September 2011 Newsletter - Regreening America and Empowering Girls With Technology

September 2011 Newsletter - Regreening America and Empowering Girls With Technology

 

Develop Africa  E-Newsletter - September 2011
 In This Newsletter...
 
» Regreening of Africa and the Legacy of Wangari Maathai
 
» Opportunity For You to Get Involved: GlobalGiving Girl Effect Challenge

 

»

New Site Launch - Educate African Girls educateafricangirls.net
 
» Global Smiles at The Start of The New Year - Tailoring School Trainees and Construction Update

 
» Meet Adama - Child Waiting for a Sponsor

 
» Vision 2011 - How You Can Help

 

 

 

 

 
 
 

 Join us on Facebook   Connect with us on Facebook or Twitter as they are the best ways of staying updated with what we are doing and development work in general. 
 

 


 
Contact Us:
Got questions, suggestions on what  we can do better?

 

Like to get involved?

 

 

Please contact us .  We would love to hear from you!

 

Connect with us on Facebook

 

Connect with us on Twitter

 

 

 


 		 Useful  Links

Develop Africa Home Page
 

How you can help

 

 

 

 

 

 

Warm greetings.  Highlighted in this newsletter are - Regreening Africa - the legacy and recommendations of Wangari Maathai and an open invitation for you to get involved with the Globalgiving Girl Effect Challenge. 

It's heart warming to see lives being touched - thanks to your support.  Together we are helping to turn the tide and brighten many a smile and life.  We welcome your help with the challenge; together will be significantly touching the lives of many girls. Do it today and let us know how you are planning to help.

Happy reading!   
 

Regreening Africa and The Legacy of Professor Wangari Maathai:
Maathai, the first African woman to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, in 2004, was the founder of the Green Belt Movement.  This movement works at reforesting Kenya, stopping soil erosion and providing firewood for families by paying poor women to plant trees. She passed away on Sep. 25.

   
Throughout the African continent, trees and forests are being harvested for firewood and timber.  Many nations are experiencing the results and side-effects of deforestation and loss of vegetation in the form of torrential flooding (resulting in loss of life and property), land being washed away, warmer temperatures etc.

 Wangari Maathai

A vivid depiction of deforestation and its impact can be seen a new movie OKA!.  In this movie, the Bayaka Pygmies of Central Africa live in harmony with their environment, but this serenity is threatened mercilessly by deforestation and poachers.  Visit the Facebook page for more info: www.facebook.com/OKAMovie

Maathai left behind a great legacy and recommended actions that must be implemented to reverse this trend.  A failure to do this would affect all - including the poorest of the poor who depend on the environment and natural resources.  Recommended actions by Maathai and the movement include the sustained use and planting of more trees, the setting up and application of environmental laws and laws governing commerce in natural resources, addressing of grabbing, and sustainable charcoal production. Following these actions regreen Africa and preserve the environment for future generations. 

Your thoughts?  Please add comments to our blog.
Opportunity For You to Get Involved: GlobalGiving Girl Effect Challenge

Develop Africa is delighted to have been selected to participate in Globalgiving's Girl Effect Challenge running from October 15 to November 15th, 2011.  This challenge involves the following:

  • Become one of top 6 organizations to obtain donations to our specific project through GlobalGiving's site
  • Donations must be made between October 15 and November 15
  • By becoming one of the top 6, we can expect to receive $25,000 over the next calendar year (2012).  This is huge!
3 ways to help
- Make a donation
- Ask 3 friends to donate
- Promote this on Facebook, Twitter etc.		 Donate now

More information can be found here.

New Site Launch - Educate African Girls - www.educateafricangirls.net

Educate African Girls (EAG) is an initiative of Develop Africa - set up to give focus and attention to promoting the education of girls in Africa. All girls, regardless of the circumstances to which they were born, have the right to a quality education. A quality education provides the foundation for an individual to realize his or her dreams. We believe that all girls have a right to have their basic dreams fulfilled; thus, EAG is providing girls in Africa the opportunity to live their dreams.

  
The Get Involved page provides information on how you can help further the education of girls - as an individual, family, group, organization and business.  We warmly welcome your suggestions and involvement.

Educate African Girls site launch

Happy Smiles at The Start of The New Year - Tailoring School Trainees and Construction Update

The Tailoring Department of Door of Hope Has Begun The Academic Year With Smiles.  These women are filled with passion to change their situation and become self reliant. Thank you for helping to bring a change in their lives.
  

supporting education in Moshi, Tanzania, East Africa

Construction Update: Together, with DOH,  we are constructing a new tailoring school building.  Construction is well under way and we have bought boards, sand and cement ready for the completion of the building. We hope to roof the building in the coming months.  A photo showing part of the building is below.

tailoring building under construction

One of the benefits of establishing training facilities is that is that this helps to develop a highly-skilled human capital with an appropriate mix of both technical and formative skills.  Such facilities will help to establish a middle class. This is the key to building and transforming nations. 

This is true development and we look forward to making this and more happen.
  

Meet Adama - Child Waiting for a Sponsor
Adama is one of the girls currently waiting for sponsorship. She  wants to be banker when she grows up. She is friendly, likes drama (acting) and dancing. She is in good health.
  
Adama's father is currently unemployed. Her mother is the main provider of the home with a monthly income of $50 - not enough to cover the basic family needs. They live in a single bedroom apartment with no running water and no electricity.		 Adama

To sponsor Adama, please go to her profile and click on Sponsor This Child

For more information about this program see our Frequently Asked Questions.

See children who need sponsors / Sponsor a child now
 

Vision 2011: Expanding Our Impact, Investing in Lives

If not us, who?  If not now, when?
We have answered the call.  We invite you to join us and become a part of the DA family - all who love and care for people in Africa.

Here's how we can do more together:

  • Commit to donating monthly:  This would help us significantly.  Please consider signing up for a monthly or quarterly recurring donation of $10, $25, $50 or more. 
     
  • Volunteer quality time:  We could use your help, no matter where you live.  Provided that you are committed to help and willing to do whatever it takes.  Some opportunities are listed here - or you tell us specifically what you can do for us.
     
DonateNow

 

With the best of wishes...
Sylvester Renner and The Develop Africa Team

 

 

 

Families in Sierra Leone face unprecedented challenges due to rising costs. Inflation makes it difficult for them to afford basic food staples such as rice, cooking oil, and onions.

Extending a helping hand can alleviate a significant burden and provide essential relief to the less fortunate.

Help provide relief by donating today!

Help provide relief food

Give the Gift of Joy This Holiday Season 🎁


You can light up a child's life in Africa this holiday season. Imagine the joy of a young girl opening her very first book or a boy receiving a backpack filled with school supplies to fuel his dreams. For many children, a holiday gift isn't just a moment of happiness – it’s a message of hope, love, and possibility.

At Develop Africa, we believe every child deserves to feel special, especially during the holidays. But for too many children in underserved communities, the season comes and goes without even a small token of celebration. With your help, we can change that.

A donation of just $25 can provide a meaningful gift – a backpack, school supplies, or even a toy – to a needy child. Your generosity will show them that someone far away cares deeply about their future and happiness.

Make this holiday season unforgettable for a child. Please donate now to our Holiday Gift for a Child campaign and be part of a life-changing moment. Together, we can spread joy, ignite hope, and make the holidays magical for children in Africa.