Great, great cause and one that seems fully committed to pushing out the word and leveraging online support.
According to their website, “Camfed is dedicated to fighting poverty and HIV/AIDS in rural Africa by educating girls and investing in their economic independence and leadership once they complete school. Since 1993, Camfed has been working in partnership with rural communities in Africa to set in motion a virtuous cycle of change.”
What is interesting, above and beyond their wonderful cause, is the level of diversification in their communication effort. A Facebook Cause where the top recruiter wins a trip to Africa, a documentary offered free of charge narrated by Morgan Freeman, a dedicated YouTube channel, fundraising application, and more.
What is particularly interesting as well are the stories of the women themselves. One example is Cindy, a 13 year old girl from Zambia. Her story:
“Cindy’s exuberance and optimism are remarkable. By the time she was three, both her father and her mother had died. The aunt who took care of her died five years later. Since then she has lived with her grandmother.
All the research tells us that children’s emotional health can survive loss, provided someone takes responsibility for their care, not out of duty but out of love. Cindy is very clear that she has been loved throughout her life, and with this love she has been able to overcome the challenges.
In Cindy’s school of 1,700 children, more than 500 girls and boys are orphans, a tragedy that will be compounded if those of us living in relative security don’t act to give children the education they need. The love of grandmothers and other guardians can’t pay school costs when subsistence farming provides so little income.
Cindy is just one of the thousands of girls who are supported through school by Camfed. She has the determination and capability to succeed and to become a lawyer.
“I am studying hard to go to a good high school,” she says. “I would like to go to a school where they teach very well so I can focus on my studies.”
So pitch in, join up and make the difference you always thought you could make. All from the comfort of your home from the ease of your laptop.
Hi Michael–
Thank you so much for your incredibly kind words about Camfed–we’re so honored! It looks like you are doing interesting and valuable work yourself.
Warm regards,
Kimberley Sevcik, Camfed U.S.A.