Alice Achan, the founder of Pader Girls Academy with one of her student's children.
There seem to be amazing people doing extraordinary things wherever I look, actually, I’m genuinely overawed by them on a regular basis. I have a friend teaching children in Kazakhstan, I know people who packed up their life and moved to a slum in the Philippines to change the lives of hundreds, and hundreds of people, and that’s just two stories. So many others, so many incredible projects/missions/causes. Yes, some of them overseas, but also some who are much closer to home.
I could never have been one of those people. I admit it… I’m just not built to be that selfless. I would complain, I would cry myself to sleep… I would… be miserable… But not them, their joy is in what they’re doing and I think that’s amazing [and, perhaps, a bit crazy].
Here’s the thing, it’s ok that I’m not like them.
I mean, it’s not ok to be selfish, not ok not to share, not ok not to be aware of poverty, injustice, slavery or any of the critical issues of human rights that are being breached aover and over, all around the world, every day. But it’s ok to be built like I am, someone who’s lit up instead by the incredible power of technology to effect change, to spread ideas, to make a difference.
So, even though I don’t have a heart that beats to drop everything and go somewhere to do something, I am aware, and committed to taking up some kind of responsibility for making a difference where I can, and while I may not have cash, I’ve got skills, and I’ve got tools, and around everything else, I’ve got time.
So, there’s a part of my work week, that is channeled towards doing that good, and for this season it’s been on this project http://giftsforwarbrides.com. A charitable gift registry, raising money to fit out a guest house that will provide training and jobs for young girls in Northern Uganda, many of whom are now also mothers, having been captured and horrifically abused in civil war atrocities in recent years.
If you’re an elegant themes member you’ll recognise the layout as Boutique. I haven’t done much to it, fiddled some settings here and there to make it more ‘us’ but by and large my responsibility has simply been to ‘make it happen’. And so, here it is, already having raised a reasonable amount of money for an incredible woman whose program is changing the lives of young women and their children in Northern Uganda.
I’m happy to talk about the technical specs of the project if you’re interested, just leave a note in the comments, but frankly, the biggest buzz for me is to actually see it working, to see the traffic building and to see and hear other people tweeting and sharing the site and the story and best of all, seeing people getting involved with their wallets.
Wonderfully, since we started really publicising the site on Friday (that’s just a week!), we’ve raised $5,000 – we aim to raise $30,000 – so I implore you, go and check out the site, if you want to see change happen, send out a tweet, or facebook post – tell others, and if you’re prepared to give up coffee for a day or two, or a week… jump in and register a gift.
Trust me, you’ll be glad you did.
The funds being raised in this campaign will fit out this guesthouse. It will be serve the community as a business providing accommodation and also as hospitality training facility for the PGA girls.
