A non-profit organization dedicated to helping impoverished communities around the world - one dollar at a time.
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Volunteers: Maddie, Gabby, and Chris
I was lucky enough to have three great volunteers here for five weeks - Maddie, Gabby, and Chris. I first met Maddie when she came to South Africa a year ago with Windsor Mountain. She was the only person I really remembered from that group because she assured me she would be back to work in Kurland. Lots of people say that - but I had a feeling at the time that Maddie was serious. Gabby was her adventurous friend who was willing to make the long trip with her and volunteer as well. Chris made the EXTRA-long trip here, as he missed his connecting flight and got stuck in Johannesburg for a night! Fortunately, he loved it so much here that he extended his trip to continue to help out Dollars for Change. All three of them worked incredibly hard throughout their time here at the preschool and with Dollars for Change projects. They shared some of their experiences in the video and pictures below. We miss you all!!!
Planning to travel to South Africa? Want to see Dollars for Change in action? There is no better place to stay than That Place - a beautiful three bedroom, self-catering cottage located on private road with views overlooking the local Elephant Sanctuary. The owners of That Place have generously supported Dollars for Change for over two years - we couldn't do it without them! Check out their website....
This blog was created to provide updates on the current projects of Dollars for Change. For more information about the organization, please visit the official website.
In the summer of 2006, I traveled to South Africa to teach kindergarten in the township of Kurland. I had always known I wanted to work in the field of international development, and this trip was meant to be a chance for me to get my feet wet.
That October, it was reported that the US population had reached 300 million. I remember thinking what a difference it would make if every American donated just one dollar towards the fight against extreme poverty. It was that population milestone, along with years of frustration with the vast gap between extreme wealth and poverty, that Dollars For Change was born.
On December 18th, 2006, Dollars For Change was incorporated as a non-profit organization and is now recognized by the IRS as a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organization. What began as a social experiment has become my own life’s goal.
