Wednesday, May 27, 2009

I'd Like To Buy a Month, Please.

It costs CUSO-VSO $30, 000 to send one volunteer overseas. Unlike other aid organizations the mandate of CUSO-VSO is to send people to train locals instead of sending things. People teach people and they teach themselves. It's the whole "teach a man to fish" type thing. As a volunteer, I will incur no costs to myself and will get a monthly local salary of $310 per month. So, I certainly won't be contributing to my RRSPs, that's for sure. Each volunteer is asked to raise $2000 for the CUSO-VSO. We don't have to, and certainly my work with the organization will not be compromised if I don't. However, I really believe in the organization and hope to make a difference while I'm there. There are a lot of people who might say, "there are a lot of people in Canada who need your help, so why go to Rwanda?" The answer quite honestly is simple - I'm a teacher. I became a teacher to help and teach and hope that my students will go on to create and live and lead and make the world a better place. I've only taught for 4 years but probably have taught 600 kids. Whether I teach in Calgary or Rwanda, I want my students to create and live and lead and make the world (not just Calgary, Alberta or Canada) a better place. The world is smaller than we all think. 

Where am I going with this? Well, I'm trying to convince you that this is a great organization and that you'll part with some hard earned money in times of a, eeek, recession. Here's my plan: I'm inviting you "buy a month" of my time away. This is how it will work:
  • You give a minimum donation ($100) to buy a month.
  • You can donate as a family, a couple, an individual, as a class or on behalf of your dog if you want!
  • You can chose the month that you would like to be recognized in. I will be gone from September 2009 to August 2010.
  • In that month I will feature your picture (if you chose), tell the world a little bit about you (if you chose) and why you wanted to donate to CUSO-VSO and I'll even send you a little something (ie. postcard) from Rwanda. (No guarantees with that last one as I don't know the postal situation in Kibungo)
  • How to donate? Email me for a volunteer form and I'll send it your way or click on the links below.
  • When you donate, email me your picture and a blurb and I'll post it on this blog.
  • Remember, the money doesn't necessarily go to me or to Rwanda but it does go to fund volunteer projects like the one I'll be doing. 
  • So - what do you say? Still have questions? Click on the links below to find out more information!
Sponsor a Volunteer! (Don't forget to put my name on this form)





Thank you in advance for all of your support and even if you can't donate now, pop onto this blog every once in a while or email me a "hello". Monetary support is great but your words of support mean the world to me.

Thank you!
Merci!
Murakoze!
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3 comments:

  1. AnonymousMay 27, 2009 at 9:58 PM

    Very proud of our Anna, so we want to sponsor the first month - September - and then save our money to visit her in Rwanda. Who wants to come with us? Anne Marie and Joe

    ReplyDelete
  2. peter mMay 28, 2009 at 5:20 AM

    Anna
    its a rainy day in Halifax, i drove to work listening to CBC and all the "bad" news, which of course gets me wondering just where the world is headed. Once in the office I checked my email and there is my answer. the world is ok. there are theachers like you doing what needs to be done and making the world a better place. I am proud to sponser you for a month, one of your choosing but hey, next August would be fine with me, as a birthday present. I read your blog about the international court finding Munyaneza guilty. I am developing a particular interest in internaltion law, espically war crimes. I think what your doing is great, and how could i not sponser someone whose favorite book list includes so many of my own. I will keep checking the blogs. stay safe and stay well.
    Peter Mancini
    p.s. a trip to Rawanda sounds good, the company of Anne Marie and Joe sounds even better.

    ReplyDelete
  3. AnonymousMay 28, 2009 at 6:44 AM

    Dear Anna,
    I am so thrilled about your new venture.I am in charge of education for my Grandmother group (Stephen Lewis Foundation) next year and it will be a thrill to read your blog along the way. It will give me a chance to keep my group up to date on the ground in am African country.As you probally know the Stephen Lewis foundatin is also grassroots and aims to let Africans run their own projects and be incharge of what they need as opposed to telling them what we think they need. Keep in touch and I will be anxious to read all the adventures. Aunt Dominica

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