Friday, October 17, 2008

I'm going to Africa!

You may have already heard that I am traveling to Tanzania to volunteer at an orphanage. Going to Africa has been a life-long dream and I can hardly believe that is finally coming true. I fly on November 3rd and I will be gone until the end of January. I still have lots to do before I go - learn some Swahili, pack up my house, and raise money for the kids.

Watoto Wa Africa is an orphanage run by a local Tanzanian couple just outside the city of Mwanza on Lake Victoria. There are 45 kids between the ages of 1 and 17 who have lost their parents to HIV/AIDS and are now living at the orphanage. They do have electricity but no running water. There is no stable source of income and they rely on volunteers and donations to get by. To learn more, go to www.watotowaafrica.com or check out Facebook group “Watoto Wa Africa” to see some great photos of the kids.

While I’m away…
I will be living in a rented house with 1-2 other volunteers just down the road from the orphanage. While there I plan to help out wherever needed. In the early mornings and late afternoon I will be tutoring the kids in English and Math. The rest of the day will be spent helping build a new home for the kids (and the cows and chickens) and hopefully starting a veggie garden.

How can you help?
With the help of my friends and family, I hope to raise $2000 before I leave on November 3rd. I am organizing a staff lunch party at my work, a 50/50 draw, and we have a “swear jar” that is getting full after only 2 days (ask me more about the swear jar if you think you could use one at your workplace).

If you can help out, a donation of $25 would be greatly appreciated.

How will your money be used?
Any donations you send to me will be directly spent on supplies for the kids at the orphanage. Watoto Wa Africa received a donation to build a home for the kids (they are currently renting a 4 bedroom house) but they still need to purchase mosquito nets, new mattresses and materials to build furniture. This is in addition to the basic necessities like medical supplies, food and clothing.

Volunteers are encouraged to raise money for specific projects that they would like to work on during their stay. I am excited to contribute to the creation of a garden project to ensure a constant source of food. I would also like to purchase/build playground equipment for the kids and to take them on a few excursions.

To donate money, you can:
Mail a cheque in my name to 1906 Alma St., Vancouver, BC V6R 3P7. I will deposit the funds in my personal account and withdraw them in local currency when I arrive.
Deposit to my Vancity bank account online (you must be a Vancity member) or go to any Vancity branch to make a deposit in person. Please email me and I will forward my account information.
If you would prefer to donate online and receive a tax receipt, go to www.canadahelps.org and choose the charity Hope Without Borders. A portion of your donation will be retained by CanadaHelps.org to cover administrative costs. Hope Without Borders is a Canadian charity that sends money directly to Watoto Wa as well as a women’s shelter in Lebanon. You can indicate in the message that you would like the funds to go to Watoto Wa. You can also choose to send a message notifying me that you have made a donation.

If you are depositing to my bank account online or in person please let me know when you have donated so I can keep track of funds raised.

I will be updating a travel blog as often as possible to keep you updated. You can see my profile at http://www.travelpod.com/members/andreainafrica where I will be uploading photos and writing a diary of my experiences.

Thank you to everyone for your support and generosity!

All the best,
Andrea







Missionary Travels In South Africa: Including A Sketch Of Sixteen Years'' Residence In The Interior Of Africa, Volume I

Missionary Travels In South Africa: Including A Sketch Of Sixteen Years'' Residence In The Interior Of Africa, Volume I


Missionary Travels In South Africa: Including A Sketch Of Sixteen Years'' Residence In The Interior Of Africa, Volume I












1 comment:

Unknown said...

Hi Andrea,

Thanks so much for mentioning CanadaHelps in your blog. Not sure if you're aware of our Giving Pages where you can set up a page that allows you to fundraise for any charity. Send the link out to friends and family, or post it on your blog, and see exactly who donates and how much.

Best wishes for a great trip and thanks for giving your time to making the world a better place.

Your friends at CanadaHelps,
Zenia