AVIF is an innovative online charity, assisting with sustainable development via online & onsite volunteering in rural Kenya, East Africa. We work with partner communities in the Brazilian Amazon and Tibet too. Being virtual means negligible administration costs for worldwide impact. We believe in efficiency, honesty and transparency. WE DON'T CHARGE FEES.

[Panorama shot above by Simon Gardner, a volunteer, taken minutes before the storm hit him while cycling through Kenya on the Tour d'Afrique. His full journal and pictures are here].

This is the spirit of volunteering; Ben & Jason with friends raising money in the week-long Mannequin Challenge which raised over £15,000 for St Michaels Hospice in Harrogate. Incredible vocals by Annie Drury.

AVIF Update 12

Written by Alison | 03 July 2007

I hope everyone is well and plans are all being finalised.
Please contact me with any further questions.

Regarding the posters, http://www.fourthway.co.uk/posters/ I am hoping that Sharon can have some of these printed out so you can take them with you. There is an instructions poster here http://www.fourthway.co.uk/posters/pages/cover.html

Can you all please make sure you are subscribed to the Blog as updates are published there and act as an archive for information. If you subscribe (most of you should already be) you will get sent the updates every time I write something.

We have fantastic news about 3 of the girls from JNMCC. Sharon had a networking trip to the States last year and met an NGO called Zawadi. They are interviewing the girls to go to the United States on a full scholarship .. keep your fingers crossed for them.

540 Airlines are having problems with their online booking system but have reserved flights for you. They should be coming to the Orientation to meet you so you can arrange payment there, or they will take you to the office themselves.

We were wondering if any of you wanted to plan a classroom painting day with your hosts. Paint is very cheap and as you will see walls can be very bare. Please consider this activity. Sharon pointed out that it would of course involve the children in a fantastic lasting project. You can make arrangements on arrival with your hosts.

Kindest regards
Alison

Add new comment

Fantastic Educational Posters

Written by Alison | 02 July 2007

I've just been sent the actual posters, designed brilliantly, creatively and simply by Sam Rick, based in Uganda. All the posters are available for download here please pass them on to anyone you can.

They easily and simply illustrate many sustainable processes for health, farming, hygiene, cooking which we'll definitely be passing out at Orientation this Summer when our volunteers visit Kenya.

Technorati Tags: sustainable development, africa, kenya, Fourth Way, Sam Rich

Add new comment

So much more to Africa

Written by Alison | 02 July 2007

Thank you for a fantastic blog by Hellen Kakooza-Slade, a Ugandan lady now living in the UK. We met through the wonderful social-networking site i Genius.

Hellen points out the absolute truth in todays sustainable development process and reminds us all of the sheer brilliance of simplicity and resolve. Ilnesses treated herbally, locally, for free, demands a global debate of its own, especially in Africa. Harambee (everyone pulling together) is an important lesson for all.

Technorati Tags: sustainable development, family, africa

Add new comment

JNMCC "Mercy" Home

Written by Alison | 30 June 2007

Nancy is volunteering in Maseno, Western Kenya, right now with our hosts JNMCC, an orphanage set up by Edward Buyengo. I get a huge amount of perspective reading volunteers experiences and would like to share it.

AVIF has put JNMCC in touch with Nancy and she is there with them now getting other people involved .. this is what I wanted AVIF to be able to do. We are a success already. With the help of Liz Ward, I am working on AVIF's growth so we can receive funding and so help financially but its inspiring to know we can help even when we have nothing.

Some of the information here is both sensitive, personal and confidential so has been removed, but the remainder will hopefully provide some perspective.

Kindest regards
Alison

-------- Original Message --------
Subject:    Mercy Home
Date:    Sat, 30 Jun 2007 01:47:27 -0700
From:    nancy heffernan

.... There are many people here that have to live away from home. ....[JNMCC] have 13 girls in the house and 24 girls who still live with what family remains. They [JNMCC] pay for the 24 girls uniforms, clothes as needed, and school supplies and lunch money and sometimes medical. They pay the same for the 13 girls in their own home. ...Sometime ago, volunteers started coming a little and they have helped, along with community people. The last volunteers were last summer. ....There is no wasting of money here. There is a list of 40-50 children wanting to be helped and they come and sit and wait .. to see if they can stay. Most parents have died of AIDS, some of TB or malaria. ...... [names removed] have a mom who is dying of aids and I am going to ... visit her- they have 2 sisters and a brother at home with the mom. They [JNMCC] help those children too. The reason they have those girls is they were the top of their classes and are now changed girls who could take on the world with their drive, determination and intelligence, therefore making Kenya, and the community a better place. And that is the goal of the Mercy house.

Girls are told it is their responsibility to do well in school and care for each other and all. They thrive and laugh and help each other and take turns cleaning, cooking, washing and helping each other and around the house. They are up at 5:15 (high schoolers at 4 to start the fire and get tea and leftovers ready.) They sing these incredible songs - so African I love it and then have a short prayer and start their day- They leave by 6am to 6:45, depending how far their school is- they go to many schools- and return at 4:30- the youngest of 10 and 11 years old - or 6:30.
They take turns filling the kerosine lamps - often if late, using my headlight ... so cute! Then they start the fire, cut the vegetables in their hands, no cutting boards, as they sit on the "patio" outside of the kitchen.They go to church on Sunday and go to the different ones of the girls home churches. The girls visit home and their family, if one can come and visit. It is amazing to see these girls and how they are and how their family is so poor and so different.....

Add new comment

A new eBay for Charity listing for AVIF - LIVE EARTH tickets

Written by Alison | 29 June 2007

Many thanks to "Henrydoe" and MissionFish :

 A new listing has just been posted on eBay to benefit AVIF.
This listing is onsale now on eBay.
eBay for Charity Listing: X2 TICKETS TO LIVE EARTH
Donation Percentage: 20.0%
Seller: henrydoe
This is possible through http://www.missionfish.org.uk

The main Live Earth website is here, 7 July 2007