To whom it may concern, April.13th, 2012
My name is Shaina Edel; I am a twenty-four year old community member of Chilliwack, British Columbia. Currently I am living in Lusaka, Zambia for four months and have been here for eight weeks already. I was accepted in to a six month International Aboriginal Youth Internship (IAYI) program with a non-governmental organization (NGO), VIDEA (Victoria International Development Education Association) (www.videa.ca). It has been a real life changing opportunity for me; my eyes have been opened to a reality I didn't even think existed in this day and age. VIDEA partners with many NGO's overseas, one being Women for Change (WfC) (www.wfc.org.zm) which is based in Lusaka, Zambia. WfC is a Zambian gender focused NGO working with communities, especially women and children, in rural areas to contribute towards sustainable human development using popular education methodologies. WfC is the organization I have been chosen to partner and work with. I am truly blown away by the selflessness of this organization. There are many different programs in it but they all fight for one thing- Justice and equality of all people.
In the Human Development Index Zambia is rated 165th out of 177; it is a developing country that organizations like VIDEA and WfC are fighting to help with sustainability. I am very blessed to have witnessed what this organization does to help the country of Zambia; but I have also witnessed many hardships they face not just in the pause of reaching out to these rural areas because of lack of funding but also the suffering in their own homes. It has been a battle to carry out the vision that WfC has but even in the financial lows they face they still have hope. As we all know it is a struggle and a fight to maintain NGO's.
I am writing this letter to ask for your support. We are all one people and I believe that if we turn our backs to our people who will then lend us a helping hand in our time of need? Being here in the field has shown me that even the slightest gesture makes a huge impact. Below are important links for more information. To support WfC you can email me for more info. (snsedel@gmail.com). Also, there is a fundraising event going on in my home town Chilliwack, B.C. It will be on May. 5th at Corky’s Irish Pub 6-9pm. I hope you can make it.
· www.wfc.org.zm (Women for Change's official website)
· www.videa.ca (Victoria International Development Education Association official website)
· www.shaina-in-zambia.blogspot.com (My blog)
· Shaina In Zambia, Women For Change <3 (My Facebook group)
· FUNDRAISING FOR SHAINA IN AFRICA (A Facebook group created for upcoming fundraising events & details for WfC)
Thank you for your support.
Sincerely,
Shaina Edel
snsedel@gmail.com
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