Hello everyone!

As you may know, we (Laura and Cail) are going to spend a few months volunteering with Ripple Africa in rural Malawi this summer. Ripple Africa is a really fantastic charity and we'd love to do some serious fundraising for them before we go.

Please read some of the information below, and if you feel like this is a worthwhile cause please give whatever you can! If everyone gives just a little it can still make a big difference...

Don't worry, all the money you donate here goes straight to the charity. We are funding our trip ourselves.

Ripple Africa is a small and effective charity based in Mwaya, Malawi and run by a British couple. The charity's costs are minimal, and it relies heavily on volunteers. Its only employees are local Malawians.

Malawi is a small country in eastern Africa. It has had a multi-party democracy for 15 years. Most Malawians live in extreme poverty and face malnutrition, malaria, a lack of opportunity for education, and high rates of HIV. The country has nearly 1 million AIDS orphans.

Ripple Africa is involved with the local community through a variety of projects. They provide volunteer teachers, doctors, and nurses. They have setup a variety of environmental and reforestation projects, and have started a program to offer microloans to locals. They pay for supplies to build schools, improve health care, and start businesses.

For more information please visit their website: www.rippleafrica.org.

We are trying to raise 1000 pounds, or about $2000 for this wonderful cause! Please give whatever you feel like and help us reach our goal!

The best donors will get postcards from us...

Zikomo!

Laura and Caileigh