Psalm 127:3-5 Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD, the fruit of the womb a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one’s youth. Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them! He shall not be put to shame when he speaks with his enemies in the gate.
I am now 26 years old and my nurturing, adventuring, mothering side has fully revealed itself. : )
I am heading out on more missions!!!!! Thank you again to all of you who have supported me in every way in my missions to Mexico, Bolivia, Rwanda, and Cameroon, and now I am headed back to beautiful Africa. You who support me are my lifeblood, my angels, my saviors. THANK YOU!!!!!
I am heading out on more missions!!!!! Thank you again to all of you who have supported me in every way in my missions to Mexico, Bolivia, Rwanda, and Cameroon, and now I am headed back to beautiful Africa. You who support me are my lifeblood, my angels, my saviors. THANK YOU!!!!!
When I first returned from my trip to Harvest Children's Home in Cameroon this past February, I was miserable to wake up to a quiet house. I missed being awoken by excited, energized children running about laughing, playing, singing and squealing at 5am. I miss the sounds of chickens and goats, and the smell of fire as well, but that's a while other post right there.
Anyway, I am THRILLED to announce I am heading back to AFRICA!!!!!!!!!
First I am headed to UGANDA. Then I am headed to RWANDA. Then I am headed to TANZANIA. Then I will be back in the states, planning a wedding (YAYYYY!!!) and teaching green art and gardening for an after-school ministry.(love it)
TRIP DETAILS:
I am traveling with my favorite non-profit,
Orphans to Ambassadors
[ http://www.orphanstoambassadors.org/ ] This organization implements sustainable technologies in orphanages around the world to vulnerable children in refugee affected areas. My fiance is the project leader for this trip and he is AWESOME at his job.
KASESE, UGANDA-Fair Earth Children's Village
[Project Summary]
Fair Earth Children’s Village is an orphanage for abandoned and vulnerable children in Kasese, Uganda, a rural town in western Uganda, near the Democratic Republic of Congo border. Fair Earth cares for 55 boys and girls. Currently Fair Earth is addressing many needs by providing the following: education and vocational programs, feeding, medical care, shelter and clothing to the children. Fair Earth is already practicing simple sustainable measures including a 5 acre vegetable garden they share with a sister NGO where they grow corn, sweet potatoes and fruit for the children. Although they already understand the importance and practice of sustainable measures and efficient systems their current water source, supplied from the town is terribly expensive costing nearly $1,300 USD per year. We hope to provide them with an 8,000 liter rainwater harvesting system onto the children’s dormitory building to increase the children’s water access and security as well as preventing premature erosion to the dormitory buildings. Our project will increase their financial sustainability by greatly reducing their water expenses by approximately $700 - $1,000 USD per year.
Intended results
● Fair Earth Children’s Village - The project will address and improve the living conditions of abandoned vulnerable children in Kasese, Uganda. A rainwater harvesting system will give the children of Fair Earth increased access to water for bathing, cleaning and for the livestock. Provide instruction for children and staff of orphanage to install, operate, and maintain the rainwater system.
● Kasese, Uganda – With the new rainwater harvesting system in place the orphanage will be a source of innovation and hope for community members and entrepreneurs to learn best practices and techniques for starting their own rainwater harvesting initiatives.
● Orphans to Ambassadors International – This organization will have a better understanding of the installation and operational intricacies of the sustainable technologies involved in this project. By documenting lessons learned from this project, the overall knowledge of installation and operational requirements of each component will be enhanced and contribute to more streamlined project implementation in future projects.
Then.... after Fair Earth, we are headed to
Rwamagana, RWANDA-Institute for Women's Excellence
IWE women's boarding school, (Institute for Women's Excellence) where we will be visiting to check on projects we did last May. We implemented a Chicken Coop, 2 High efficiency Rocket Stoves, and we installed Rainwater Harvesting Systems on this campus. We will be checking on our sustainability projects to see how they are working for the facility, and we will be discussing with the staff current and future needs, and discovering areas where they may need more projects in the future.
Can't wait to see these lovely girls again!!!
Next, we are headed to
Next, we are headed to
Nazareti Center, Ngara, Tanzania
[Project Summary]
Nazareti Center is an orphanage for abandoned and vulnerable street children in Ngara, Tanzania, a rural town called Ngara in Northwestern Tanzania, near the Rwanda and Burundi border. Nazareti is an all boys orphanage and cares for 28 boys. Ngara, Tanzania was a hosting site for refugee populations in the past two decades. Refugee affected areas like that of Ngara, Tanzania experience a higher than normal rate of street children (orphans) from overflowing refugee camps plagued with an abundant number of children orphaned due to violence in conflict
zones. These children migrate to the streets of nearby villages and towns to seek a better life where some end up in locally or internationally run orphanages.
Due to the typical remoteness of refugee-affected areas, these orphanages are underfunded and over utilized, most are unable to operate at a level more appealing than life on the streets. These orphanages are presented with a unique problem that goes unnoticed and understudied. This high number of street children affects the community in ways such as higher petty theft, increased child drug use, and child related sex trafficking. For example, in Kibondo, Tanzania, children were migrating to the verandas of local houses to sleep at night for fear of being attacked by wildlife at night.
Most street children are shunned from the local villages and are viewed as a nuisance instead of an opportunity. A unique opportunity exists in refugee-affected areas, where resource depletion and environmental degradation has plagued these refugee hosting communities since the arrival of refugee camps. These areas are more interested and committed to sustainability than most major cities due to the direct and drastic impact environmental degradation had/has on their community. Couple this with students trained in sustainable development practices and renewable energy technologies and you have an opportunity for a true grassroots movement that empowers orphaned children and initiates environmental preservation.
Currently Nazareti is addressing many needs by providing the following: education through local school sponsorships and vocational programs, feeding, medical care, shelter and clothing to the children. Nazareti is already practicing simple sustainable measures as a result of the Orphans to Ambassadors project with them in June 2011. Now Nazareti Center has a major rainwater harvesting system in place along with 2 fuel efficient rocket cooking stoves. Although they already understand the importance and practice of sustainable measures and efficient systems their current rainwater system needs to be expanded to accommodate for their water needs. We hope to expand their current rainwater harvesting system onto the administrative and meeting buildings to increase the children’s water access and security as well as preventing premature erosion to these buildings, recently constructed in 2006. Our project will increase their financial sustainability by greatly reducing their water expenses.
● Nazareti Center – The projects will address and improve the living conditions of abandoned vulnerable street children in Ngara, Tanzania. An expanded rainwater harvesting system will give the children of Nazareti Center increased access to water for bathing, cleaning and for their livestock. Orphans to Ambassadors will provide instruction for children and staff of orphanage to install, operate, and maintain the system and lead activities for the children while teaching sustainability education lessons.
● Ngara, Tanzania – With the expanded rainwater harvesting system in place the orphanage will be a source of innovation and hope for community members and entrepreneurs to learn best practices and techniques for starting their own solar power initiatives.
● Orphans to Ambassadors International – This organization will have a better understanding of the installation and operational intricacies of the sustainable technologies involved in this project. By documenting lessons learned from this project, the overall knowledge of installation and operational requirements of each component will be enhanced and contribute to more streamlined project implementation in future projects.
[Project Summary]
Nazareti Center is an orphanage for abandoned and vulnerable street children in Ngara, Tanzania, a rural town called Ngara in Northwestern Tanzania, near the Rwanda and Burundi border. Nazareti is an all boys orphanage and cares for 28 boys. Ngara, Tanzania was a hosting site for refugee populations in the past two decades. Refugee affected areas like that of Ngara, Tanzania experience a higher than normal rate of street children (orphans) from overflowing refugee camps plagued with an abundant number of children orphaned due to violence in conflict
zones. These children migrate to the streets of nearby villages and towns to seek a better life where some end up in locally or internationally run orphanages.
Due to the typical remoteness of refugee-affected areas, these orphanages are underfunded and over utilized, most are unable to operate at a level more appealing than life on the streets. These orphanages are presented with a unique problem that goes unnoticed and understudied. This high number of street children affects the community in ways such as higher petty theft, increased child drug use, and child related sex trafficking. For example, in Kibondo, Tanzania, children were migrating to the verandas of local houses to sleep at night for fear of being attacked by wildlife at night.
Most street children are shunned from the local villages and are viewed as a nuisance instead of an opportunity. A unique opportunity exists in refugee-affected areas, where resource depletion and environmental degradation has plagued these refugee hosting communities since the arrival of refugee camps. These areas are more interested and committed to sustainability than most major cities due to the direct and drastic impact environmental degradation had/has on their community. Couple this with students trained in sustainable development practices and renewable energy technologies and you have an opportunity for a true grassroots movement that empowers orphaned children and initiates environmental preservation.
Currently Nazareti is addressing many needs by providing the following: education through local school sponsorships and vocational programs, feeding, medical care, shelter and clothing to the children. Nazareti is already practicing simple sustainable measures as a result of the Orphans to Ambassadors project with them in June 2011. Now Nazareti Center has a major rainwater harvesting system in place along with 2 fuel efficient rocket cooking stoves. Although they already understand the importance and practice of sustainable measures and efficient systems their current rainwater system needs to be expanded to accommodate for their water needs. We hope to expand their current rainwater harvesting system onto the administrative and meeting buildings to increase the children’s water access and security as well as preventing premature erosion to these buildings, recently constructed in 2006. Our project will increase their financial sustainability by greatly reducing their water expenses.
● Nazareti Center – The projects will address and improve the living conditions of abandoned vulnerable street children in Ngara, Tanzania. An expanded rainwater harvesting system will give the children of Nazareti Center increased access to water for bathing, cleaning and for their livestock. Orphans to Ambassadors will provide instruction for children and staff of orphanage to install, operate, and maintain the system and lead activities for the children while teaching sustainability education lessons.
● Ngara, Tanzania – With the expanded rainwater harvesting system in place the orphanage will be a source of innovation and hope for community members and entrepreneurs to learn best practices and techniques for starting their own solar power initiatives.
● Orphans to Ambassadors International – This organization will have a better understanding of the installation and operational intricacies of the sustainable technologies involved in this project. By documenting lessons learned from this project, the overall knowledge of installation and operational requirements of each component will be enhanced and contribute to more streamlined project implementation in future projects.
My Contributions to this trip:
- Photography and Video documentation at Fair Earth, IWE boarding school, Nazareti Center, and any other orphanages or children's homes(potential future projects) we may visit on the trip.
- Sustainability Education Curriculum I will be teaching sustainability lessons to the children at Fair Earth children's home about what sustainability is, our projects and how to care for them, and how sustainability is important to their daily lives.
- Team Member As a member of the Orphans to Ambassadors team I will be working with the team and locals on construction and implementation of our projects, as well as any other needs that arise on the trip.
- LOVE Let's face it, love is my biggest contribution. I most definitely will fall head over heels for these vulnerable children (as I always do) and love them with all of my heart for as long as I can. It is important to me that they know they are important and loved, and deserving of the opportunities we present to them in our work.
please consider supporting me in this journey!!!!! Every penny makes a difference, not only in my life, but in countless others who will be affected by our work!
support me here:(http://www.gofundme.com/3qntrk)
please share with all of your friends, family, and networks!! THANK YOU!!!! Have a BLESSED DAY!! : )
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