Think Humanity, a positive change for refugees and underdeveloped communities in Africa

A basic purpose -- the gift of power!

2012-02-04T19:01:00.000-08:00

My wish is to celebrate my birthday with a purpose. A basic purpose -- the gift of power to Think Humanity!

For the past three years in February, I have asked for your help to raise money for Think Humanity for my birthday. This year is especially important to me.

In May 2011 we opened a health care center in Uganda; the Think Humanity Community Health Centre.

It is registered with the Ministry of Health -- a wonderful place where the most disadvantaged (refugees and underdeveloped rural communities) can receive good, quality health care for free.
In July 2011 while in Uganda I experienced something heartbreaking. While we have a wonderful 24 hour service, the power in this area goes out for days at a time. There was a call late at night so I decided to go along with the doctor to the THCHC.

A young pregnant woman was suffering terribly with malaria. She had a high fever and was crying for her baby to live. She was afraid that she would have a miscarriage. It was pitch dark - no power, only the flashlight that I carried. I had to hold the flashlight for the doctor as he put an IV into the back of this young woman's hand.

While holding the flashlight I was looking around the room with tears in my eyes. First, I will say that I was grateful that we could even have this service to save lives, but secondly I feared for this woman and her baby. Life's challenges are enough in East Africa, but to also deal without power was another unthinkable challenge. I became very frustrated that we did not have a backup power source.

That is why I am fund-raising for my birthday to raise money for a solar panel that will provide electricity to the clinic, but also will keep reagents (chemicals for lab testing) from spoiling in the lab fridge. If we can have a reliable source of power, we can keep immunizations in the lab fridge and help more children.

This week we have had reagents spoil due to a power outage - we have lost enough reagents that could have helped 30 people!

I could tell you more reasons why this alternate power source is necessary, but I believe it stands on its own.

Won't you please donate towards a solar panel for our clinic in Uganda in honor of my birthday?
My wish is to celebrate my birthday with a purpose. A basic purpose -- the gift of power!
"To help save lives and provide hope for refugees and underdeveloped communities in Africa by improving provisions for healthcare, clean water, education and socio-economic development."

Beth Heckel, Think Humanity Director/Founder

To give to or share Beth Bevard Heckel's Birthday Wish, follow the link below:

http://wishes.causes.com/wishes/439790?bws=email_to_friends&m=1ac83f93

or visit the Think Humanity website http://www.thinkhumanity.org/donate.html

You Clothed Me

2012-01-01T21:23:00.000-08:00

Provide a uniform to a girl and get a free necklace made in Uganda.

Free necklace with free shipping to the first 30 that donate $15 to provide a girl with a school uniform.

The Think Humanity Hostel 2012; where we offer educational opportunities to 30 female students from underdeveloped and refugee camp communities in Uganda.

You will receive one 60-66" multicolored necklace made from recycled paper.

Each necklace comes with the following:

Think Humanity brochure,
Fair-trade media,
2012 small calendar; and a
small card describing this "socio-economic" partnership with the Acholi women from the Quarter Camp in Uganda.

Donate here: Uniform and Free Offer

or donate at Razoo: Get Girls Into School

Please specify by typing in "uniform" and leave your name and address for shipping.

(Your address will not be used for a mailing list)

Pictured below are 30 necklaces.

Once the necklaces are gone, the girls will have their uniforms.
Hurry, we are leaving for Uganda soon.

(any late orders will be filled after we return)
"To help save lives and provide hope for refugees and underdeveloped communities in Africa by improving provisions for healthcare, clean water, education and socio-economic development."

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Beth Heckel, Executive Director

Please visit the archive newsletters (July - December 2011)

follow on Twitter
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forward to a friend

Copyright © 2011 ThinkHumanity, All rights reserved.

Thank you for your support to Think Humanity.

Our mailing address is:
ThinkHumanity
2880 Spring Mountain Dr.
Loveland, CO 80537

Get Girls Into School - Think Humanity

2011-12-18T19:52:00.000-08:00

THINK HUMANITY - GET GIRLS INTO SCHOOL

Shown are girls from the Kyangwali Refugee Camp that have benefited from the hostel/education in 2011

The Think Humanity Girls’ Hostel begins a new year in January 2012 and will bring 30 new girls from refugee and underdeveloped communities together under one roof, where they will have access to secondary education.
Without the opportunity to study further, these children are likely to get married at a young age, earn low incomes, have large families they cannot support, and thus continue the cycle of poverty and under-development.

This project attempts to break that cycle. The children will not only gain access to secondary education, but they will be supported through additional tutoring, educational seminars, entrepreneurship skills training, leadership development, physical activities/sports, access to health care, and peace-building activities.
Our goal is not simply to give girls an education, but to give them the skills and tools necessary to succeed in life and give back to their communities. After all, they know their communities and the problems better than we do.

Of course, a project like this takes money. Education is a long term investment that requires initial capital – but the outcome is worth it. Education, and particularly female education, is a proven way for countries to develop and reduce poverty.

Please help us to educate young girls. We will have a link up soon where you can meet all our girls. Most of them are orphans, some have one parent, but all are waiting for this opportunity of a lifetime. -Charity Watson, Project Sponsor

What it will cost to sponsor a girl in 2012.

2012 Girl Education Cost Breakdown

Rent $75.00

Health Care $30.00

Transportation $25.00

Uniform $15.00

Firewood/Water/Electricity $10.00

Food Support $25.00

Books/School Supplies $20.00

Total for 2012 $200.00

Think Humanity will cover other expenses such as toiletries, IDs, cook, initial expenses such as beds, cooking utensils, furniture for study room and library and any overages/unforeseen expenses.

Funding for a student can be made in one payment or in installments.

Visit this fundraising link to Donate to "Get Girls Into School",

the Think Humanity website.

or Think Humanity, 2880 Spring Mountain Dr. Loveland, CO 80537

"The world may be better because you made a difference in the life of a child."

"Education for girls has been identified as one of the best solutions to reversing the relentless trend of poverty and disease." - UN Chronicle

What Bono Taught Me About AIDS and Justice (World AIDS Day)

2011-12-01T10:23:00.000-08:00

What Bono Taught Me About HIV/AIDS and Justice

In 2006 I had the opportunity to attend a Global Leadership Summit that was hosted by the Willow Creek Association.

Bill Hybels, founding pastor at Willow Creek Community Church interviewed Bono. Bono, an Irish rockstar? This combination seemed interestingly odd, yet ended up being a life-changing experience for me; an eye-opener to poverty and the AIDS epidemic in Africa.

He commented on how the church had been inexcusably late to the game at fighting poverty and treatable diseases, adding that people are judgmental about the AIDS virus. Bono gave an example: If you came up to a car accident and the injured driver was drunk, do you help him or judge him and let him die? No, we have to act!

Bono said, “Love thy neighbor is not advice. It’s a command. In a global community, the poor and the disadvantaged in Africa are our neighbors." He quoted Matthew 25:45: “Whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me."

He added, "Our purpose is to bring Heaven to Earth. The world is not a happy place for most people living on it." Bono wrapped it up with this statement: "Your charity is important, but your passion for justice is needed. I'm asking for your voice and for you to give permission to fix these problems that are fixable. It's not a burden, it's an opportunity...it's an adventure."

Within a year, Think Humanity became a nonprofit organization and our adventure began!

Think Humanity has done what little we can with our resources to help with AIDS sufferers in Uganda, but we can do more. Other clinics in Hoima charge $6 for a lab testing strip, but we provide this service free to those who cannot pay. When we do charge, it is only equal to the manufacturer's price of $2.

Think Humanity has held special meetings in Kyangwali Refugee Camp with the people that are suffering with HIV/AIDS. Some of the things we have done is to listen to their problems, which gives them hope and encouragement. We also give them items such as mosquito nets, soap and salt.

If you wish to help make a difference on World AIDS Day
1) learn more facts,
2) volunteer to help with a local organization (In Northern Colorado there is NCAP) or
3) a small donation to Think Humanity for test strips, bed nets or soap.
4) or to organizations, such as Global Fund.
Enjoy this day of remembrance and awareness, but know that beyond this day, any hope for a better world is to work towards compassion, love and fairness for all people regardless of where they live, what they do and who they are. - Beth Heckel, Think Humanity Founder

You ARE your brother's keeper and "We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools." -Martin Luther King, Jr.

www.ThinkHumanity.org

The above photo was taken in Kyangwali Refugee Camp during a day of hope for HIV/AIDS sufferers.

Think Humanity Morning Star Well

2011-11-17T13:13:00.000-08:00

WATER IS LIFE

Another Think Humanity well is under construction. This well is near the Morning Star Secondary School in Hoima. This is the first well that Think Humanity has constructed outside of a refugee settlement camp.

The importance of this well is due to all the children coming to our clinic with typhoid. The water situation was unfavorable in this location; the results was illnesses and disease.

The well is not too far from the Think Humanity Health Centre. When we were treating our sponsored students for typhoid, the decision was made to have this well constructed to prevent more cases. Thank you to the donors who helped provide this well.

Bob and Pat Troeltzsch

Namaqua Universalist Unitarian Congregation

Kent and Patty Mills

and Albertha Moorlag

Shown with the beginning steps of the well is Amani Nkoma Jean-Paul, Think Humanity Program Director. JP said that the only challenge in construction has been too much water due to their rainy season.

The well was dug without hitting rock. This well should produce plenty of water for the students and surrounding community. Ideally we would like 4,000 liters per day, would provide enough drinking water for 2,000 people per day.

If you are interested in helping Think Humanity to construct another well, you can do so by visiting this link:

Water is Life

or visit our website at www.ThinkHumanity.org

2011-11-17T12:00:00.000-08:00

Thank you to AFP for the event "It's a Small World" held in Diablo, CA in October. We are so grateful for your donation.

Women's Health Day

2011-10-30T21:16:00.000-07:00

“I see their humanity”

WOMEN'S HEALTH DAY

-Charity Watson, Think Humanity

On Thursday October 27, 2011, Think Humanity its first Women’s Health Day. We brought 21 women from Kyangwali Refugee Settlement to be treated at our clinic. Well, we thought 21 were coming, but of course nothing is ever as planned in Africa – or in life… with 2 extra plus 4 children, our total was 27, with 3 men in the mix. We had worked with a local pastor in the refugee settlement to bring those who really needed treatment – and all those who came, women and men, were badly off.

You see, yes, the refugee settlement has a clinic, but they can receive upwards of 200 patients a day. They are not adequately staffed and equipped for those numbers. And they don’t give people the treatment they need. They don’t LISTEN to what is wrong. The clinical officers start writing before the patient can even explain – fever, chills, aches – Next. So, the patients get malaria meds and panadol (painkillers) and are sent home. No one ever investigates what is actually going on. So they go home and let the diseases and problems fester a little longer. Get a little more complicated. Maybe get a few more to add to the mix. And the patients all too often cannot do anything. They have children, homes – they dig in the garden every day so they can at least make some money – But not enough money to pay the transport to the nearest town, much less pay for treatment at a clinic there.

So that’s what we’re trying to do. Find out what is ACTUALLY wrong and then treat it – to listen to the patients- To get the lab tests that need to be done. But, it takes time. It takes time to translate back and forth and forth and back. I cannot translate. I cannot treat. I help where I can. I talk to people about preventative health – you can treat someone for a disease, but they must be EDUCATED, otherwise they return home and get it again. But how can I educate when people are in pain? When first, they just need treatment.

Typhoid. Brucellosis. Syphilis. Malaria. STIs. UTIs. Infected Wounds. Swelling. Cysts. Possible cancer….

Most with a combination of 3 or 4. Literally people’s bodies breeding grounds for disease. I can’t help but want to wash my hands every 5 minutes. To bathe in hand sanitizer.

But when I look into someone’s eyes – ah the eyes truly are the windows to the soul. I see their pain. I see their humanity. I see that they are no different than I. That we are on this earth together. So I do what I can. I use the Kinyabwisha/Kinyarwanda that I know – because at least they can laugh at me butchering the language. I carry a baby on my back. I get water – food – for otherwise they’ll just go the whole day without eating and drinking. I drive patients to get ultrasound and x-ray (Not sure I will EVER drive here again).

But for the true work done I am so grateful…the doctors – the nurses - everyone who helped to translate – they worked so hard to make sure these people got actual treatment. And they are still working hard, as treatment continues for many of the patients. But, there is always hope. People are getting better, gahoro gahoro.

There will always be hope as long as we see each other. We don’t all have to love everyone, we don’t have to go to far away countries – we just need to see one another. To see someone’s eyes. To see the humanity in them.

Women's Health Day

Think Humanity USA

2880 Spring Mountain Dr.

Loveland, CO 80537 USA (970) 667-9335/214-1299

THINK HUMANITY UGANDA

Isaka Kijungu –Military Rd.

P.O. Box 219

Hoima, Uganda 0782170643 or 0790910221

Think Humanity is a registered 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization. Our federal tax identification number is 26-1635429

Water is Essential to Life

2011-07-30T14:33:00.000-07:00

This is where the people were getting water previous to the new well being built in SweSwe Village, Kyaka II Refugee Camp in western Uganda.

As we started down the hill towards the new well we were greeted by many women and children going up the hill carrying full gerry cans on their heads.

Think Humanity donations made it possible to build this well in SweSwe, a village in Kyaka II refugee camp that was so desperate for water. Smiles!!

THANK YOU DONORS TO THINK HUMANITY FOR MAKING THIS WELL POSSIBLE.

Nothing is Richer than Hope

2011-07-30T14:10:00.000-07:00

Think Humanity “a positive change to refugees and communities in Africa.”

A special thanks to all that donated towards bed nets for the villages of Katikara and Nalweyo in Uganda.

The event was the most organized and successful one we have ever had and this is our eleventh one!

The leader in Nalweyo said that malaria is the most sensitive issue that concerns life and asked us to give more nets to people that were not registered on our distribution list. He also asked that we give nets to those in the village with HIV/AIDS so 60 nets were set aside for those people. The people all clapped in gratitude. He thanked us on behalf of the government because it helps to reduce the problem of malaria. They said they will let the communities know what Think Humanity is and that they are all now agents of TH. He said, “This is not the government but a helping NGO. Thank you donors who did not let us down. Our community is very cooperative”

He ended by saying, “Nothing is richer than hope."

Special thanks to the donors of MaNdate 11.

Joe and Deb Bergholz
Will and Cathy Reents
Dunn Elementary, Fort Collins, CO
Katie and Grayson Smith
Rotary Club of Roseville, CA
Eric and Kim Paulsen
Westside Christian School
Bill Temple
Jim Heckel
Karen Sawdy
Linda Kirscht
…and others

Please continue saving lives!

Thank you volunteers for MaNdate 11

Emmanuel, Jean-Paul, Jonas, Bagisha
Jimmy, Joe, Jim, Beth, Doreen
Robinah, Moses, Asolomon
Benjamin, Godwin, Job, Baraka
Joseph, Stuart, Danus and Oliver.

www.thinkhumanity.org

Every 30 seconds a child dies from malaria in Africa

Think Humanity USA
2880 Spring Mountain Dr.
Loveland, CO 80537 USA (970) 667-9335/214-1299

10% off Etsy Store, now until July 2 with Coupon Code "Summer"

2011-06-26T13:33:00.000-07:00

Visit our Etsy Store at http://www.etsy.com/shop/ThinkHumanity between now and July 2 to get your 10% off and also take advantage of our great sales!

A New(er) Mission Statement - updated after more than 3 years

2011-06-21T19:46:00.000-07:00

"To help save lives and provide hope for refugees and underdeveloped communities in Africa by improving provisions for healthcare, clean water, education and socio-economic developement."

Uganda Recycled Paper Bead Bracelet Africa Fair Trade

2011-06-21T19:29:00.000-07:00

http://previewitem.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?PreviewItemV4&SessionId=120887801203&SeqId=5817740&md=1&noPreviewHeader=1

Check out ebay for jewelry sales. Hope to sell all ten of these before we leave for Uganda. It's difficult when we are away because we lose money that we could be earning to pay for medication, doctors, nurses and lab technicians.

Picture credits to Sam Rogers and Iman Woods.
Each multi-colored band bracelet is uniquely made and no two beads are the same. The bracelets pictured may be slightly different than what you receive.The size varies, so please specify whether your wrist is small, medium or large. The band bracelet is made from recycled paper beads with blue, red or black glass beads between the paper beads. Visit the website for more information at www.Thinkhumanity.org.
Note: It is best to keep your beaded jewelry from getting wet. They are water resistant, but not water-proof, which means that splashing when washing will not hurt them, but dipping into water over a period of time can cause them to become sticky. If your items breaks, please let us know and we will make it right. We cannot fix your jewelry because they are made in Uganda, but we will do our best to replace it with something similar.
************************************************************

Think Humanity has partnered with a group of women from Uganda that live in the Acholi Quarter Camp for Internally Displaced Persons. We personally know these women. We are not simply purchasing jewelry in local shops or at the airport like many do. These women are making beads to help earn family income and sustain a community financed food-aid program for their children. We purchase the jewelry from them and they benefit, but then we sell in the USA at a reasonable profit. 100% of the money then goes back to help with Think Humanity projects. It will then benefit those refugees displaced from war-affected countries living in Uganda in refugee settlement camps.

We are helping to build a small economy in Uganda, but at the same time helping our own self-sustainable projects in refugee camps.

************************************************************

The jewelry is made out of tightly rolled colored recycled paper. For example, the women receive donated outdated corporate calendars to use for their paper beads.

http://www.thinkhumanity.org/
By purchasing Acholi products you are helping refugees in IDP and UNHCR camps.

How Think Humanity identifies Fair Trade:

1) Fighting poverty;
2) Building sustainable businesses;
3) Empowering women;
4)Supporting education; and
5) Helping the environment by recycling.

or visit the Etsy Store at www.etsy.com/shop/ThinkHumanity

How it all came to be - Think Humanity Health Center

2011-06-15T21:26:00.000-07:00

visit Think Humanity

Health and Healing in Africa

2011-06-14T08:46:00.000-07:00

Summary:

According to the stituation of the climate change that has brought the problem of global warming, it has brought in very many diseases to breakout where by very many diseases have taken lives of many Africans and in the world at large.

As for as solving the root cause and finding the possible solution to above mentioned problems; by creating a Think Humanity Nursing School (nurse education) in a region can simply solve both physical, ecconomical and spiritually, plus mental problems that are currently in local societies. This project will empower and train young generations to be part of the solution through gaining knowledge and skills to solve to save and to serve the community.

Please cast a vote for Jonas' project by going to the ChangeMakers link and clicking the "like" button. Thank you, Beth Heckel.
http://www.changemakers.com/node/103845

Nteziyaremye Jonas

On the Ground in Africa, by Africans, for Africans.

2011-06-02T19:11:00.000-07:00

Yes, it's good news and all done on the ground in Africa, by Africans, for Africans. It took a couple years to get to this point, but it was well planned out.

It first started with helping refugee students with healthcare. Students were getting malaria, typhoid and other illnesses. It didn't cost much to treat these diseases, only students and their families just didn't have the money.
First we sent the students to the Azur Christian Clinic, which really helped so much. Then we had a volunteer RN who worked out of her little room to help students. We would purchase the medication and she would prescribe and treat.
Finally, we opened a health center that is licensed and open 24 hours a day to help treat refugee students studying 50 miles from the camp, young children and women from Kyangwali Refugee Camp and now we even give treatment to the community.
I am very proud of the African Team for making this dream a reality.
Emmanuel, Jean-Paul, John and Jonas. Thank you so much for all your dedication to see a vision and make it happen.
God will bless you for all you have done to help your community.
Good news in Africa!! A positive change - made possible by strong, motivated and very dedicated Africans. Empowerment by working as a team.

Jonas, John, Jean-Paul and Emmanuel

Follow us on Facebook

2011-05-31T11:51:00.000-07:00

http://www.causes.com/causes/128029-think-humanity?recruiter_id=19242934
Follow Think Humanity on Facebook.

Visit our website at http://www.thinkhumanity.org/.

Think Humanity May 2011 Updates

2011-05-09T20:43:00.000-07:00

Mother's Day Specials on Etsy - Free shipping word "Mother."

2011-05-05T09:10:00.000-07:00

http://www.etsy.com/shop/ThinkHumanity

Think Humanity is observing Mother's Day with specials on our Etsy Store. For all the mothers around the world who have sacrificed for their children. Please check out the specials - some buy one get one free, discounts and free shipping with the code "MOTHER." This special last through Mother's Day.

Think Humanity has been assisting refugees since May 2007 and we became an established non-profit in December 2007.

Think Humanity was created to provide relief, support and hope for a promising future to refugees in Africa.
Our mission is threefold:

- Joining in the fight against malaria

- Providing love, comfort and security to orphaned children

- Creating an overall positive change for refugees

In sub-Saharan Africa, a child under the age of 5 dies from malaria every 30 seconds.

Think Humanity helped fund the construction of a school in Kyangwali Refugee Settlement Camp, a livestock project and garden through donations and fund-raising.

Think Humanity also provides rent, utilities, medication and school supplies to teenage girl refugees by renting a hostel 50 miles away from the refugee camp.

Think Humanity has also provided other services in refugee camps such as; distributing birthing kits to expectant mothers, giving shoes to refugee children, helping individual secondary students with their education, mosquito nets distributions and medical treatment at our Health Centre in Hoima, Uganda.

Think Humanity has a clean water project called Maji Ni Uzima (Water is Life) and we are building wells in refugee camps in Uganda.

We are a registered NGO in Uganda. Think Humanity Health Centre has just opened in Hoima District in Uganda where we help with anti-malarials, typhoid, STDs and many other illnesses and diseases.
Your purchase helps us with these projects.

The Acholi women that made our jewelry, purses and baskets are also refugees in the Acholi Quarter Camp in Uganda. They are internally displaced due to war in their country. We support the women of Life in Africa who are working to become self-sustainable to provide for their children.
Refugees are 80 percent women and children and spend an average of 17 years displaced.
Please read about our projects on the Think Humanity website. www.ThinkHumanity.org.

Dying Slowly; how life goes in a refugee camp. Kyaka II Refugee Camp

2011-05-05T08:58:00.000-07:00

An article on Kyaka II Refugee Camp, a camp where Think Humanity has been working to improve conditions for refugees. In 2011 we have built two clean water wells, distributed bed nets, gave birthing kits, shoes and school supplies. To help us in Kyaka II, please visit the website and donate. Specify where you would like your donation to go. http://www.thinkhumanity.org/donate.html

Kampala (Uganda), August 2009. Kyaka II refugee settlement lays on a vast area amidst the lush and green-painted hills of western Uganda. This is home to roughly 16,000 refugees, mostly coming form the DRC, Sudan and Rwanda. These people are part of the 31 million under the formal responsibility of the UNHCR: the size of an average European country, a country without borders and without official representatives.

Young refugees - Kyaka II Refugee camp, Uganda

Joseph has been living in Kyaka II for nine years, his degree has no recognition in Uganda so he cannot work. He sleeps under a hut that he made himself with wood and mud and covered with a piece of white plastic provided by the United Nations, just like any other hut around the camp. The United Nations also give him a monthly ration of maize flour and rice, which is only enough for the first three weeks. Joseph manages to find the rest by digging the small maize field he was assigned, the economy here is exclusively rural. I ask him how he arrived in Kyaka II: he escaped on foot for 500 Kilometers through the Congolese forest; half of his family was taken away by war and he lost contact with the other half after a fire destroyed the hut he lived before, burning his address book and mobile phone. Joseph tells his story calmly, as if he is talking about someone else.

Central-Eastern Africa has been hit by two of the most violent conflicts in the recent history of the continent: the Rwandese 1994 genocide and the Second Congo War, which, not surprisingly, is best known as Africa’s World War. As a result, Kyaka II, like other camps in the area, is melting pot of people from different backgrounds, languages and cultures. It is a potentially explosive mix of victims and murderers, rapists and innocents. The overall community does not seem to decrease, as recent fights in the North Kivu and in Kenya following the 2007 elections are securing fresh inflows of refugees. Since most of the people inside the camp lost their family ties and bonds, traditional networks of support are being replaced by fragile and shaky newly-built household networks. This is a reason why social cohesion is not strong enough to provide support to everybody and prevent conflicts.

Many refugees, especially women, are nevertheless trying to work together and see themselves as being all on the same boat, helped by humanitarian projects carried on in the camp. For instance, a group of two dozens of women is making sanitary pads in a small factory funded by the UNHCR. Unfortunately, such kind of projects are too few and uncoordinated to effectively help the whole community.

What strikes me more about refugees’ life is the extreme shakiness they are forced into. In one of the tiny villages of the settlement live some Rwandese families, their kids are scratching about at the time they are supposed to be at a camp school, in one of those classrooms with one teacher and one hundred pupils. I ask their parents about it, and their answer, faultless and logic, sounds something like: “We are waiting to be repatriated, it makes no sense to pay the school fees if we are going back to Rwanda soon.” The problem is that none of them was told the day of repatriation, it could be a matter of two months or two years. Hence, for two months or for two years, their kids are not going to school.

Refugee woman, Kyaka II Refugee camp, Uganda

The existence of refugees entirely depends on the intermittent and unpredictable repatriation arrangements between the government of their home country, the Ugandan officials and the United Nations. Planning a future in Uganda is impossible for them: finding a job outside the camp (the necessary condition to exit from it) is too hard, not to talk about achieving the Ugandan citizenship. So, most of them remain inside the settlement, where at least they have their food ration. Unfortunately, for many of them, life inside the camp can turn into a hell.

Patrick, for instance, is a 32 years old man who escaped from the North Kivu. As he reached the Ugandan border, he was put on a UNHCR vehicle and taken to Kyangwale refugee camp, where he found the very persons that killed his parents and burnt his house back in the Congo. They threatened him to death and they burnt his hut, forcing him to sleep every night in a different place. After months, he succeeded to be transferred to another camp: he is now in Kyaka II. However, Patrick is not feeling safe even here, he wishes he could escape to a new country. His voice trembles as he tells me that he is trying not to reveal his origin to anyone, but such a discretion is impracticable here, and intrinsically dodgy. Anyway, between one escape and the other, he found the time to get a wife, but it didn’t work out for the best: he chose a woman from a different ethnic group, which made him lose the support of his companions.

Safety problems like the ones of Patrick are quite common inside the camp, together with rapes, robberies and arsons. For this reason, the settlement administration was recently entrusted to a military commandant, who gets his wage from both the Ugandan government and the UNHCR. No accident, then, that all Ugandan refugee settlements are built next to military bases.

Outside the commandant office I meet Baunda, a Congolese man from the South Kivu who has been living in Kyaka II for a whole fifteen years. The camp, he tells me, is like a prison without locks and gates, where life is in a state of oblivion. I dare to ask him to compare his life in the Congo with the one in the camp. This is his answer: “I had to make a choice: staying in the Congo and dying suddenly or escaping and dying slowly. I chose to die slowly.”

Dying slowly: how life goes in a refugee camp

In Africa, Migration on January 11, 2010 by admin Tagged: Africa's world war, Kyaka II, North Kivu, refugee camp, Uganda, United Nations
http://www.istoriai.info/2010/01/dying-slowly-how-life-goes-in-a-refugee-camp/

Malaria: Baby Aimee | You and Me Magazine

2011-04-23T20:29:00.000-07:00

Malaria: Baby Aimee You and Me Magazine

When she sees my white skin, she presses her fat face into her mother's breasts and shakes her head. She hides and waits. But I do not go away.

She does not sense a threat, but I look strange and it startles her.
She waits a few breaths longer, and then her tiny shoulders relax and her head creaks to the right, allowing one eye to look while protecting the second.
It is as if I can hear this 1-year-old child's thoughts: "I was named after a 'Mzungu,' a white person? This is Aimee?"
I answer her thoughts with a smile.
She was born last year, when I visited the Kyangwali Refugee Camp in western Uganda to write a news article about humanitarian aid. Her mother, who I had interviewed, went into labor as my taxi pulled away. When I found out through e-mail they named her after me, I promised to return for her first birthday.
She is in my arms now, on my lap facing away from me. Her tight, tiny black braids stick out like spiders from her head. She is sucking on her dirty baby fingers, wearing a pink gingham dress my mother picked out at Target back home. Baby Aimee is humming, or maybe crying a little because she is suffering from malaria, again.
Her body is heavy with fever, and it makes my heart heavy, too. I know back at the camp in my backpack I have an envelope of $50, emergency cash I brought on my trip. Back home, the money could buy me new shoes, or pay my long overdue electric bill. But here, it could save my goddaughter's life, again and again. This small amount of money makes me feel like a superhero. I look malaria in the face and scoff arrogantly. This stupid mosquito-borne disease is not only treatable, but preventable. Yet it takes an estimated one child's life every 30 seconds in Africa. Inexcusable deaths. I feel movement over my left shoulder. My eyes leave Baby Aimee for a moment, and they skip over a crowd of faces staring at me in curious silence. Bodies of dirty refugee children push through the glassless window. My eyes stop on the eerie yellow eyes of one boy: he has malaria, too. I notice another set of malaria eyes. And another. Suddenly, I feel like I am spinning.
I jerk back to look at the baby on my lap. She plucks one sticky finger out of her mouth and waves it distractedly through the air, like she is conducting the galaxy of mosquitoes and red dust particles in the classroom where we sit. Without the finger plugs, her hum is a little louder. She leans back gently against my chest and I pull her tighter. I can see her sweaty dark cheeks from above, and how her forehead sticks out farther than her chin. Her lashes sweep through the air like black birds. This silly baby, this sticky, sweaty, sick human humming and sucking on her fingers is the most beautiful thing I have ever seen.
I ignore the other eyes drilling through the back of my head. I have to.
"I will protect you, baby. Nothing will ever hurt you."
Then I start to cry.

Bahati Aimee, age 1 year

World Malaria Day - Get the coupon code for free shipping on Etsy Store

2011-04-11T13:35:00.000-07:00

This young girl, with a child tied to her back, is grateful for a mosquito net. (photo credits Stacey Frumm, Think Humanity net distribution in Rwenyawawa Village, Kyangwali Refugee Camp, Uganda)

Think Humanity is preparing for World Malaria Day

April 25, 2011 and celebrating the many lives that have been saved from malaria!

15,000 bed nets have been given out so far, but many more are still needed.

On April 25, Think Humanity is observing World Malaria Day. This is also a chance for you to make a difference. Think Humanity has made progress on malaria prevention since 2007, but there is much more to do to stop the spread of this preventable and curable disease.

In the refugee camps where we have provided bed nets, the incidences of malaria have been reduced up to 93 percent! We still have many villages begging for nets. Our goal before July 2011 is to provide 3,000 nets to the community of Kitakara in Uganda. These people were displaced from the National Parks.

“A $5 donation will provide a long-lasting insecticide-treated bed net to a refugee child in Africa. The net will last up to five years and two or more children can share the net. These children will be protected from the mosquito carrying the disease that kills a child in sub-Saharan Africa every 30 seconds. Won’t you please lend a hand by donating a insecticide-treated bed net to a child today.”—Beth Heckel, Executive Director

Another way to help Think Humanity provide more bed nets is to join us on our Etsy Store for a World Malaria Day special. Use this coupon code between today and April 25 and receive free shipping. The code is “MALARIA.” In addition, we also have two bangles for the price of one. Check out our Etsy Store.

Think Humanity Etsy Store

http://www.etsy.com/shop/ThinkHumanity

A refugee child smiles when receiving a net from Think Humanity!

“Every 30 seconds a child under the age of five years old dies from malaria in sub-Saharan Africa”.-World Health Organization

https://www.networkforgood.org/donation/ExpressDonation.aspx?ORGID2=261635429

“To help others should be a blessing not a burden. Be blessed!” – Beth

Protecting refugees from malaria, providing clean water and education are a few of the most concrete things we can do to lift refugees out of poverty. Please consider giving them this chance.

Think Humanity Etsy Store purchasing from refugees selling for refugees

2011-04-08T22:58:00.000-07:00

Visit the Etsy Store http://www.etsy.com/shop/ThinkHumanity

Update from Think Humanity in Uganda | Vitamin Angels

2011-03-28T22:59:00.000-07:00

Update from Think Humanity in Uganda Vitamin Angels

A Second Think Humanity Well in Kyangwali

2011-03-12T21:44:00.000-08:00

Think Humanity was created to provide relief, support and hope for a promising future to refugees in Africa.

A Second Think Humanity Well was Constructed in Kyangwali

Photo dated 1/ 2011, taken by Jim Heckel, Think Humanity

Before the well (below) was constructed, the children were fetching dirty water from this location above. The well was built just a few feet away.

The second well has been completed in Kyangwali Refugee Camp on 2/6/2011. Thank you Americans for Philanthropy for your donation to make this possible.
A third well is now being constructed in Kyaka II Refugee Camp in Uganda with the Christmas money donated by Think Humanity individual donors and we are ready to build a fourth well as soon as we get funding. To donate to the “Water is Life” project please visit this link:
Water is Life!

Think Humanity Request for Humanitarian Help
Nine year old Kanana sits at the ruins after a fire destroys his home.
Photo taken by Nteziyaremye Jonas, Think Humanity. 3/2011
Think Humanity is requesting your help for a Congolese family of eight who lost their home due to a fire in the Kyangwali Refugee Camp in Uganda. Already losing everything due to war and having to resettle to a refugee camp is hard enough, but then to lose everything again is even more devastating. One witness said, “They didn’t have time to remove anything from the house but themselves.”

They lost all their belonging, including the beans and maize (corn) that they recently harvested. Their mud hut can be rebuilt for approximately $300. If you are able to help Kanana please place a donation by clicking the link below.

For another $650 the family can replace all their belongings.

“To help others should be a blessing not a burden. Be blessed!” - Beth

Donate through Network for Good

Children at the CLC in Kyangwali still need our support in 2011

If you are a donor for a young child at the CLC and have not yet paid for your child’s first term ($50) please do so soon so that your child can get their new uniform, shoes and pay for their tuition. Also, ask us how you can help support the education of a teen girl. Thank you.

Clean Water Project - Water is LIfe - Maji ni Uzima

2011-02-25T22:08:00.000-08:00

Clean Water Project - Water is Life

Maji Ni Uzima - Water is Life!

Pictured above is the dirty spring where villagers were fetching their water before TH built the well. Below and above are the after photos.

October 2010

UNHCR Refugee Camps need access to clean water sources. Refugee Camps where we work have thousands of refugees who make their daily walk to many polluted water sources. This routine is generally done by women and children. They travel about two miles one way and they carry containers weighing up to 40 pounds on their heads. Time spent walking and resulting diseases keep them from school, work and taking care of their families. While some may boil the water, many thirsty and unknowing children and adults simply drink it directly from open swamps which can result in diseases such as typhoid, cholera and worm parasites.

Think Humanity built a well next to this spring in February 2011 so that we could provide clean water to 1,000 refugees. This photo was taken one month before our second well was completed. (after photo to come)

The good news is that we are changing all this by providing wells. The wells we are building are located in the villages where water is most needed.

Think Humanity completed their first well in October 2010. The well was constructed in Kyangwali Refugee Camp in the village of Kinakyeitaka. A second well was constructed in Kyangwali in February 2011. Together both wells will provide clean water for thousands of people.

A third well is being constructed in Kyaka II Refugee Camp in Uganda. Kyaka II needs several more wells so please help support clean water for refugees. For $3 Think Humanity can provide one refugee with safe drinking water for more than 20 years. Each hand-dug water well with hand pump costs between $3,000-$4,000 to build.

We are building our first well in Kyaka II, but a second well is also needed there. Kyaka II Camp has more than 16,000 people. They share only five boreholes that were constructed by the UNHCR. Everyday people walk from far distances to get water and when they arrive they wait in long lines. When it is difficult to walk long distances, people are getting water from nearby springs where they share water with animals.

The first well in Mukondo Village will provide water to 2,500 people. This well will also serve Mukondo Primary School. Presently the only way to get water to this school is by car tanks. The second well location will be in Sweswe Kitonzi where there is a population of 1,500 people. The existing well in this location is a long walk for people to travel and when they reach that well they have to wait for almost an hour to get water. It is difficult for pregnant women and those who are sick to get water at this location. These people are suffering and are exposed to many diseases. By providing these new wells Think Humanity will save these people from diseases. (Emmanuel Nsabimana Ntamwete, Meds and Nets Manager)

Please help us raise money for a second well in Kyaka II Refugee Camp.

http://www.thinkhumanity.org/projects.html?id=17

Former Galesburg couple helping fight malaria and provide hope in Uganda

2011-02-15T09:04:00.000-08:00

Former Galesburg couple helping fight malaria and provide hope in Uganda

Think Humanity 2010 funding sources and expenses

2011-02-14T10:14:00.000-08:00

Think Humanity returned from Uganda January 23, 2011

2011-02-14T09:16:00.000-08:00

Think Humanity was created to provide relief, support and hope for a promising future to refugees in Africa.

Think Humanity board members and volunteers just returned from Uganda. Beth and Jim Heckel, Joe and Deb Bergholz and Vanya Tellez spent 16 days in Uganda and visited three different camps.

Acholi Quarter Camp in Kireka – TH visited homes and surveyed the people to get results from our July 2010 bed net distribution. We were so pleased with the outcome. The decrease in malaria incidences showed 93 percent effectiveness results. Thank you Red Empress Foundation and Global Healing for the nets.

We visited the young mothers who are learning a tailoring trade. Think Humanity has donated eight manual sewing machines to young mothers (see below) so that they can learn tailoring skills. We purchase the products that they make and sell them so that we can give them further help. We also gave children Crocs, wooden cars from Toys for God’s Kids and many school supplies. We brought back recycled paper bead jewelry, (Valentine’s Day – pink, reds and purples) banana leaf baskets and tie dye sling purses to sell. After sales, TH donates 100 percent back into our projects to help refugees. TH is a true Fair Trade model. Our store.

An Acholi child holds a wooden car from Toys for God's Kids

A young mother with child strapped to her back is learning to sew.

The Acholi children were so happy to receive school supplies, shoes and toy cars. Many thanks to those who donated school supplies. Thank you Crocs Cares and Ella Vail for donating shoes!

Kyaka II Refugee Camp – In 2008 we sent our managers to visit Kyaka II on a reconnaissance trip. Kyaka also had similar needs as all UNHCR and IDP camps; malaria, no access to clean water, lack of education, etc. We finally made it to Kyaka II in 2011. We met with the UNHCR leaders and they welcomed us. We had our first bed net distribution there where we gave out 500 bed nets. We also left hundreds of school supplies and many wooden cars. Thanks to Birthing Kit Foundation Australia, we were able to leave 150 kits in the village. We had a social day with COBURWAS Kyaka. The singing, dancing and speeches went on for hours, but it seemed like minutes. When TH gets the funding we plan to bring more mosquito nets and as soon as possible we would like to build two new wells in Kyaka II.

Vanya Tellez, TH volunteer handed a bed net to a young mother and her baby at the net distribution in SweSwe Village in Kyaka II Refugee Camp. Pictured below, many waited for their names to be called as Beth gave a young girl a bed net. TH Program Director, Amani Jean-Paul ( in the white shirt) called out the names.

Hoima – TH was very busy in Hoima. We held meetings and visited a lawyer where we drew up papers to become a non-profit organization (NGO) in Africa. We also looked for property for a TH office which had to also have room for our future volunteers and a place for our TH Clinic. We had hopes to rent the place where we had our TH Sick-Bay, but it didn’t work out. We left Hoima confused, but the good news was that a better place was available. When we returned to Hoima from Kyangwali, we signed a contract for the purple house with a separate facility in the back for our clinic and pharmacy. After we left, the owner built a brick security wall and painted in and out. We’re excited only that we need funding to purchase furniture, more medical equipment and we will need more staffing (clinic officer and lab technician) so that it can become a registered clinic.

The shelves were still full of medication at the sick-bay after the last school year where more than 500 students and women had been served in 2010.

The new Think Humanity Office/future clinic in Hoima, Uganda.

The shelves were still full of medication at the sick-bay after the last school year where more than 500 students and women had been served in 2010.

Kyangwali – In Kyangwali we got to visit our first completed well. We had a small ceremony with the chairman of Kinakyeitaka Village and gave our speeches.

Emmanuel, TH Meds and Nets Manager at the new well in Kinakyeitaka Village and Joe Bergholz looks on. The wood sticks are to protect the well from children. The well is locked certain hours of the day. Thank you Global Healing for the grant to build this well.

After that we walked to the location where the second well was being worked on. Below is a picture of this site where children are collecting dirty water from the stream until the well is finished. It should be finished this week. Thank you Americans for Philanthropy for the donation for this well.

Children collect dirty water near where TH is constructed their second well. Soon they will be able to have clean water. We continue to raise money for a third well that will be constructed in UNHCR Kyaka II Refugee Settlement Camp, Uganda.

To help provide clean water you can donate at this link: Water is Life on Razoo

In Kyangwali we gave out Crocs, school supplies, toy cars and 250 birthing kits. We were thanked so much for the birthing kits. Debbie Bergholz brought 50 stuffed toy bears from Crossroads Kids in Loveland and we really enjoyed giving them to the COBURWAS Learning Centre children that are getting educational assistance through TH donors.

On left, a few of the Kyangwali children play with the toys donated by Toys for God’s Kids. Above are some of the CLC children that are helped with their education through TH donors.

Naomi smiles with her bear & car.

Roice gets a new pair of Crocs.

Irene holds her new toys.

A group called Cheyeye invited us for an afternoon of singing, dancing, drumming and drama. We presented them with the baby blankets that were handmade by Debbie. Cheyeye is a group that goes door to door singing and collecting small gifts (i.e. firewood and beans) for new mothers. The baby blankets will go to new babies in the camp. (below)

Children from many different villages took turns singing and dancing to welcome TH in the Camp. Debbie was welcomed and thanked for her wonderful gifts for the new babies in the community.

Thank you Vitamin Angels for the Vitamin A capsules. We watched as the children were getting the Vitamin A doses.

We visited children with malaria. Pictured is one of the girls from our Girls’ Hostel with her younger brother who is suffering from malaria. We had some extra bears so we left them with sick children. The children we visited were not conscience, but we pray that they survived and can enjoy the stuffed bears. Please help us save lives by donating to TH Meds and Nets Project.

Think Humanity purchases bed nets for $5 and anti-malarial medication for less than $2 a dose. Your donation is very important to us and even the smallest donation can save lives.

“Every 30 seconds a child under the age of five years old dies from malaria in sub-Saharan Africa”.-World Health Organization

Protecting refugees from malaria and assisting them with an education are a couple of the most concrete things we can do to lift refugees out of poverty. Please consider giving them this chance.

Think Humanity is a registered 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization. Our federal tax identification number is 26-1635429
Think Humanity
2880 Spring Mountain Dr.
Loveland, CO 80537 USA (970) 667-9335/214-1299
or
Think Humanity Uganda Office/Clinic
Isaka Kinjungu
P.O. Box 219
Hoima, Uganda

Special thanks to the following who make everything possible: Amani Nkoma Jean-Paul, Program Director; Emmanuel Nsabimana Ntamwete, Meds and Nets Manager; Nteziyaremye Jonas, Education; and Bagisha John, Secretary, TH Board of Directors USA and donors.

Think Humanity, our first well in Kyangwali Refugee Camp. Global Healing

2011-01-30T18:51:00.000-08:00

Emmanuel Nsabimana describes the process of building the well and thanks those that were involved.
Think Humanity thanks Global Healing for making this well possible by providing a grant.
The well was building in UNHCR Kyangwali Refugee Settlement Camp in western Uganda.

A second well is being built now and we hope to build a third well soon.
Won't you help support all that Think Humanity is doing to make a positive change for refugees in Africa.
To donate towards a well, please click this link. Nearly 100 percent of your donation will go directly to the project. Check out Think Humanity well. Maji ni Uzima--Water is Life! Clean Water at @razoo: http://bit.ly/eCurxc

Beth Heckel, executive director
Think Humanity

Think Humanity Celebrates 3 years. December 27, 2010. Maji ni Uzima--Water is Life!

2010-12-26T15:48:00.000-08:00

Think Humanity well. Maji ni Uzima--Water is Life!

Hi Friends,

Think Humanity is celebrating its third anniversary on Dec. 27.
---December 27, 2010 is the third anniversary for Think Humanity. It has been an amazing three years. I can't begin to tell you the positive impact we have made together in the life's of refugees. First, I thank you for your support, but also there's so much still to do. That's why I am asking you for your support towards a clean water well this Christmas in honor of Think Humanity's third anniversary.

We are raising donations to build our third well and we are already half way to our goal. For example, with a $10 donation you can help us provide clean water for three people in the Kyangwali Refugee Camp in Uganda.

If you wonder how badly clean water is needed, I can personally tell you that you can't even imagine the water situation in the camp. Women and children travel by foot for many miles to fetch water and the containers can weigh close to 40 pounds each. The time spent walking and resulting diseases keep them from school, work and taking care of their families.

The good news is that we are changing all this by providing wells. The wells we are building are located in the villages where water is most needed.
So please check out Think Humanity's anniversary wish, spread the word and make a donation if you can. Thanks so much! We are passionate about providing clean water and want you to be a part of this wonderful mission.

Thank you and God bless you,
Beth, Founder/Executive Director
Board of Directors; Jim, Aimee, James, Cindy, Will, Joe, Ray and Kim.
---
You can donate at this link: Water is Life on Razoo

Weaved Earrings Made from Yucca Plant Fibers by Refugees

2010-12-08T15:16:00.000-08:00

Handmade in Uganda by Acholi refugee women in the Acholi Quarter Camp, these coiled earrings were made using the traditional basket weaving technique. They are made from yucca fibers and then dyed bold and vibrant colors.
By partnering with refugee women in Uganda and creating a global business model through which they can sell their handcrafted goods, Think Humanity provides these women with a means for economic empowerment.
Not only do we buy from refugees, but 100 percent will go back to help refugees in both IDP and UNHCR camps. Visit our website for more information and how you can help us with healthcare and education.
Think Humanity uses the Fair Trade model-

1) Fighting poverty
2) Building sustainable businesses
3) Empowering women
4) Supporting education; and
5) Helping the environment by recycling and using natural resources available.
These one-of-a-kind earrings make unique and excellent gifts.
Earrings come vary in size from 2.25” – 2.75” in circumference.
Other sites sell hand woven African earrings for $50 a pair. Handwoven jewelry made from yucca fibers can sell for $200-$300.
The earrings are a work of art.
Our earrings are only $15 each.
Think Humanity is a nonprofit organization 26-1635429 whose mission is to make a positive change for refugees in Africa. http://www.thinkhumanity.org/

Think Humanity Etsy Store

more colors available on Etsy.com

http://www.etsy.com/shop/ThinkHumanity

#endmalaria Give Thanks and Think Humanity is a part of their social media

2010-12-08T14:29:00.000-08:00

Think Humanity was asked to be a part of this Thanksgiving #endmalaria Gives Thanks video clip.

We are honored to be a part of the fight against malaria in Uganda. Special thanks to Global Healing, Red Empress Foundation, Joe and Deb Bergholz, Eric and Kim Paulsen, Americans For Philanthropy and all the others that donated towards long-lasting insecticide-treated bed nets in the past three years. Happy birthday Think Humanity December 27, 2010. More than 13,000 bed nets have been given to refugees.

Still a lot more works needs to be done. According to their statistics:

Overview
Malaria is endemic in 95 percent of Uganda. It is the leading cause of illness and death in the country and responsible for up to 40 percent of hospital outpatient visits, 20 percent of hospital admissions, and 14 percent of hospital deaths. Nearly half of hospital inpatient deaths among children under age 5 are attributable to malaria.
The Net Need

Long-lasting insecticide-treated nets (LLINs)
Total Nets Needed to Reach Universal Coverage Before the end of 2010 20,607,510
Total Existing Nets Currently in Country 5,107,329

Total Nets to be delivered by the end of 2010 15,500,181
United Nations Special Envoy for Malaria Social Media Envoy Group

United Nations Special Envoy for Malaria, Ray Chambers, announced the formation of a Social Media Envoy group chartered with inspiring and activating social media audiences throughout the year in support of malaria control. The Social Media Envoys are dedicated to utilizing their social profile to keep online and offline media audiences focused on the movement, milestones and resources required to achieve the Secretary-General’s goal of providing all endemic African countries with malaria control interventions by the end of 2010.
“In our efforts to reach the Secretary-General’s 2010 goal of universal bed net coverage, and to reach the longer term goal of near-zero deaths from malaria by 2015, it is critical that acceleration continue in the malaria control movement,” said Ray Chambers, United Nations Special Envoy for Malaria. “Social media content and user driven syndication have proven to be exceptional media assets in generating action behind, elevating awareness of, and increasing resources for global malaria efforts. With our malaria-related objectives within sight, this influential group of Social Media Envoys will help us exceed our awareness goals throughout the year.”
The Social Media Envoys have agreed to take one social action, such as a tweet on Twitter or wall post on Facebook, in support of malaria control each month for 12 consecutive months. The first organized social action from this group will take place on World Malaria Day, April 25, 2010. The Social Media Envoys have been selected by the Special Envoy for Malaria due to the influence, size and engagement of their Social Web and broadcast audiences.
The 2010 Social Media Envoys include:
•Derrick Ashong, Musician, Social Activist & Oprah Radio host; www.twitter.com/ashong
•Veronica Belmont, Host of “Tekzilla” and “Qore” and Internet Personality; www.twitter.com/Veronica

•Mayor Cory Booker of Newark, New Jersey; www.twitter.com/CoryBooker

•Sarah Brown, of the United Kingdom; www.twitter.com/SarahBrown10
•Pete Cashmore, CEO and founder of “Mashable—the Social Media Guide”; www.twitter.com/mashable

•Anderson Cooper, CNN Anchor of “Anderson Cooper 360”; www.twitter.com/andersoncooper
•Dennis Crowley, Co-founder of Foursquare; www.twitter.com/DENS

•Anil Dash, Director of Expert Labs and Partner at Activate; www.twitter.com/anildash

•Justine Ezarik “iJustine”, Internet Personality; www.twitter.com/iJustine

•Jack Gray, CNN Producer/Writer for “Anderson Cooper 360”; www.twitter.com/JackGrayCNN

•Arianna Huffington, Co-founder and Editor-in-Chief of the Huffington Post; www.twitter.com/ariannahuff

•Guy Kawasaki, Co-founder of Alltop.com; www.twitter.com/GuyKawasaki
•Larry King, CNN Host of “Larry King Live”; www.twitter.com/kingsthings
•Loic Le Meur, Founder and CEO of Seesmic; www.twitter.com/Loic
•Alyssa Milano, Actress; www.twitter.com/Alyssa_Milano
•Dave Morin, Former Facebook executive- responsible for Facebook Connect and Platform; www.twitter.com/davemorin
•Jeff Pulver, Founder of 140 Characters Conference (#140conf) and Co-founder of VoIP (Vonage); www.twitter.com/jeffpulver
•Kevin Rose, Founder of Digg; www.twitter.com/kevinrose
•Chris Sacca, Founder of Lowercase Capital; www.twitter.com/sacca

•Ryan Seacrest, Founder, Ryan Seacrest Productions; www.twitter.com/RyanSeacrest
•Biz Stone, Co-founder of Twitter; www.twitter.com/biz

•Padmasree Warrior, CTO of Cisco; www.twitter.com/padmasree
•Jon Wheatley, Co-founder of DailyBooth.com; www.dailybooth.com/jon
•Randi Zuckerberg, Director of Marketing, Facebook; www.facebook.com/Randi

Sub-Saharan Africa is the epicenter of the world’s malaria control activities, with over 90 per cent of malaria deaths occurring on the continent. Over 190 million long-lasting insecticidal mosquito nets have been delivered since 2007, covering nearly 400 million people or over 50 per cent of the endemic population, compared to less than 10 per cent in 2005.
“I’m so pleased to be a part of Ray Chambers’ and the UN’s efforts,” said Arianna Huffington, co-founder and editor-in-chief of The Huffington Post. “Their plan to use social media to keep the spotlight on the goal of eradicating deaths from malaria by 2015 is smart, forward-thinking, and, given the growing reach of social platforms, very pragmatic. It’s consciousness-raising and movement building 2.0.”

For more information on the Office of the Special Envoy, visit malariaenvoy.com

Jewelry for Jenipher - second annual

2010-11-10T20:04:00.000-08:00

Second Annual Jewelry for Jenipher fundraising event to be held at the same location as 2009 - Holiday Inn Express in Loveland off I-25 near the Budweiser Event Center and Resurrection Fellowship Church at 6092 E. Crossroads Blvd. We will be selling jewelry, purses and handmade baskets all made in Uganda by Acholi women in the Acholi Quarter Camp for Internally Displaced Persons. The proceeds will go towards funding teenage refugee girl education. Visit the Girls' Hoima Hostel Project on our website to learn more.

In memory of the late Jenipher Barega who died November 17, 2009 from complications with malaria and typhoid. These are preventable and treatable diseases. Visit our website to see what we are doing to make a positive change.

Jenipher was the president of our girls' hostel and her dream was to help girls to get an education and to help orphans. Her father was burned in his hut by rebels when she was six year old. In Africa, you ...are considered an orphan when you have lost a parent. Our leader Jenipher had big dreams, but left us much too early. Let's keep her legacy and dreams alive.

Think Humanity will be selling handmade items made by refugee women in Africa. Items for sale are recycled paper beaded jewelry, baskets, artwork and sling purses. We will be raising money to pay one year's rent for 55 teenage girls living at a hostel so that they can get an education. Girls make up nearly 60 percent of the children out of school in parts of sub-Saharan Africa, where only one in five girls gets any education at all. Think Humanity wants to change that statistic.

Also it is our desire to encourage women to start their own businesses and to learn a trade so that they can become self-reliant. When we purchase the handmade items from the Acholi women, they can afford to educate their children and to buy food.

Think Humanity has distributed bed nets to their entire community and also provided them with several treadle sewing machines so that teenage mothers can learn a trade.

This cycle benefits everybody! 1) We buy from the Acholi women to help them educate and feed their children. 2) We sell the products in the USA to raise money for TH projects. 3) When you buy the products you can give them as gifts. 4) We send 100% of the money back to help refugees with healthcare, education and self-sustaining projects.

This event is in honor of the late Jenipher. Won't you help us educate and empower girls? Thanks. Beth Heckel, Executive Director

You can also purchase items on Etsy.com anytime at http://www.etsy.com/shop/ThinkHumanity

Making clean water more accessible to women and children by building more wells

2010-11-10T19:40:00.000-08:00

"In Africa alone, people spend 40 billion hours every year just walking for water. Women and children usually bear the burden of water collection, walking miles to the nearest source, which is unprotected and likely to make them sick. Time spent walking and resulting diseases keep them from school, work and taking care of their families. Along their long walk, they're subjected to a greater risk of harassment and sexual assault. Hauling cans of water for long distances takes a toll on the spine and many women experience back pain early in life. With safe water nearby, women are free to pursue new opportunities and improve their families’ lives. Kids can earn their education and build the future of their communities." - Charity Water

In October 2010 Think Humanity built their first well in the Kyangwali Refugee Camp in Uganda. This was possible by a grant from Global Healing. More than 1,000 refugees will benefit. Before people would wait hours for the water to come from the small spring. Animals used the same water and it was unclean. During the day the lines were long so many times people would go to fetch water in the night and sleep near the site with their gerry cans.

Now there is enough water to provide refugees with water for drinking, cooking, showering and to wash their clothes.
The community was so grateful. They are going to maintain the area and keep it clean.
Thank you Global Healing for the well in the Kinyakeitaka Village.

NOW --we want to build a second well in the Muninsa Village. This will provide water for more than 1,000 people at about $3 each person for the life of the well.
Help us build this second well in the Kyangwali Refugee Camp in western Uganda.

To donate towards the Maji ni Uzima water project you can visit this link: http://www.thinkhumanity.org/donate.html

Two more sewing machines were donated to Life in Africa

2010-10-09T17:38:00.000-07:00

Peace Community Church of the Brethren

On September 26, Think Humanity board members spoke to the
Peace Community Church of the Brethren in Windsor, Colorado.
During our presentation we told the church how Think Humanity
purchases and sells handmade products from Acholi refugees. We
give 100 percent of our proceeds back to our projects in Africa. We

had a display (not for sale), however the nice people from the

church bought out our display!

This was totally unexpected so we gave back to the women that
made the jewelry by sending them money to purchase two more
treadle (manual) sewing machines. The sewing machines will help
refugee teen-moms to learn a trade. Think Humanity has donated
four treadle sewing machines to this project. The goal is to raise
money to purchase eleven more. For $80 each we can help these
young moms become self-reliant. This will give them a step up
from a life of poverty.

Special thanks to Jodi Bell of Peace Community Church.
Follow New Life in Africa Blogspot and watch as Think Humanity makes
a positive change in Kireka, Uganda.

New Life in Africa (LiA) is raising money for a Community Day Care

so that babies can get care instead of being strapped to the mothers’
backs as they learn a trade. To learn more about the day care project

please click this link. Community Day Care Centre

Kanyere Justine - 14 year old orphan needs help

2010-10-01T22:56:00.000-07:00

Kanyere Justine is 14 years old and she is in primary six. Her father died from cancer and soon to follow her mother died from HIV/AIDS. Justine has three younger brothers ages 12, 7 and 5.
July 2010 while in Kyangwali Refugee Camp, Jean-Paul called me outside the COBURWAS Learning Centre to listen to Justine's story. I will try to tell it to the best of my memory.

Just two weeks previously to meeting Justine, her mother had died from AIDS. The children were split up in different homes. Justine is living in an unsafe home where there is another 14 year old girl. That girl is pregnant now due to the mistreatment of the caregiver (father figure). Justine was worried that she would also become a victim.

She had no place to go and begged for help with her education so she could move to Hoima to the girls' hostel.
Jean-Paul said that the situation became badly off for the young girl since we left her last July and they moved her into the girls' hostel. She has no money for school, but is away from the bad situation.

If anybody would like to help contribute to help Justine, then we could start her in school for the 2011 school year which begins in February. $150 would help her with the first term for school fees, uniform and books.

Sewing Machine donations help teenage mothers learn a trade

2010-09-28T21:52:00.000-07:00

As Peter Ndelo said, "It has been a practical day for newly teenage mother trainees. They were asked by their instructor each to make a dress for their babies and most of them managed to do this. It was a special day for them also to get new sewing machines donated by ThinkHumanity.org. Esther Akello, the leader of the women, had to intereact with the ladies and also advised them to use the opportunity of this skill life training."

The Acholi women wish to purchase 20 sewing machines for training. So far they have purchased seven, two of which were donated by Think Humanity. Think Humanity will be donating two more this week. The money was donated from Peace Community Church of the Brethren in Windsor, Colorado.

If you wish to donate to the teenage mothers so that they can learn a tailoring trade, you can donate to Think Humanity and we will see that they receive the donation. Each treadle sewing machine (manually powered) is $80.

Think Humanity Sick Bay - Phase one of Think Humanity Clinic

2010-09-17T16:10:00.000-07:00

Think Humanity Sick Bay - Phase one of Think Humanity Clinic
For sub-Saharan Africa to achieve economic and social development, improving healthcare must be our top priority. In order to highlight opportunities for expanding access to a quality health care throughout Africa, we are identifying practical solutions to those challenges. This October we are opening a three room sick bay across from the Girls’ Hostel in Hoima. Think Humanity purchases medication at a reduced price and therefore we can treat more students and refugees This also allows them to use their time and resources on other things such as education and food. At the TH sick bay we want to take the time to listen and understand; basically quality over quantity. We are fortunate to have Jane as our registered nurse who truly cares about the well-being of our refugees. We would like to be a registered clinic by the beginning of 2011.

Pens & Pencils Project - Children in Africa in dire need of school supplies

2010-08-28T14:56:00.000-07:00

Credits-Sarah Bultema, Reporter-Herald Staff Writer for portions of this blog

Loveland Daily Reporter Herald August 28, 2010

Girls at the Girls' Hoima Hostel in Uganda July 2010.

A pen or pencil may not seem like much in America, but for students in Uganda, it's a vital and often hard-to-come by tool that they need to purse an education and enrich their lives.

In an effort to address this basic need, coordinators with Loveland's Think Humanity, a nonprofit that helps refugees in Africa, are asking for donations for writing utensils to be given to students abroad who desperately need them.

"A pen is so small to us here, but we don't really grasp how much something like that is important there. There's a huge need," - Beth Heckel

Students at the girls' and boys' hostels can run run a pen dry in just two weeks and the students aren't always able to afford a new one.

In a country where education can lift citizens from poverty, students need to have all the help they can get to continue learning.

Something as small as a pen or pencil (or lack of one) should not hold them back.

Think Humanity is asking for donations for pens, pencils, colored pencils, crayons and markers.

In January, volunteers will return to Africa to hand out the writing utensils.

Other options are to donate money and we can purchase pens, pencils, drawing tables and coloring books there.

For $10 we can purchase 100 pencils in Uganda. We can purchase a dozen drawing pads or a dozen coloring books for $5.

You can visit the website at http://www.thinkhumanity.org/ to donate.

Writing utensils can be delivered or mailed to:

Think Humanity

2880 Spring Mountain Dr.

Loveland, CO 80537

Pictured below are children at the Coburwas Learning Centre in the Kyangwali Refugee Camp in Uganda.

Amanda Kudron stayed at the Girls' Hoima Hostel for Two Weeks

2010-08-09T07:30:00.000-07:00

Amanda Kudron: Think Humanity wishes to thank Amanda for all that she contributed while in Uganda.

She stayed at the Girls’ Hostel for two weeks (a first for a visitor) and through that she shared the challenges that these girls are facing each day.

The hostel girls sing a goodbye song to Amanda

"The girls at the hostel live with nearly nothing: poor sanitation, poor safety, poor nutrition, and on and on. The girls at the hostel share everything. As a visitor who was welcomed to live at the hostel for two weeks, I have never felt so blessed and fulfilled in the midst of having so little. The needs are vast, but they understand the basis of real, Christ-like love. I love each and every one of them...my sisters."- Amanda

Charity and Amanda

Livestock Project Success

2010-08-08T19:10:00.000-07:00

The newest Billy goat

This past May, Think Humanity purchased a new Billy goat to produce higher quality of kids. Celestine holds the first offspring below.

We started with 40 goats in January 2009 and now there are 121 goats.

By January 2012 this project should be income generating and self-sustaining.

Think Humanity gives bed nets to an entire IDP Camp

2010-08-08T18:49:00.000-07:00

We brought down groups of 35 people at a time to receive their nets.

3,000 Long-Lasting Insecticide-Treated Bed Nets were given to the entire Acholi Quarter Camp for Internally Displaced Persons on July 14-15, 2010. Those that benefited are Acholi and Bugandans.

Thank you Global Healing and Red Empress for donating bed nets for this community of refugees. Ayo Jennifer, AIDS counselor said, “The family is going to live longer and longer because no more malaria. We have kicked malaria out of Uganda.”

The Acholi Quarter Camp is made up of mostly women and children. The World Health Organization recommends the Olyset Nets, the nets TH provided to the IDP.

http://newliffeinafrica.blogspot.com/

3,000 Long-Lasting Insecticide-Treated Bed nets stored in a building waiting to be given out.

Think Humanity mosquito net demonstration in Kyangwali

2010-06-17T20:40:00.000-07:00

Think Humanity June News

2010-06-04T08:42:00.000-07:00

Thank you to the children at Brevard Jewish Community Preschool for sponsoring Patrice and Rebecca. Thank you Jackie for re-sponsoring Priscar, Jane for re-sponsoring Peter and Pam for sponsoring little Tedi.

Thank you Red Empress Foundation www.redempress.org for a grant to purchase 1,000 mosquito nets to help refugees in east Africa.

The water storage tank at the livestock project has now been completed. Thank you John Bagisha and other for your hard work to finish the fascia board, gutters and pipes. Thank you donors and Americans for Philanthropy http://www.americansforphilanthropy/ for donating towards this project.

Thank you Birthing Kit Foundation Australia. We received 200 more birthing kits in May and will hand carry and personaly deliver them to Kyangwali Refugee Settlement Camp in July. The kits will be given to the UN Health Workers in the camp who give them to the mid-wives as the time comes for a mother to deliver. http://www.birthingkitfoundation.org.au/.

For each of the "Malaria Kills" t-shirts purchased, Overlooked will donate a life saving mosquito net through Think Humanity.

The shirt reads:

Fact #1 Malaria Kills
Fact #2 Mosquito nets save lives.
Small print on back says "Stop Malaria"
Visit their website to order at http://www.weareoverlooked.com/

If you are interested in a safari African tour, visit Discover Tours at http://www.ditot.com/ and ask for Jackson.

Visit Think Humanity Etsy Store to order Acholi Handmade Products:

www.etsy.com/shop/ThinkHumanity

World Malaria Day April 25, 2010 Think Humanity | The News is NowPublic.com

2010-04-24T21:26:00.000-07:00

World Malaria Day April 25, 2010 Think Humanity The News is NowPublic.com

World Malaria Day April 25th

2010-04-23T18:39:00.000-07:00

Read the article link above. Aimee Heckel, journalist wrote this article a couple years ago about malaria. www.thinkhumanity.org

World Malaria Day April 25, 2010. Think Humanity

2010-04-22T18:55:00.000-07:00

Help us protect children from a deadly disease that kills millions of children each year.

You can make a difference for $5.

www.thinkhumanity.org

World Malaria Day - April 25th, 2010

2010-04-17T14:50:00.000-07:00

April 25th is World Malaria Day.

Think Humanity works in sub-Saharan Africa to provide refugees with mosquito nets. In this part of Africa a child under the age of 5 years dies from malaria every 30 seconds, but it is preventable when we provide them with an insecticide treated bed net for only $5 each. Most people can afford to help save the life of a child. The net lasts 3-5 years and several children can sleep under it. Just think about it before World Malaria Day. You can donate $5 and make a big difference in the world. Reach out to others. Think Humanity.

Uganda - One Doctor for 16,200 Refugees in Kyaka II

2010-03-27T20:31:00.000-07:00

One Doctor for more than 16,000 Refugees in Kyaka II

Think Humanity is going into Kyaka II Refugee Camp in 2010 to distribute mosquito nets. Imagine if you were a refugee and you had one doctor for a community of more than 16,000? The camp is 80 square miles - try to get to that one pediatric ward where there are 9 beds and most days 3 children or more to each bed. Two children die from malaria on average per day from malaria in this clinic. We need to give out 4,000 nets to be effective yet we need your donation for this project. If you can donate $5 then we can provide a net for 4 children and potentially save their lives for the next 3 to 5 years. Think Humanity is a 501c3 tax deductible nonprofit organization. To read more about Kyaka II visit the above title link. To read more about Think Humanity visit http://www.thinkhumanity.org/.

Jewelry and Java for a Reason

2010-03-01T08:05:00.000-08:00

Events - ThinkHumanity.org - A Positive Change for Refugees in AfricaThink Humanity

March 13, 2010

5 to 8 pm

Come have a latte, shop for jewelry and help the refugee women of Uganda!

Solid Grounds Coffee Shop will be hosting a night of jewelryand fun promoting beautiful jewelry made by women in Africa. The beads are made out of recycled paper and all the proceeds go to Think Humanity and their work with refugees in Africa.

You can make a difference and help these women and their families.

Solids Grounds Coffee Shop

6504 S. Broadway

Centennial, Colorado 80121

Host: Becca Strait

Contact Becca at Becca@Nightlight.org 303-870-8661

We should also have handmade Acholi African baskets, sling purses and smaller purses for sale.

By purchasing the jewelry from the Acholi women it allows them to purchase food and to educate their children. We then send 100% from sales back to Think Humanity projects.

www.ThinkHumanity.org

A portion of money raised will go towards helping girls' education by purchasing ground nuts and cabbages to provide them with a healthy diet.

Presently they are eating only posho, porridge made from maize flour.

Thank you for your support.

Video on YouTube of Acholi woman working in rock quarry in IDP camp.

MaNdate 7 Kyangwali refugees receive an additional 1,200 mosquito nets

2010-02-15T17:00:00.000-08:00

January 2010, Jim and Beth Heckel, Joe Bergholz and Charity Watson; Think Humanity board members and volunteers spent time in Uganda visiting projects in the Kyangwali Refugee Settlement Camp in Hoima District and the Acholi Quarter Camp for internally displaced person located outside Kampala.

Program Manager, Wereje Benson with other volunteers, demonstrate the proper use of a mosquito net.

The video shows the demonstration.

Joe Bergholz is shown giving nets to the refugees. Most of them were from the village of Rwenyawawa and had to walk several hours to get their $5 net.

Charity Watson, University of Colorado pre-med student speaks to the crowd.

Below, Joe gives nets to the refugees as their names are called from the list.

Crocs donated to refugees in Africa - Sycamore Creek Elementary School in Raleigh, NC - Think Humanity

2010-02-07T21:29:00.000-08:00

The children of Sycamore Creek Elementary School in Raleigh, North Carolina had a variety show in November to raise money to provide Crocs to children in a refugee camp in Uganda. They also donated Crocs at the event. In total there were 342 pairs of shoes donated to children in Africa.

In January, Think Humanity hand delivered hundreds of these shoes to the village of Nyamiganda in the Kyangwali Refugee Camp on the border of Uganda and the DRC.

The children all lined up and we had the parents stand back. Then the children sat down with their legs in front of them. We opened up the duffle bags that we had carried on a bike for 1 1/2 hour on a dusty red dirt road in the 80-90 degree heat.

(In the photo to the left is Janvier, one of the orphans at the Coburwas Learning Centre located in Mukarange Village)

We brought a bullhorn and announced that we had shoes for the children. It wasn't long before many children started to arrive, most without shoes, many without clothing from the waist down.

The Think Humanity managers, Amani Jean-Paul and Nsabimana Emmanuel spoke to the crowd of parents and community. Beth and Jim Heckel, Charity Watson and Joe Bergholz (all from Colorado) spoke to the crowd and it was translated into Kinyabwisha because these refugees are from the North Kivu area of the Congo. We always try to encourage these refugees, give them hope and let them know that people outside of Kyangwali care about them. A pastor lead in prayer and we unzipped the bags and began. We had several volunteers that helped us fit shoes on the children. Thank you Pascal, Joseph, William and Ericson. The children were very patient. If the shoes didn't fit then we would try them on another child.

Most of the children received shoes, however not all of them because the crowd continued to grow and grow as the word got out that visitors had shoes for children. In the video you will see the many children lined up. Many of these children have never seen white people (they call them Muzungu) before so you will see one child run and cry when he sees me with the camera. Additional children in Mukarange, Kasonga and Kagoma villages received shoes too.

We told them that we would be back. Sycamore Creek sent five additional boxes to our P.O. Box in Hoima, but they had not arrived yet.

When the other shoes arrive they will be distributed to those that did not receive and also to other villages within the camp.

Thank you Sycamore Creek Elementary School children for your love and care for refugees in Africa. I will be sending your school mascot,Kirby back soon. He is anxious to get back to North Carolina. He traveled to Denver, to Washington D.C., to Belgium, to Rwanda and to Uganda. On the way back he visited Ethiopia, Germany and then back to Denver. He has been resting for a couple weeks now and misses his school friends.

The children loved Kirby and everybody wanted to hold him! They also loved the shoes so much.

Beth Heckel, President
Think Humanity

bheckel@thinkhumanity.org

Nsabimana Kanizius's Letter to the Leaders in the DRC | The News is NowPublic.com

2009-11-27T20:24:00.000-08:00

Nsabimana Kanizius's Letter to the Leaders in the DRC The News is NowPublic.com

RIP Jenipher

2009-11-25T16:24:00.001-08:00

RIP Jenipher

Posted using ShareThis

RIP Jenipher

2009-11-25T16:20:00.001-08:00

RIP Jenipher

Posted using ShareThis

Improving Basic Human Rights for Girl Refugees In Africa | World Pulse

2009-10-31T09:01:00.000-07:00

Improving Basic Human Rights for Girl Refugees In Africa World Pulse

ThinkHumanity.org - A Positive Change for Refugees in AfricaThink Humanity

2009-10-26T08:42:00.000-07:00

ThinkHumanity.org - A Positive Change for Refugees in AfricaThink Humanity

Girl refugees need the resources and help to rise above abject poverty and into basic self-sufficiency. | World Pulse

2009-10-23T10:33:00.000-07:00

Girl refugees need the resources and help to rise above abject poverty and into basic self-sufficiency. World Pulse

How Long Would You Wait in the Hot Sun For a $5 Mosquito Net? | The News is NowPublic.com

2009-10-22T20:53:00.000-07:00

How Long Would You Wait in the Hot Sun For a $5 Mosquito Net? The News is NowPublic.com

Need: Problems for refugees in Africa - Malaria, Education, Orphans | World Pulse

2009-10-22T19:03:00.000-07:00

Need: Problems for refugees in Africa - Malaria, Education, Orphans World Pulse

Think Humanity, helping refugees in IDP Camps and UNHCR Camps by selling handmade jewelry made from recycled paper | World Pulse

2009-10-22T18:20:00.000-07:00

Think Humanity, helping refugees in IDP Camps and UNHCR Camps by selling handmade jewelry made from recycled paper World Pulse

Think Humanity, "a positive change for refugees in Africa" | The News is NowPublic.com

2009-10-21T18:37:00.000-07:00

Think Humanity, "a positive change for refugees in Africa" The News is NowPublic.com

Three Types of People in the World - Be a "Life Enhancer!"

2009-10-21T16:57:00.000-07:00

Three Types of People in the World – Be a “Life Enhancer!”
“There are three kinds of people in the world today,” Disney said. “There are ‘well poisoners,’ who discourage you and stomp on your creativity and tell you what you can’t do. There are ‘lawn mowers’ – people who are well- intentioned but self-absorbed; they tend to their own needs, mow their own lawns and never leave their yards to help another person. Finally, there are ‘life enrichers’ – people who reach out to enrich the lives of others, to lift them up and inspire them. We need to be life enrichers, and we need to surround ourselves with life enrichers.”A Life EnricherWalt Disney once wrote that there are three kinds of people:”well-poisoners,” “lawnmowers,” and “life-enhancers.”He said “well-poisoners” are the negative types who put other people down and try to discourage them from achieving their dreams. They’re people who should be avoided and whose advice should be ignored. “Lawnmowers” are good citizens who keep up their own yards but seldom venture beyond their back fence. They go to work each day, pay their bills and taxes, obey the laws, and maintain their property but seldom volunteer or get involved in their community.Then there are “life-enhancers”. These are the people who really make life worth living. They go out of their way to enhance the lives of others with encouraging words and deeds.I share a similar mission in life: to be a person I refer to as a “life-enricher,” an encourager, someone who motivates people to always have hope. All of us have opportunities every day to be life-enrichers. It’s as simple as offering a word of encouragement; volunteering our time, talents and treasure to enrich our schools, churches, government or community; or writing a note of thanks to a teacher, a pastor, a public servant or volunteer.God calls us to be life-enrichers. “Well-poisoners” try to build themselves up by tearing others down but never achieve relief from their misery. Many “lawnmowers” may achieve material success and even respect in this world. But people who serve others will be first in God’s kingdom.We all need to spend time mowing our lawns. But take some time from mowing to get out of your own yard and take a few simple steps to be a life-enricher. Thank your child’s teacher, let your children know you’re proud of them, lend your neighbor a hand, volunteer at your church, be a mentor, help with a fund-raiser, put your talents to work for a charity, give blood, invite somebody to dinner, write a note of congratulations to a friend or relative who has achieved something special.You’ll be amazed at how your word of encouragement or giving a helping hand can have a dramatic impact on enriching another’s life – and your own!

Preview | World Pulse

2009-10-21T16:06:00.000-07:00

Preview World Pulse

One Net - Four Children - Five Dollars

2009-10-17T13:42:00.000-07:00

Photo credit to Stacey Frumm.

Today is World Poverty Day. The main mission of Think Humanity is: “Joining in the fight against malaria by providing refugees with resources and manpower.” We have provided more than 8,000 mosquito nets (LLIN) to refugees in Africa. WHY CONNECT MALARIA AND POVERTY? UN economists identified malaria as one of the top four causes of poverty. Every year it kills millions of people and is estimated to cost the African economy $30 billion per year (more than 500 million per year get malaria). Professor Jeffrey Sachs (read the End of Poverty) believes ending malaria is the most important priority in lifting Africa out of poverty. PLEASE DONATE $5 to buy a net and protect four children from malaria for five years! That’s only 1.25 per child.100% of the funds specified towards mosquito nets will be used to buy nets for MaNdate 7 Christmas 2009.

E3 Day Empower. Educate. Effect!

2009-10-06T19:53:00.000-07:00

The BQC is proud to announce EDay to Empower, Educate, and Effect the lives of women around the globe.All Day: We will be hosting Think Humanity's artisan sales. Think Humanity is changing lives of women by providing refugee girls with an education, rent, food and medication; therefore encouraging advancement, empowerment, confidence, self-reliance and roles in leadership positions. Through education it will change the cultures misconception that women are inferior to men. Our girls have been able to recognize their rights and freedoms within the African society and therefore eventually advancing women and ending gender bias and discrimination.

Also Jeanne Ratzloff of PeopleWeaver, www.peopleweaver.com, will be selling baskets made by refugee women. She is the founder of the Kyangwali Women's Microcredit Business Loans Project.9am-9:55am: Yoga for Survivors. October is Domestic Violence Awareness month and whether or not it's happened to you, you've probably felt its effects. Hollie's is designing a special class filled with poses to help you release your fear and embrace your power. She will also be collecting donations for the Safehouse so please support this important event.4pm to 6pm: Protect Yourself :: Ladies Night. This free event is open to women interested in learning how to protect themselves in uncertain times. Scalable responses for real-world applicability in defeating larger attackers, de-escalating potential violence, and getting home safely. 3rd degree black belt Mary Casey teaches this powerful seminar drawing on her years as a rape and family violence crisis volunteer, her adventures in scary locations throughout the world, and her twelve years exploring the secret arts of the ninja. Invite your friends and make this the best girl's night out! No martial experience needed--just the desire to know more about protecting yourself and your loved ones.

Contact:Mary Casey, President

Boulder Quest Center

1200 Yarmouth AveBoulder, CO 80304

(303) 440-3647

www.boulderquest.com

Girl's Hoima Hostel

2009-10-04T22:26:00.000-07:00

Girl’s Hoima Hostel, COBURWAS Club and Think Humanity. A partnership to help girls with their education.

•When and why formed: Think Humanity, a positive change for refugees in Africa was formed as a 501c3 in December, 2007. The Girl’s Hoima Hostel project is a project to help girl refugees get an education. The idea was organized in the Kyangwali Refugee Settlement Camp through the great leadership of the COBURWAS Club. The mission of COBURWAS Club is to unite, transform and develop communities in Africa through education, social entrepreneurship, volunteerism and humanitarianism. In 2008 the hostel consisted of 17 girls and 10 boys, but in February 2009 they separated males and females and this hostel is now 65 girls. Girls hold all leadership positions. The boys now have a separate hostel project. The girl’s project was formed because in the African culture girls are mistreated and their educational rights are abused. Twelve years and 80,000 refugees in the camp and no girls had ever finished A level (senior 5 and 6). The hostel was created to improve the lives of girl refugees so that they can get an education, start speaking for themselves, empower them and to give women emancipation. •Mission: The mission is that our girls will attend the best schools in Hoima District. By getting an education it will change the lives of girl refugees who have in the past only married, had children and labored hard by digging/farming.

•Accomplishments: 1) 65 girls are going to the best schools in the district. 2) Girls have been able to recognize their rights and freedoms. 3) the girls are the best students in their schools, even competing with Ugandan nationals. Mahoro Tisia is the top student at Kitara Secondary School out of 600 students. 4) Our girls are learning about leadership and management. President Jenipher Barega was chosen at her school to work with the school administration. These girls are also becoming great speakers in the refugee camp and also at their schools and other organizations, such as Coburwas Club and Think Humanity. 5) They are learning spiritual guidance and counseling. 5) They are competing in sports such as football (soccer).

•Main activities: Some of the activities that these girls are involved in are sports. They run as a group every Saturday morning. They do community work such as visiting orphans and people with HIV/AIDS. The girls wash clothing and take them food. They visit hospitals to comfort others. They use drama, debate and acting as a way to teach, train and educate about issues such as HIV/AIDS and the importance of educational roles for women. All girl students must attend school. They have a strict schedule which requires them to study every night between 7:30-10:30. They get up at 4:30 a.m. to study before school and eat breakfast. They go to school at 7:00 a.m. Every Saturday the girls have to clean their bedding, clothing and uniforms. They have chapel every evening after supper between 6:30 and 7:30. It is required to attend all activities.

•Top priorities in the next year and importance: Rent is the top priority because without rent there can be no education. The girls need a place to stay while living in the nearest town to the refugee settlement. Otherwise, in the settlement camp there are no quality secondary schools where they can get their education. Tuition, transport, food and medication are also high priorities. Think Humanity is committed to helping the Girl’s Hoima Hostel in partnership with COBURWAS Club. We deeply miss the leadership, great volunteerism and dedication of James Kazini who was recently resettled in Canada to help his aunt and her three girls.The hostel is in good hands with Jenipher, Tamari, Sarah and Consolatrice, to name a few. These are also leaders in the COBURWAS Club, a great organization that is changing the face of Africa through great service to others.Sincerely,Beth HeckelThink Humanity

Water Project in memory of Rabecca

2009-10-03T21:57:00.000-07:00

In memory of , Rabecca, Think Humanity is donating all September general donations and fundraising donations towards a water project at the Coburwas Learning Centre.

Americans For Philanthropy donations will help us purchase two 8,000 liter water tanks, but we will also need cement, bricks, sand, piping, labor and transport. Right now the borehole near our school is broken and clean water is not available. With our project, piping will be placed on the tin sheet roofing allowing rain water to drain into the water storage tanks.

If you wish to donate to the Rabecca Clean Water Project in her memory, you can do so by visiting this link DONATE. Help us provide quality water to the children at CLC. This will reduce cholera, typhoid and parasites in children. No donation is too small—100% of your donation will go towards this project.

Think Humanity-Acholi Women partner to raise money for refugees

2009-10-03T21:32:00.000-07:00

Think Humanity has partnered with a group of women from Uganda that live in the Acholi Quarter Camp for Internally Displaced Persons. Parents of night commuter children in Gulu, known in the USA as the “Invisible Children," are making beads to help earn family income and sustain a community financed food-aid program for their children. We purchase the jewelry from them and they benefit, but then we sell in the USA at a reasonable profit. 100% of the money then goes back to help with Think Humanity projects. It will then benefit those refugees displaced from war-affected countries living in Uganda in refugee settlement camps.We not only are help to build a small economy in Uganda, but at the same time help our own self-sustainable projects in refugee camps.

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=585735773&v=photos&ref=profile#/album.php?aid=137067&id=585735773

http://www.thinkhumanity.org/

Our Children at Coburwas Learning Centre Visiting Rabecca's Grave

2009-09-14T19:01:00.001-07:00

I know it is not easy to see – but this is life in a refugee camp in Africa. This photo is of our children at CLC visiting Rabecca’s grave, the five year old that died from AIDS. Please keep others in your prayers – have heard that Mama Bonn, leader of the HIV/AIDS group is not doing well and also our student child, Janvier. All general unspecified donations and jewelry fundraising sales in September will go for the Rabecca Clean Water Project in Rabecca’s memory. The project will cost about $2,400 so continue to help us get the word out. We are not trying to exploit this death only to make something positive come out of it. Clean water would save lives – clean sanitation and health.

Coburwas Club Orphanage, updates and cries for help -Jean-Paul

2009-05-25T16:27:00.000-07:00

Lucy is so good to our community and she is doing great to the orphans. She washes them and comforts them as well when they cry. Children are so happy for what is being done for them. Children are becoming many in the camp. Yesterday evening I got a call from UNHCR Community Service requesting us if it can be possible to care and to accommodate the good number of orphans who are coming from the Congo. It is too many but also very hard to send these children in families, because mistreatment of children in families is common. At CCO they can have care and to make them grow morally, spiritually, physically and mentally. I'm saying this because, I have seen how children cry when it is time to go home. They don't feel to go; they want to stay at the CCO, because they feel it is a better place to stay.
Otherwise I am calling upon God to help us to get more donations to help these future generation and future leaders of the world. Thank you for the work that TH is doing to our community in Kyangwali. I'm committed to work for my community and ready to transform it.
Continue caring for us and keep up the spirit you show us. Your love is something greater than money and I believe through it money will be produced. Allow me to end by wishing you success in everything you think can be best to future plan of TH.—Amani Jean-Paul, CCO manager
Pictured -Niyonkusa Janvier, an orphan that was “in a bad situation in the family where he stayed.”

Meet Lucy, the teacher for the Coburwas Club Orphanage

2009-05-25T16:24:00.000-07:00

My name is Zaabu which means gold and Lucy which means light, kenyana. I was born on 4th Dec. 1985. I come from western part of Uganda. My two names were given to me by my late grandmother who loved me very much just for being the first grandchild thus declared me the light to the world which am striving to fulfill.
My grannie was my everything till she died in 1992 when I started staying with my dad now the late, who truly loved me and later on was called for rest in 1994. I say I don't have a total sister or brother only siblings from all sides. Dad had 11 children and am the last born. My mam has 4 of which am the firstborn. Life has been easy to tally in-between two homes.
After my dad's death, I could get help from my stepdad by then who had married my mum. Just shortly he also died. Here the struggle began. Mam worked hard to look after the four of us. Time came when I could stay home looking after the young ones so as mum to struggle for my school fees of which I thank God it was not in vain. I missed my primary five in 1995 and senior five in 2003, but later on joined again. My sweet mum believes, trusts and loves God. This helped me a lot, because she always assured me of hope for the future and let me know that God always had plans for every event that occurred. My mum reached an extent of putting on one cloth just for our sake. But all that is history now because God can do greater things. My humble background gave me a career to help others and that's why I am interested in your orphanage and am pledging to volunteer with you to make it a success.
I have studied children psychology, administration in children centres and many others. I am doing everything possible through early childhood literature and this gives me a lot of knowledge to care for the young ones and in future I want also to write my own books about childcare. –Lucy (Gold Light)
TH needs to raise funds to pay Lucy $50 a month for teaching and caring for the orphans. She is living there now.

Foundation is laid around the Coburwas Club Orphanage, in collaboration with Think Humanity this was provided by a grant from Global Healing

2009-05-25T16:22:00.000-07:00

A foundation was constructed around the outside of the orphanage. It will protect the building by keeping water from entering, thereby protecting the cement floors. Also the foundation can be used for outside seating.
This was made possible by the grant from Global Healing. This was an extra as it was not in the original proposal.

Kyaka II Refugee Camp needs our help in fighting malaria. Think Humanity

2009-05-25T16:15:00.000-07:00

Following our organization’s future plans, goals and projects – 2009, that by end of 2009 is to have also given out nets in a second refugee settlement, Kayak II. We were happy that the camp commandant welcomed us warmly in his office. He said “I am very happy to receive you in Kyaka II refugee settlement and for the great work you are doing voluntarily to your communities. If you get time to go and visit our hospital, you can see the way the majority of people mostly young children, old people and pregnant mothers, are suffering from malaria.

Malaria has affected us so much and at least two children are dying from our hospital, pregnant mothers are getting miscarriages and others dying while giving birth. The majority of children don’t go to school and others drop out due to malaria and their parents while sick, they can’t manage work to raise food and scholastic materials for their children to go to school.

I am certainly convinced that if these people could be sleeping under a treated mosquito nets, this could reduce malaria and people could get energy to work in their gardens hence getting food and raising some little money to support their families.

I like your programs and organization and my office is ready to give you any kind support you will need to carry on your programs. I hope together we can bring a positive change to refugees in Kyaka II refugee settlement and Africa as a whole.”

CCO --COBURWAS Club Orphanage, Kyangwali in collaboration with Think Humanity

2009-05-25T16:10:00.001-07:00

“This picture is showing how children take rest after their lunch. They are now used to that system. They are doing well in both academic and also good health.” –Jean-Paul CCO Manager
Notice children’s uniforms and shoes in photos. Thank you to those that donated. We still have children without uniforms and shoes so any donations are appreciated. For girls—a dress, t-shirt and shorts and for a boy- a button down shirt , t-shirt and 2 pairs of shorts. Also leather shoes for each child. $50 each child.

Livestock Self-sustainable Project

2009-05-24T22:39:00.000-07:00

Livestock Project
We raised money for more than 100 goats! The money from this project will support many activities and help support the operating costs of the orphanage. We also raised donations for 100 chickens and a cow.Think Humanity together with the COBURWAS CLUB, (a group of refugee students representing the Congo, Burundi, Rwanda and Sudan) are working on an orphanage project in the Kyangwali Settlement Camp in western Uganda. Think Humanity and the COBURWAS Club came up with the idea to sustain the orphans by:1) raising and selling many goats, thereby earning money for operating costs for the orphanage;2) using the goats as a food source; and3) teaching the children to care for a goat. They will look after it and when it produces each will remain with a kid to sell. These refugees are displaced due to wars in their surrounding countries. Many are orphaned as a result of war and disease.
We have the livestock, the land, the shed and a goat keeper, however there are so many goats that the goatkeeper needed to be on the land day and night. In January 2009, TH raised enough money to build a house on the land for the goat keeper. In May we built a chicken house. Thank you donors!

2009-05-23T20:26:00.000-07:00

In photo:
A baby sleeps on a TH net at the distribution in January for those infected with HIV/AIDS. Thank you PeopleWeaver for this photo.

I know, what it means as a victim of malaria to be free from the bites of mosquitoes.
Imagine, even if you have food you can't eat it when you have malaria, even if you love God you can't fellowship with others in the church, even if you have a business you can't go to work!

Oh! many people are orphans due to this horrible disease, others have cerebral malaria problems, others lost their beloved wives!

With your fundraising, many nets are to be bought. Let’s imagine together how many people are going to be saved from malaria, because of your time, energy, commitment and love.

If God is happy when only one person is rescued how much will he be happy when many have good life and attend church.
Thank you to be part of Think Humanity the unique organization that aims at providing what has not been provided for a positive change. —Wereje Benson

2009-05-23T20:24:00.000-07:00

Please continue to donate towards mosquito nets. Pictured are four children that recently arrived in Kyangwali from the DRC (Congo). For $5 we can protect all four of these children pictured with one mosquito net. That’s only $1.25 each and this will protect them for five years! Help us fight malaria, please.

2009-05-23T20:23:00.001-07:00

In the camp there are thousands crying; orphans and traumatized women. All are the remnant of around six million killed in the Congo. I am one of those remnants. At the beginning we were 8,000 refugee Congolese in Kyangwali, which only two girls had attended senior six in 13 years. Today there are 23,000 Congolese refugees in the camp. Refugees die prematurely because nobody cares, but today all who hear this message cares. Your participation in Think Humanity will reach you. We have found great potential in ourselves and we can be part of people that can contribute to the positive change in Africa and the world.
Thanks for your donation that will reach our community of refugees in Uganda, survivors of Congo’s deadliest conflict.
"Our life is like an egg or a glass in your hands. Your donations makes us have chicks, hens, roosters and more eggs hence development.”
On behalf of my Community receive our deep heartfelt thanks. -Wereje Benson
Think Humanity helps with some student sponsorships, but also assist 65 girls at a hostel with their education. If you are interested in providing an education to a refugee, please inquire.

Also thank you to Educate! for educating and empowering Africa’s future leaders.

New refugees have no doors to keep mosquitoes from entering

2009-05-23T20:22:00.000-07:00

These pictures were taken by Lizzie Lombardi in March 2009 in the village of Rwenyawawa Kyangwali, where most of the new refugees are living.
(Thank you Lizzie for the use of these photos)

Thank you to all the donors that have helped us to purchase mosquito nets for the refugees that recently arrived in Kyangwali from the Congo.
Mountain View Rotary—1,400 nets
Red Empress Foundation—300 nets
Paulsen family—200 nets
Overlooked—200 nets
and other wonderful donors.
Each mosquito net will cover 4 family members.
With these nets we will be shielding 8,500 refugees from malaria over the next five years. We still need to help more newcomers in the camp.
You can see by the picture on the right how these new refugees are living with no protection from the mosquitoes that carry malaria. “The new arrivals have poorly built houses with no door to close during the night time, only plastic sheeting to protect them from the rain.” -Emmanuel , TH Meds and Nets manager.
We appreciate all these donations and will get pictures and reports on our upcoming trip.

Six dependable Managers on the Ground.

2009-05-23T13:36:00.000-07:00

Think Humanity's projects are all driven by a group of six managers appointed by the organization. The refugees have proven themselves to be of high integrity and character, trustworthy and leaders in their community. They are required to write reports, keep records, receipts and correspond almost daily with the founder of the organization. We believe that it is best to give them control and empowerment because they know what is most needed and how it can best/most effectively be implemented. The group of administrators purchase the malaria medication and nets and distributes them in cooperation with the churches and the social workers in the camp. By doing this, these administrators feel valued as they help to restore hope, save lives and build their community. We are developing young leaders by assisting them but not doing all the work.
Our main goal is to provide the resources and manpower to make positive changes in the lives of refugees. Together, with the COBURWAS Club members, refugee camp community leaders, churches, donors and volunteers, we can help eliminate some of the suffering and death caused by malaria and also help young, orphaned children by providing them with love, care, comfort, education and security.

Project Meds and Nets

2009-05-23T13:33:00.000-07:00

Think Humanity is working with students and the community of Kyangwali so that together we can help eliminate the economic burden, suffering and death caused by malaria.

"Insecticide treated nets are one of the most cost-effective interventions we have in medicine. There are several initiatives focused on getting these nets to Africa, but so far displaced persons have been 'left out' of the picture. One advantage of your program as well is that you don't just 'dump' the nets- (many studies show that nets are often improperly used). Again, you have that community piece built in." - Eileen Birmingham, John Hopkins

"After fighting malaria in Kyangwali Refugee Camp then; The death rate and number of orphans will reduce giving us a happy life. People will be healthy, energetic, and hard working, therefore produce enough food. The money which could be spent on malaria treatment will be channeled to education therefore restoring hope, peace, and prosperity." -Daniel Muhwezi, refugee in the Kyangwali Settlement and Think Humanity Secretary/Treasurer
"The hope should be restored through Think Humanity, because it has put malaria in mortuary about to be buried soon. Through providing nets, medication and comfort to those who are sick, now malaria will have nowhere to go." -Mwamini Pelagia, refugee
"I am Pastor Atanga David from Rwenyawawa Kyangwali Refugee Camp. Dear friend, I send greeting to you and your family in Jesus name. We thank you very much for the mosquito net you were distributed to us because we have few problem of malaria to both Christians and non Christians who received it. Therefore GOD bless your project and your family." -Pastor Atanga David

All statistics and facts are from the Centers of Disease Control website. http://www.cdc.gov/, unless otherwise stated.
With your donation of $5 we can purchase a long-lasting insecticide treated bed net. We can also purchase anti-malarial medication such as Coartem. Thank you for your donation.
Special thanks to Global Healing for the grant to purchase treated nets. So far we have purchased approximately 3,400 nets with their donation. Special thanks to the Paulsen family for donating to TH in 2008. We purchased 1,000 nets with this donation. Thank you Lisa and Steve Allen for their donation that helped us purchase 300 nets in 2008. Also thanks to the many others that donated in 2008. More than 5,000 nets were distributed in 2008 and approximately 1,000 nets in 2007. We distributed 750 nets in January 2009.

Project Meds and Nets - MaN -Think Humanity

2009-05-23T13:28:00.000-07:00

Project Meds and Nets (MaN)
"help us fight malaria"
PROJECT MEDS AND NETS is a project within Think Humanity, a non-profit organization whose mission is "to provide a positive change for refugees in Africa."Malaria is a disease of the blood that is transmitted to people by infected mosquitoes. Malaria is preventable and treatable. To fight this disease, we must provide children, orphans, elderly and the poor with treated bed nets and make anti-malaria drugs, such as artemisinin, available.There are other organizations fighting malaria, but we are the only organization leading the fight against malaria in the Kyangwali Settlement in western Uganda. There are approximately 19,000 displaced individuals from surrounding countries living in Kyangwali. These people have been forced into refugee camps due to war in their homelands.Since December 2007 we have distributed approximately 6,000 long-lasting treated mosquito nets. Families with more than seven members received two nets. Most of those that benefited were from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, Burundi, Sudan and the Acholi Tribe from northern Uganda. In order to continue to help refugees, we need continued support. Think Humanity would like to give out nets to other refugee settlements in the future.

Approximately 20,000 more refugees are flooding into Kyangwali do to the instabilities in the North Kivu area of the DRC. In order to keep malaria under control we must give nets to these new arrivals.
MALARIA FACTS AND FIGURES
Each year, malaria afflicts approximately a half-billion people (roughly the population of the United States, Canada and Mexico combined).
An African child under the age of 5 dies from malaria every 30 seconds.
Fewer than 3 percent of children at risk for malaria are shielded by insecticide-treated nets. Malaria kills more than one million people per year; 90 percent of those who die are African children.
Malaria incapacitates people, keeping countries poor. In addition to the health burden, malaria illness and death cost Africa about $12 billion per year.
In Africa, 25 million pregnant women and their newborns a year are exposed to anemia, low birth weight and die.
Malaria continues to be a leading cause of death among refugees. In 2007, malaria accounted for 21% of the total reported deaths and 26% of deaths in children under five years of age. Malaria was responsible for 23% of the total morbidity and 25% of under five morbidity. Eisa Hamouda, UNHCR
On the Kyangwali Refugee Camp, many people who need and want nets cannot afford them. A refugee earns approximately 33 cents a day on average by digging. However, complications from malaria lead to absenteeism from work and school and consumes about 54 percent of a refugee's annual income. -Wereje Benson, refugee in the Kyangwali Settlement Camp and Think Humanity Program Manager. Statistics specific to Kyangwali

MALARIA IS PREVENTABLE AND TREATABLE
Insecticide-treated nets have proven highly effective in killing mosquitoes and preventing malaria transmission. They have been shown to reduce the incidence of malaria episodes by half and in malaria-endemic areas the widespread use of nets reduces child mortality rates by about one fifth.
Using anti-malarial drugs, such as artemisinin, can eradicate malaria symptoms in three days.
Indoor Residual Spraying (spraying insecticide on the inside walls of houses) kills female mosquitoes when they rest on sprayed surfaces after feeding on a person, reducing malaria transmission to others.

Coburwas Club - Kyangwali Uganda - a partnership with Think Humanity

2009-05-23T13:23:00.000-07:00

http://www.coburwas.org/orphanage/

COBURWAS understood the vulnerability of many children in the camp. Due to the appalling situations these children experienced by loosing one or both parents mostly in wars, there are many cases of child parenting in the camp.
The orphaned children in the camps as well in their countries of origin don’t have access to resources necessary for them to survive neither to attend development capacities to reach their potential nor to access the basic needs namely: Education, health care, food, etc. Some of Club orphaned members care for more than 5 siblings.
Coburwas Club members and the community of Kyangwali refugees then started the construction of a Day care orphanage in the refugee settlement. The main building was constructed over school break, December 2007- January 2008.
The orphanage is a day care and nursery school for children aged 5 and below. The building is for homeless children and the purpose is to provide them with basic needs such as food, quality education, entertainment, comfort, care and love. Several guardians are bringing in orphans but the Club is able to help a few since we only rely on farming in the vacation. Our determination and hope is to help more orphans.

Educate! and Think Humanity partner to help students at the hostel

2009-05-23T12:05:00.000-07:00

Educate! and Think Humanity partnered to give a grant to the Coburwas Club for the “Back to School Project.” Below is a thank you letter from Coburwas for our support.
Dear Educate! and Think Humanity,

We would like to appreciate all of you for the great financial support towards the implementation of the COBURWAS Back to School Project. Thank you very much.
We are very happy and are going to make sure that the grant money is used correctly towards the project.
We promise to find possible ways on how the COBURWAS Back to School Project shall be sustained so as we can achieve our goal, which is to promote education mainly for girls.
Thank you for your usual cooperation. Together we shall be able to bring a positive change for refugees and to empower social responsible leaders in Africa.

Sincerely,

COBURWAS
For more information on the Educate! program please visit their website at http://www.experienceeducate.org/.
The grant money went towards rent and other needs for refugee school students.

Rotary-Lions Club helping orphans and refugees with sanitary products

2009-05-23T12:00:00.000-07:00

(pictured are hostel girls with donation of 17 packets of sanitary products that will last one year. - Think Humanity is now receiving 65 more packets to be distributed in June 2009)

A joint sanitary towels project involving Rotary, Lions and Girl-Child Network along with HEART and Doshi Group has donated one year’s of sanitary products to 65 girls at the hostel in Hoima. Most of these children have no parents so their hope is in Think Humanity donors and organizations like the ones listed above.
Rotary is a worldwide organization of business and professional leaders that provides humanitarian service, encourages high ethical standards in all vocations and promotes goodwill and peace in the world. Rotary District 9200 includes Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Ethiopia and Eritrea.
Rotary 9200 has entered into a joint partnership with Lions 411A and HEART Foundation called “Freedom for Girls.’ This project is a girl child assistance program that provides to girls in impoverished villages around East Africa with undergarments and sanitary towels plus hygiene and HIV prevention education. Many girls remain absent from school for up to 5 days a month during their monthly cycle. This program provides the girls with the “freedom” to maintain their attendance in school with confidence. The girls get a packet of 12 packages of sanitary towels and 4 underwear ….enough for the whole year!

I am very happy to take this privilege to thank again Rotary Club and Doshi company for great love shown to young orphaned girls and refugees in Hoima. Today we have many girls. Most of them are orphans. A few of the new girls at hostel parents died of HIV/AIDS. All of us were very happy and some of cry when we get help from such humanitarian organisations and great concern you have towards suffering refugees at hostel. We shall be happy to receiving again your support.” Love from Benson

“Girls at the hostel need more sanitary. As you know we need them all the time and the number of the girls have increased so we need more. I thank you once again and also the Doshi company for their love to us. We are orphans, but with your help, hope we can reach somewhere. More orphans are coming so we need to be together as people too.” -Jenipher Barega
“Thank you Vickie Winkler and Kundan Doshi for all your correspondence and help in this project.” -Beth

WeAreOverlooked - partnership with Think Humanity to fight malaria

2009-05-23T11:52:00.000-07:00

The front design is very detailed and has almost an optical illusion effect.
Each order will include 25 info cards with info about Overlooked and facts about malaria to pass out to your friends and family.
The back print says "You can't see it but right now I'm stopping malaria in Africa. Every day 3,000 children die from malaria. The purchase of this shirt provides one with a life saving mosquito net. WeAreOverlooked.com - ThinkHumanity.org"
Every day 3,000 children die from malaria. When you purchase this shirt we will provide one with a life saving mosquito net through our partner organization Think Humanity. (A partnership to fight malaria in Africa)
Navy ink on a baby blue colored American Apparel t-shirt. Click to order.
Can't buy a shirt or want to give more? Please consider donating $5 to purchase a mosquito net at Think Humanity's website.
Also please help to sponsor travel expenses for Overlooked. Click the link and donate whatever you can. They will be selling t-shirts at concerts around the USA for their causes. They will be at ShineFest on World Malaria Day.

2009-05-23T11:46:00.000-07:00

First we would like to thank those volunteers that put together the TH journals. Money from the sales goes directly to the orphanage project. Here are some comments from our volunteers.
"Making these journals allows me to put a little of myself into a part of someone else's life. Helping Think Humanity is important to me because it's a local group creating global change." - Jessica Ryan, oneintwenty
"Journals are a way for me to escape my daily life and take a deep breath. Yes it can get frustrating with all the cutting and gluing, but to know that I'm saving lives by simply spending my time doing something I love...it makes it completely worth it!!" - Caitlyn Clinton, TH volunteer
"I love knowing that something so simple as a journal can bring hope to so many lives." - Ashley Morrison, TH volunteer
"I make journals for TH because it's a simple way to make a dent in the pain and suffering in the world. It's a small step towards helping others and glorifying God; not only is it beneficial to others in various ways, it's also fun and enjoyable." - Becca Mendoza
"Making journals for TH is refreshing. Creating collages is fun, but when you realize that by doing so a little girl or boy is going to be able to attend school because of it, it definitely puts your life in another perspective." -Sydney Paulsen

Hostel students are helped with medication, rent and other needs

2009-05-23T11:39:00.000-07:00

Girl's Hoima Hostel
Education is a luxury for young girl refugees in the Kyangwali Settlement Camp in western Uganda. In the camp there is no form of education for students after primary seven, so if a child wishes to continue on they must travel 50 miles to the nearest city to attend school. It costs one student more than the average annual income to attend each trimester.
Think Humanity assists them with their medical expenses, tuition, rent, food and school supplies. There are presently 65 girls living in the Hoima hostel. The majority are orphans, but all are refugees. Most girls in Kyangwali do not further their education, but become married, do housework and have children. It is important that young girls complete their education. Daniel Muhwezi, Think Humanity Secretary/Treasurer said, "When you educate a girl, you educate a nation."
In March 2009 Educate! and Think Humanity partnered to give a grant to COBURWAS Club for the hostel students in Hoima. For more on the hostel, Go to School Project please visit the COBURWAS website.
There are twelve rooms in the hostel with more than five girls sharing each small room. The landlord charges approximately $20 per student for the entire year. This does not include electricity or water.
One of the biggest problems in the hostel is malaria. Think Humanity provides malaria medication and hospital expenses for these students. It is very common to have several students sick at the same time.
Here are some of the ways that your donation can be used to help girls get an education:
Bed $25, Mattress $50, bedding $40, $25 transportation to school and home two times a trimester, tuition $50 a trimester, $65 for food per student for trimester, $20 for 110 lbs (50kg) of corn flour for cooking.
TH is asking for donations for the student's medical expenses. For $30 per student a trimester, TH will provide them with malaria medication and medical expenses. This can be a matter of life over death and also will cut back on school absences due to the terrible side-effects from malaria.
Please read about malaria under Project Meds and Nets for more information.
James Kazini, an orphan himself, is the TH project manager over the girl's hostel.
Elected leaders of the girls hostel:
Barega Jenipher, president
Munguiko Sarah, vice president
Mahirwe Solange, Nikuze Angela, Anita Mary and Muhawe Beatrice, ancolours
Mukesha Jane, head of sanitation
Shika Grace, food monitor
Mahoro Tisia, head of academy
Mwamini Pelagia, head of sports
Mahirwe Christine, head of cultural activities

Jenipher Barega, President of Girl's Hostel
This room is living quarters for five girl students at the hostel
This is a picture of the hostel when it was for boys and girls. We will update this project soon.
James Kazini, TH Hoima hostel project manager
Wereje Benson, program manager

June 2008 - 4,000 mosquito nets were distributed to 5 different villages in Kyangwali - Think Humanity

2009-05-23T11:34:00.000-07:00

Think Humantiy received a grant from Global Healing to purchase 3,000 long-lasting insecticide-treated bed nets. Also Eric and Kim Paulsen donated for 1,000 nets.

December 2007 net distribution - Thank you Crossroads Kids and others for your donations

2009-05-23T11:19:00.001-07:00

750 mosquito nets were distributed to orphans, widows and vulnerables, December 2007. Merry Christmas!

Net distributions to fight malaria since March 2007

2009-05-23T11:11:00.001-07:00

This is a demonstration of how to use a mosquito net. We started to raise money to help refugees receive mosquito nets in 2007 and by the end of the year we becamse a 501c3 nonprofit organization. Up-to-date we have purchased over 8,000 mosquito nets and distributed them to refugees in the camp.

Amani Jean-Paul - refugee Kyangwali

2009-05-23T10:59:00.001-07:00

Giving chances - Aimee Heckel, as presented to Americans For Philanthropy in February 2009 in Alamo, California.
I met Jean-Paul three years ago.I was visiting a refugee camp in western Uganda as a journalist, chasing the perpetual question: What can we do about the problems in Africa? How can we help? What a question. It almost sounded more like a rhetorical shrug. As I looked around the refugee camp, the problems seemed just too heavy, too big to even fathom. One thousand brown eyes stared at me. Some yellow with malaria. Some bloodshot with exhaustion. Some with tears. Then, Jean-Paul. His eyes seemed to smile, with that freshness, that unscathed hope that you see in a child’s eyes, even though he was 23 with a pregnant wife. That glance changed everything. He told me his story. Jean-Paul was a teenager when he fled the bloody civil war in his homeland, what’s now known as the Congo. Most of his family and friends were slaughtered by rebels, tortured in ways I can’t bring myself to repeat. Jean-Paul bears a bullet scar on his right forearm, a permanent reminder of the horror he survived. Survived. Jean-Paul ran for weeks. Then, one day, across a field, he saw her: a newborn child lying abandoned, near her murdered parents. He stopped. Picked her up. He carried her with him the rest of the way.Why? I asked him. What made you stop and help? He answered, "You never know who she’ll become some day." That’s when I realized: It was true about him, too. If he was given a chance.
It has been three years since I met Jean-Paul, the Congolese refugee with the bullet scar on his forearm. When I met him, he couldn’t afford school, and he was working in the fields for 33 cents a day. Today, he is in a vocational school. His daughter is in school, too. His 10-year-old adopted daughter. The newborn that he found in the field while he was running from the rebels. Alice is the number one student in her class, even though she is the only refugee in school with Ugandan nationals. Jean-Paul volunteers as a project manager of Think Humanity, with his focus on the orphanage. In his words, "I’m committed to work for my community and ready to transform it." And remember his pregnant wife? Well, she gave birth the day I left the camp three years ago. They named the baby girl Bahati Aimee, after me. Bahati Aimee has caught malaria three times, and her life has been saved three times by Think Humanity’s donors. "Bahati" in Swahili means "chance." Which reminds me of something her dad told me three years ago: You never know who she will become some day. That is the answer to the question "Why?" And also the answer to that perpetual question: How to help Africa? One chance at a time.

It started in August 2006 in the Kyangwali Refugee Camp in Uganda

2009-05-23T10:52:00.001-07:00

Aimee Heckel, my daughter and a journalist on assignment for the Boulder Daily Camera, visited the Kyangwali Refugee Camp to do a story about Eric Glustrom, founder of a nonprofit, Educate!

She wrote a three-day series in 2006 and manylives were changes...including mine.

The story was titled, "The Ripple Effect." Little did she know....

http://www.dailycamera.com/news/2006/sep/06/ripple-effect/

Kyangwali Refugee Settlement, Uganda. What we do - Think Humanity

2009-05-23T10:48:00.000-07:00

My name is Beth Heckel. I am the founder and president of a non-profit organization, Think Humanity.

Here is our mission:

Think Humanity was created to provide relief, support and hope for a promising future to refugees in Africa. Our mission is threefold:
Joining in the fight against malaria by providing refugees with resources and manpower;
Providing love, comfort and security to orphaned children; and
Creating an overall positive change for refugees