Thank you for visiting my fundraising page!  All Funds Raised Goes Directly to VSO!

In early October, Doria and I decided to team together to raise money to support Voluntary Services Overseas (VSO).  The culimnation of the next 10 months of fundraising is treking Mt. Kilimanjaro.  My goal is to raise $8000 (US) from now until June 2009.  This goal will fund over 4 community-initatied projects in East Africa - a relatively small amount of money with a big impact!  I'm excited about this opportunity to take on this challenge and look to you for financial support.  Follow us on our blog.

Why support VSO?

• 50% of the Tanzanian population live in households officially classified as poor.
• Infant mortality rates are amongst the highest in the world.
• Estimated 20% of women who give birth are already infected with the virus
• There are currently an estimated 1.1 million children orphaned as a result of AIDS and 9% of the adult population is HIV positive.
• There is huge gender inequality in society: 10% of girls are circumcised, many impoverished women are forced to sell their bodies in order to survive, and abuse in the home is not uncommon with frequent cases of rape and domestic violence. Girls are taken out of schools to care for elderly family members or parents with AIDS.

What will your donation do?  VSO focuses on three areas in : Education, Livelihoods, and HIV and AIDS. Visit the VSO East Africa Web Site for more information.

• £50 ($80) raised provides HIV and AIDS training for a VSO volunteer to raise awareness of HIV and AIDS
• £250 ($400) raised helps a VSO volunteer to train 20 local teachers in special teaching methods and in the management of Special Needs Units in Kenya in order to support children with disabilities
• £1000 ($1600) raised helps to fund a community-initiated project in The Gambia that, with the support of a VSO volunteer, could help to set up small enterprises run by local communities

PLEASE NOTE: Donations on this site are in GBP - please use an Exchange Conversion Calculator to make sure you make the donation you wish to make.