The Olevolos Project: Developing Young Leaders in Tanzania

Dory Gannes is director of the Olevolos Project, which helps orphans and disadvantaged children in Tanzania. The Project's website states that, founded in 2007, it seeks "to create educational opportunities for disadvantaged children from the Olevolos Village in Tanzania, Africa. Our mission is to develop young leaders through formal schooling, tutoring programs, and extra-curricular activities. Because we aim to improve access and equality to education, we pay for all the expenses for students who are unable. Given that many of these kids lack proper nutritional meals, we have developed a school-feeding program. ...

"Engagement with the local community is a defining part of our project. Understanding the importance of this engagement, we work closely with the District Commissioner, Village Council, and village people to leverage goals and maximize impact in the community. Because of this, they are incorporated into every aspect of our programming. Villagers volunteer at the site, join us in parent meetings, and sit on our advisory board. We believe the ultimate success of the project lies in the hands of the Olevolos people."

Go to the Olevolos Project's website to glimpse the novel ways others have contributed and to get good ideas on how you can help this non-profit achieve its mission.

Helping AIDS Children Reach Their Full Potential

One of the consequences of the AIDS pandemic is the estimated 15 million or more children worldwide under the age of 18 who have been orphaned as a result of the disease. In response to this huge problem, in 2000 Dr. Sunette Pienaar Steyn founded Heartbeat. Heartbeat is a non-profit organization whose stated missions is: "To empower orphaned and vulnerable children to reach their full potential through quality service provision, development and capacity building." This translates into helping children access water, electricity, housing, schooling and government grants. Since its inception, Heartbeat has cared directly or indirectly for 54,000 orphans and vulnerable children.
Consider making an in-kind donation to Heartbeat in the form of new or used clothing or household goods, toiletries and candy, as well as school supplies as it's back-to-school time. Contact Heartbeat's Karina Swann at karina@heartbeat.org.za regarding in-kind contributions.

Reaching New Heights for Nepalese Orphans

Ama Dablam (6,859m)
In April, international mountain guides and Managing Directors of MatterhornNepal-GuideSource Treks & Expeditions Ltd, RJ Fleming and Ang Kami Sherpa, climbed Himalayan peaks to raise awareness of their charity to educate Nepalese orphans. The World Economic Forum and Prof. Klaus Schwab supported the project, acting as patron of this awareness raising campaign. The goal of this venture was to expose the fact that 1 out of every 23 individuals in Nepal is an orphan with no access to an education, and to encourage individuals, corporations and organizations to contribute to Education for Orphans of Nepal (EON). Started in 2001 by MatterhornNepal-GuideSource, this charity presently funds the entire living and boarding school educational costs of 11 Nepalese children without families, for a period of 10 years for each child.

The climbs of Ice Land Peak (6,189m) and Ama Dablam (6,859m) in the Solu Khumbu region of the Himalayan range were undertaken in the belief that most individuals, even those who have visited or wish to visit this most coveted tourist destination, are completely unaware of the plight of nearly one million of this country's impoverished yet truly kind-hearted inhabitants. The EON project gives anyone the chance to contribute and directly improve an orphan's life, offering them the choices and hope for the future only possible through an education. EON is a Nepal registered charity; MatterhornNepal-GuideSource absorbs all administrative costs, enabling total contributions to go straight to the children's educational costs.

Obliged to abandon their attempts to summit Ama Dablam due to treacherous conditions and falling ice and rock at about 6,500m, in mid-April RJ Fleming and Ang Kami Sherpa summited Ice Land Peak, and returned safely to Katmandu.

If you wish to receive information about EON or contribute to the education of Nepalese orphans, write to info@guidesource.com