Use What You’ve Got

Today I was talking to someone, who along with another 20 something year old has built a school for underprivileged kids in Uganda. They are amazing to take on a lifelong challenge of delivering quality education to hundreds of children. It’s nice to sit down and share the joys and struggles that little organisations all have. We’re always trying to find new and inventive ways of raising funds to make a real difference in the lives of young people.

Today we launched our Athletes in Action program. This is where anyone, no matter what age can enter a fun run, kayak race, triathlon or any other community event. BeyondWater will pay the entry fee and the entrant commits to raising at least twice that, which goes to projects. If they don’t manage to raise that, then they pay BeyondWater back. We’ve listed all the events that are happening in NSW. ACT, VIC and QLD but if people find more all they have to do is contact the office to organise.

Taking on a personal challenge gives you a good feeling of contributing and it’s an easy way to help raise money. For me this coming year I’m entering a half marathon, which is 22km’s, I’ll be nearly 44 years old. Now that’s a challenge!

Check out the new page on our website – http://www.beyondwater.org.au/#/athletes-in-action/4558136433

A Real Bet

Last week the nation stopped while the Melbourne Cup went ahead. We spent $183 million on that day and Aussies bet another $55 million. The day has been and gone and what do we have to show for it? Sure, it may have been lots of fun but really, is it the best way we can spend that kind of money? Below is a photo I took in Ghana which was a version of the Powerball.

One million dollars would help 50,000 people not just once, but every day for 20 years. That’s right, $20 gives one person safe clean drinking water for 20 years.

I think the biggest thing we struggle with is the concept that people just don’t have water – at all. The thought of people walking for hours a day just to get water is such a foreign concept that it really is too much to comprehend.

 

So forget that, just think how easy it is to give $20 and how it can improve someones life. It’s the best bet you’ll make.

Sign in Ghana

 

What is a smile worth?

Going through thousands of photos taken over an 8 week trip to East Africa takes weeks. I am still amazed on what my battered old Canon 30D can handle. Going up to Kilimanjaro where it’s -15 degrees (Celsius) it managed to survive quite well. My husband Pete broke his leg when he caught his foot on a rock somersaulted over his walking poles and came down on the bag with the camera in it, but it still didn’t break.

Pete on Kilimanjaro

It’s been said that a photo is worth a thousand words. To me, it says so much more and yet not enough. Probably my most favourite photos are the one below. We had just been to visit a deep bore well in Gulu, Northern Uganda. Although it was primarily for an orphanage and soon to be built school, the whole community could use it. Along came a few kids who should’ve been in school but didn’t have the money for fees. Instead, it was up to them to collect water for their families.

It doesn’t seem much to us when we can simply turn on the tap. The reason these kids were happy is that they no longer have to walk 7km’s to collect a container of water, only a couple of hundred metres. Giving water is worth everything, even just a smile.

Pete on Kilimanjaro

Remember the Faces

We hear about famine in Somalia, know that there are millions who live below the poverty line, but let’s be honest, they’re just people in a far away land that just have it tough.

It’s easy to forget that these are people – men, women and children who have dreams, hopes, the desire to grow up and get a job so they can look after their family. One of the best things I get to do in my job is to travel to East Africa and meet some of the people whose lives are changed simply because they now have access to clean drinking water.

One of them is a 4 year old girl who has the job of collecting all the water for her family in Gulu, Northern Uganda. She’s at the right of this photo.

From the age of 2 she has learned to do this every day, twice a day. Before we were able to provide something closer to home, she had to walk 5 kilometres to the nearest borehole. Remember, she is only 4 years old. Now it is a matter of mere metres for her. Soon she will be able to attend school because her parents are able to get enough water to keep their crops healthy. She won’t have to worry about being thirsty, or having to skip school just to do this task.

In the next 12 months we want to transform the lives of hundreds of children by giving them access to clean drinking water. With your help we need to raise $100,000. It’s a lot of money, but it’s possible. $20 gives a person clean, safe drinking water for 20 years. It’s probably one of the best investments you can make – into the life of another person.

http://www.gofundraise.com.au/CharityDetail.aspx?cid=277

Keep Girls in School

The number one reason girls don’t continue on with their education once they reach puberty is that they don’t have access to single sex toilets. This week we had the privilege of dedicating 3 blocks of latrines at the Mwangu Ivuti Primary School, a 5 1/2 hour drive from Nairobi. Have a look at the photo below of the before and after shots.

Imagine going in the one on the left, which actually faced the playing field, it simply was a hole in the ground? At least now the girls will have their own block of latrines as well as the staff and the boys. It only costs $2,500 to build latrines. How ridiculously cheap is that! This year we want to give as many schools latrines and help keep kids in school, especially girls. If they’re not in school they are transporting water, working around home, perhaps married off and often, open to abuse. Schools are more than learning centres, they’re a place of safety, community and hope.

Help us help the kids by donating today – www.thekilichallenge.com

Why Go To Africa?

Why should we spend thousands of dollars and traveling for days to go to Africa? Couldn’t the money be spent in better ways? Couldn’t you be more effective here in Australia?

These are questions that people ask and we ask ourselves. Going and seeing for ourselves the projects and then being able to show everyone where their money has gone is invaluable. Sure, it’s a long way, but then, Australia is at the bottom of the world. All of our trips are self funded as we want all donations to go to our projects, so there’s no cost to the organisation. The long term effect of taking people into Africa is that people catch the vision and end up being long term committed to bringing change through the provision of clean water and toilets. Lastly, raising funds is a lot of hard work. Someone once told me that we have become professional beggars and I think they’re correct. Going to Africa enthuses you to keep on keeping on. The people you meet who are always grateful for a hand up, the smiles on their faces and the food they give out of the little they have, is definitely worth it.

Shop Till You Drop

Today we launched our very own e-shop. There you can buy necklaces made by a womens network in Uganda or a Kenyan artist who used to live in a cave. Postage is included and all the profits go back into bringing communities in East Africa safe, clean drinking water. We’ll put in new items as we get them so check back regularly for updates. Click on the link below to go directly there.