Written by Alison | 08 January 2010

AVIF are one of many non profits in SecondLife (SL) the Internet's largest user-created, 3D virtual world community!! We have an office there which anyone anywhere can visit no matter where in the world they are, instantly. Its a work in progress and many thanks to Kali for the help with scripting/ building!

:

"Promoting Causes Inside SL for RL (real life) Impact " has been studied by the Giving Circles Network (GCN), a member of NonProfitsCommon, a community within SL, in coordination with TechSoup.

The study showed that SL can assist a non-profit to:

•    Promote the Cause, Raise Awareness or Reach a New Audience
•    Enhance Learning and Education
•    Network as part of a Broader Community
•    Fundraise in SL (Linden Dollars) or in Real Life (World) Currencies
•    Engage and Learn Personally or Professionally (as an Individual)
•    Volunteer or Mobilize Volunteers
•    Communicate with, Counsel and Support Members/Users
•    Foster Independence of Beneficiaries
•    Leverage the Media (Public Relations)
•    Provide Mutual Support (Among Beneficiaries)

There are technical and perception barriers including:

- personal technical proficiency level
- allocating time for the learning curve
- upgrading equipment

However the benefits far outway these barriers:

- tapping a new medium to reach the nonprofit’s audience;
- nonprofit cost savings and environmental benefits offered by virtual meetings and learning;
- the ability to leverage Second Life resources and the high rate of volunteerism there;
- the coming integration of virtual worlds with other platforms; and
- the demonstrated potential for-profit and nonprofit collaboration.

For more information on these studies pls contact Anika Pastorelli (SL Name) or email:  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it to join SL, simply click this link .. see you In-World

Alison Lowndes aka Roxylifer Graf

Written by Alison | 30 December 2009

Thanks to Summer volunteer, Charlotte, we've had a wonderful article published about our work by Catherine Scott of YPN. Ignoring all the embarrassing "about me" stuff, I'd like to thank everyone else involved in all our incredible achievements of 2009:

1. Securing Ingrid's future; fitting the water tank and building the new classroom, not to mention an incredible computer teaching station still in design stage. The feeding program has also been covered via a Payroll Giving commitment. You know who you are, those responsible xxx
2. Thanks also to MannaRelief who have offered another 6 months supply of  "glyconutrients; ... plant-sourced nutrients" en route to Ingrids with volunteers Bryn & Helena next month.
3. Fundraising by Zoe, Lydia and friends to help the RABUOR Community with sustainable chicken farming.
4. Progress made by Michael's Naivasha Youth Sport Centre.
5. Modern-day-Robin Hood outfit CO2 Balance helping to redirect funds, from companies offsetting carbon footprints, to communities we're involved with, providing them with brick-built energy-efficient stoves.
6. Challenging a community to build their own office in Yala with Deb and Alec. Here's a detailed storyboard hosted by Facebook. Helping to remove the unfortunate mindset that illness and poverty bring; despair, loss of hope and ability to help themselves, Edwards work in Yala shows people how to help themselves.
7. Sponsoring children through education.
8. Assisting the incredible progress made by the Mercy Home in Maseno and seeing Miss Leonidah Ayuma (pictured here with UK volunteer, Beckee) leave on a 2-year Business Management program at MMUST in Kakamega (Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology).
9. Epic fundraising activities like Simon's Tour d'Afrique during which he managed to meet up with the 2 boys he's sponsoring with the money raised.
10. Boxes of medical supplies reaching the ArrowWeb Hospital in Kayole, Nairobi from the TT Motorsport Medical Services on the Isle of Man.

100's of other fantastic ideas like this one are regularly passed on to those who can utilise the info to make a difference to their lives, simply and freely via the internet .

I'd also like to thank Ty of LordBarron.com for our fantastic new website, incorporating the blog.

Happy New Year, 2010, everyone!

Written by Alison | 23 December 2009

More Christmas gifts have been received!

An incredible £400 has been raised largely through a raffle event that Katherine and Lydia (friends of Zoe) ran at the Putney Rotary Christmas Dinner earlier this month. Some great prizes were donated from companies like Penguin books and Coty perfume and makeup. The rotarians were very generous with the purchasing of raffle tickets too!!

More gifts also arrived with Michael Nam of the Naivasha Youth Sport Centre, for Gilgil Youth Centre. They are pictured below wearing kit donated by Mark Foster of Swinton Lions Football Club, Manchester, UK . The Gilgil Youth Center was invited to play (Liberty Academy in sky blue jerseys ) in Nairobi City's artificial-turf. I'd like to thank Swinton FC for their continuing support and wish successful growth to Michaels endless work with the youth in his area.

Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas (an extra special "Snow-White Christmas" in the UK!)

Written by Alison | 18 December 2009

Its the last day of hope in Copenhagen today for the Climate Change Summit [link to One climate's LIVE constant video coverage]. With every Head of State in the World deciding our future way of living I wanted to share this with you.

Please pass it on to everyone you know ...