The AIDS epidemic in Uganda has resulted in thousands of orphans, who—without the traditional safety net of extended families—have little chance of going to school or receiving health care, making them vulnerable to trafficking, child labor, and abuse.

 

Nyaka School, in the village of Nyakagezi, is a community-driven effort providing a brighter future for these children. To date, the school has educated 118 orphans, and provided much-needed health care, meals, and vocational training. Nyaka School also empowers students, sending its Anti-AIDS Choir to 63 schools, churches and other public places to distribute HIV education brochures. The school's garden provides vegetable seeds to 500 families and shared produce to 200 more.

 

The children who complete this primary schooling are likely to earn twice as much they would without an education. Further, life expectancy rises by up to 2 years for every 1% increase in literacy. Nyaka School has big plans to broaden its impact: by the end of 2006, it hopes to have 150 students in 7 classes, and add 3 more teachers. Each year, resources and services are able to improve by leaps and bounds, thanks to the generosity of donors through GlobalGiving. You can help Nyaka School touch more lives by contributing today.

 

Seventeen-year-old Maya Choksi, a California high school student, volunteered with the Center for Women's Development and Research (CWDR), an organization leading several tsunami recovery projects in India. As a volunteer, Maya taught the children English and played games with them.  While there, she met Indumati, a 7-year old who had lost her parents to the disaster.  Indumati shied away from Maya and the other children. One night, Maya found Indumati crying on the beach. The two finally bonded, and the next day, Maya was able to coax her into joining the other children in games and laughter for the first time since she lost her family.

 

After returning to school, Maya was inspired to share and promote CWDR's project on GlobalGiving—Skills Training for 250 Tsunami-Affected Women—to friends and family members. Her efforts paid off: Maya raised nearly $6,000 for the project. This is providing much-needed vocational skill training for women and recreational centers for children.

 

Through the amazing efforts of people like Maya, the GlobalGiving community has contributed more than $1 million to tsunami relief and reconstruction projects. But the rebuilding has just begun, and many still need your help. Give now to continuing tsunami rehabilitation efforts and learn more about the difference the GlobalGiving donor community has made.

 

We are proud to have been selected—out of almost 400 applicants—as the pro bono partner of Leo Burnett through its new "Packaged Good" initiative. Leo Burnett, one of the world's largest advertising and marketing firms, created "Packaged Good" to build a nonprofit brand from a little known player into a household name by leveraging the full force of the agency's resources over years to come. In selecting GlobalGiving, the agency considered: commitment to a world-changing idea, caliber of infrastructure, need for a holistic approach, and organizational compatibility. Leo Burnett is known for its long-standing relationships with some of the world's biggest brands, including McDonald's, Disney, Procter & Gamble, and Kellogg.

 

Having Leo Burnett's marketing power behind us will help drive many potential donors to www.globalgiving.com where they will join you in enabling positive social change throughout the world. We're immensely grateful to you—our partners, supporters, and friends—who have helped us create an efficient, open, thriving marketplace that connects people who have world-changing ideas with people who can support them. We hope that Leo Burnett will help us continuously improve the experience for you and new members of the community.

 

Please join us in welcoming Leo Burnett to the GlobalGiving community!

 

Read the full press release. 

We have just launched the GlobalGiving Open, a competition that will open the GlobalGiving marketplace to a broader group of Project Leaders. To participate, Project Leaders must complete a detailed application; their submissions will be reviewed and voted upon by members of the GlobalGiving community to determine which projects will be featured on our website.

 

If you have a great project (or a great idea), we encourage you to participate in the GlobalGiving Open. Get complete details and application information.