Ways you can help here: A Christmas List

12/19/06

Ways you can help here: A Christmas List

So I put down some suggestions as a way people can give me a “gift” this Christmas season. I know that with some of the small organizations it is difficult to donate, as they won’t have access to US bank accounts. Here are some ways you can help though.

If you donate to catholic Relief services, with the specific intention of money going to Gulu, Uganda or Tanzania, I am sure that the money gets sent their quite easily without any costs.

Also, I just came back from Ndololeji, where two semi-retired Mary knoll priests, Don Sybertz and Dan Ohhman, are working. Don is working with a research team, collecting sukuma proverbs, songs and stories, while Dan is doing a lot of projects to improve conditions in the local community.

If you donate to Mary knoll, stating whom money will go to and what you want it spent on, then the money will be received directly, as Mary knoll takes care of any expenses in transit.

So here is how you can help

Food bins- $110. TZ is a farming country. With farming there is a lot of uncertainty. Too much or too little rain can send the region into Famine. When food is in shortage, the price skyrockets. Dan has local guys who are building storage silos for food where food for a whole year can be stored. You can donate $110 and this would be enough to provide one family with a silo, which would add a little more stability and security to their lives.

Boarding Fees- $135 - There is a local boarding school for girls. Often it is girls who don’t get the opportunity for school. A boarding school ensures that students get the environment that they need in order to succeed in school. Many families are unable to afford the boarding however. For $135, one can provide a year worth of room and board to a girl.

Windmills- Water is another difficulty in TZ. Often people have to walk down to the river to collect their water. When there is no water in the river they have to dig down until they find some. This is one of the more expensive ventures that Dan is involved with. With a few thousand dollars, Dan buys windmills in South Africa that, through wind power, pump clean water to the village center. He installs it for free and then the men who manage the water provide clean water for very little costs. (About 5 cents for 5 gallons of water). You can make a contribution of your choice to help towards building these windmills.

I am sure that all of these options are tax deductible.