all those who donate $100 or more to this project, we will plant a rainforest tree in your name and send you the actual certificate of authenticity. Please visit-- http://www.arf.net.au/givetreepages/tree_for_life.php-- and see how YOUR tree can help save the rainforest!

Thank you Mates and I hope you have a happy and safe Holiday Season!

Paul Medici
Assistant Project Leader
ARF

P.S. Pass this email along to friends and family!

Pictures:

Afghan Institute of Learning Empowers Afghan Women: "A Special Giving Opportunity....."

Sondra Johnson — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 18:07:37 GMT

Thank you for your support. Your desire to make a difference in this world has made a difference, and we are so thankful that Afghan people have had their lives changed with your help.

We wanted to share with you a very special opportunity to give more than 100% from November 10 through December 1st. Please share this with those you know who care. During this time, we are privileged to receive additional matching funds from your donation through Global Giving of at least 30%. The need is still great. Afghanistan struggles to become a country of strength and stability.

Here are 3 stories of women who have found the power within their lives:

Khalida returned from Iran a few years ago. She faced many problems in Afghanistan, like lack of a job, because she was illiterate. Fortunately, she was introduced to the AIL center by one of her friends. Her first priority was to be literate and she started the literacy class. After she completed the 6th grade level, she got admitted in the embroidery class because she wanted to learn a skill so she can have an income to help her family. She learned this skill too, and graduated from the course. Right now she works at this center as the trainer of embroidery. She is so happy because she teaches other women there to be self sufficient. She added that AIL changed her life, and she would like to thank all the AIL staff because of their good work for the community.
Another woman said “My uncle forced my cousin to sit at home and not go to school because the situation in Afghanistan is not good and girls are for housework. He believed girls do not have the right to be educated and it’s shaming for them. After I took an AIL workshop, I got up my courage and I went to my uncle’s house to talk with him. I made him agree that education is important. Now, after two years, my cousin has joined the school and she is very happy.”
Says Ghorsana, “During the war in Afghanistan we went to Pakistan, where we had a very bad life. I was at home and my husband was selling water. I joined a sewing course and I finished the course successfully. I then got a sewing machine and started a sewing course at home for other Afghan refugees. One of my students had a bit of money, so she bought two other sewing machines for students to work on. At night I sewed clothes for people, and during the day I had sewing classes. Slowly my life became good. When we came back to Kabul, my husband and I got our previous jobs back and now we are living happily. I empowered myself and also many of my students are sewing and financially covering the needs of their families. I am happy that I had a good vision.”