Members Visit Grant Recipients

In August, members Megan, Anne, Diane, Britt, Peter, Paige and Priscilla flew to Southern Africa and spent time visiting with GSGC's recipients and organization leaders. They followed a busy schedule every day, filled with interesting meetings, site visits and seeing first hand the every day realities and challenges that so many face.

As a group, everyone fully embraced every opportunity to learn, interact and make connections. For all of the travelers, one of the highlights included hosting a field trip to Victoria Falls with two bus loads full of eager and enthusiastic children from Tusa Munyandi. The hands the travelers held walking to the falls were those of orphaned children who were receiving care and education from recipients of micro-loans that we provide. Paige commented, "the trust and sharing was unforgettable not to mention that we began with 37 children and somehow ended the trip with the same number!"

Beyond visiting the projects and recipients, they had the opportunity to stay at the Muchenje Safari Lodge in Botswana and on the Ichobezi houseboat on the Chobe River. Some special moments included: "the way we held our breath as we drove very close to two resting lions, crouching down very low as 1,000 head of Cape buffalo walked slowly by us, staring up at the brilliance of the night sky and experiencing the feel of a lion roaring in the middle of the night." The travelers reluctantly said good-bye to their safari experience as they watched the beautiful African sunset on their last night on the Chobe.

Ending the trip in Cape Town was yet another unforgettable experience. Meeting the dedicated staff of Jikeleza and experiencing the students dancing in joyous harmony was outstanding and each member of the group left knowing what GSGC's continuing support means to this special organization.

To watch a slide show of the trip and read more details, click here.

Donations- Are You Up To Date?

Project Updates

Here is how we saw some of our grants in action during our GSGC trip in August:

Ray of Hope
Our funds helped a group of HIV+ community members better provide for themselves through an agricultural project. Instead of giving micro-loans to multiple individuals, the funds were given to the group so they could work together to grow produce which will be sold for income and used for food for the members. It is expected that the group will start paying back the loan in early 2010 and then these funds will be loaned out to another group to start a similar project.

We visited the agricultural project and were inspired by the gardens they had organized. We also learned about the challenges they face as we saw elephant footprints in the garden and the destruction caused by these huge animals. The need for learning how humans and the wildlife can survive together continues to grow and is an area that our Giving Circle is looking into.

Tusa Munyandi
This past year our funds went to support 58 orphans with school requirements (e.g. uniforms and supplies), micro-loans for caretakers of these children and some overhead expenses such as rent for their small office.

Some funds were also set aside to take the orphans to visit Victoria Falls. Even though these magnificent Falls are in their backyard, most of the children had never seen them. It was a privilege to share in this experience with the children and to see their world expand through this outing.

Jikeleza
We've never seen anyone leverage donor funds like Jikeleza! They've organized two sleep-a-way workshops for the children and are working on the third. Besides dealing with the tough issues in their communities (e.g. drugs, teen pregnancy, HIV/AIDS), the children are learning to open up and share their concerns, reach beyond racial barriers and imagine possibilities for their lives. And... have fun! For many, it's the first time they've slept in a bed all to themselves and experienced the joy of a hot shower. We look forward to continuing to fund these empowering workshops.

Upcoming Calls/Conferences

Wednesday, February 17th,
3 pm PST

Speaker: TBA

Website

Stay updated and refer your interested friends to our site. Browse photos, background info and recent events: www.globalsojourns.com/givingcircle/

GSGC Mission

The Global Sojourns Giving Circle helps individuals pool their time, talent and financial resources to improve the lives of children and conserve wildlife in sub-Saharan Africa. Members make a direct, positive impact while learning about issues in the region, connecting personally with the projects, and forming community with other members.

Members and Donors

• All donations are tax deductible

• 100% of your donation goes to supporting projects

• Donations of $365 to $2,000 + vote on projects to be funded, travel opportunities with the GSGC, take part in educational calls, receive updates

• Donations of $35-$364: take part in educational calls, receive updates

Make checks payable to:

The Foundation for Sustainable Development,

517 Potrero Avenue,
Suite B

San Francisco, CA 94110

*Please designate checks for GSGC

GSGC Network

We are pleased to introduce you to a valuable and well-loved GSGC partner, James Fernie.

Although James has his training in law, a few years ago he completely devoted himself to following his passion, and started Uthando, a non-profit organization that helps support communities in the townships around Cape Town.

His vision has brought tourists into the townships to show what South Africans are doing to improve their communities. His tours provide a unique, informative and inspirational look into the reality of life in these areas.

James is our eyes and ears on the ground in Cape Town and was the one who introduced us to Jikelea.

All in all, James has a heart of gold, he is an example of walking the talk, and is committed to the empowerment of South Africans and helping travelers understand the complexities they face.

Learn more about Uthando here.

Book & Movie Corner

A timely collection of inspiring tales, The Kindness of Strangers explores the unexpected human connections that so often transform the experience of travel, and celebrates the gift of kindness around the world.

Have a book or movie to recommend? Contact Paige pshasson@gmail.com

Geographic Spotlight: Cape Town

• Second most populated city in South Africa after Johannesburg.
• Considered Africa's most popular destination for tourism.
• Located on Table Bay, originally founded by the Dutch East India Company as a supply station for ships sailing to Eastern Africa, India and the Far East.
• Approx. 3.5 million residents.
• The city is known for diverse beaches, Table Mt. and Mediterranean climate.
• There is a great contrast between the picturesque setting and the widespread issues of poverty throughout the city's townships.
• 10 km off the coast is Robben Island, home to the prison which held many political prisoners, including Nelson Mandela.

Read On

As a constantly evolving group, we are always looking to new research and trends in sustainable development.

The following article was recently featured in the Boston Globe, arguing against the large-scale effectiveness of micro-lending. It features Dean Karlan, Yale economics professor who was a presenter on one of our conference calls last year.

Read it and tell us what you think!

Small Change Article

Quick Tips

Have your friends give a contribution to GSGC in lieu of gifts for your birthday, anniversary or any other special occasion!

Also, If you are interested in hosting a GSGC wine tasting event, we have developed a "template" that will help make the event easy to organize. This is a wonderful way to have a get together with friends and educate them about Giving Circles in general, and ours in particular.

Please contact Linda Dee at 303-973-2928 or sandyandlinda@msn.com for more information.

Questions?

Contact Linda Dee or Paige Hasson:

sandyandlinda@msn.com
(303) 973-2928

morkh1@comcast.net
(503) 246-9691