Ten of the many things I am grateful for today: Fresh, juicy mangoes A clean hat A skirt I can swoosh around when it is too hot to breathe A familiar face in a throng of pressing strangers Lunch with friends Unpacking my suitcase and having a wardrobe in which to organize things Fried goat A fully charged power bank The smell of flowers outside the window Landing safely, even when flying in an old (SO very old) plane
Trois Cents calls early, telling us he is in his way and requests directions to the guesthouse. At 9am, he calls again, saying he is leaving his home and it expect him soon. At 12, we are still waiting and he calls to reconfirm the address and directions. At 2, I have given up seeing him and am wondering out loud what the purpose of his visit is. At 4:30pm, he shows up, saying he is so happy he knows Kinshasa well, as it was easy to find the house. WHAT?!? Upon arrival, he informs us that he needs money for tickets and with our names written on a [...]
Let me walk you through it: the air is dry, umbre if you will, and there is smoke wafting across, colonizing the Jones garden; there are shreeks (the children are playing UNO enthusiastically) and there is gentle chatter spread across the front yard; there is food, lots and lots of it- salads are spread across and fighting for space on the table- but most importantly, there is meat on the braai and sadza on the stove. You can smell all of it, and so can everyone else in the neighborhood A braai may seem like some strange lingo you can barely pronounce, but in South Africa, and Southern Africa [...]
I am the third person through customs and for the first time ever, it is the easiest process. I virtually fly through the system, handing over my passport, answering questions, getting my now infamous visa checked, and hearing the wonderful words, "welcome back to Congo"!. I practically skip through the health check, with my yellow card and necessary paperwork checked and approved. I can't believe how easy things are going as I stand at the carousel waiting for the three large totes I brought with me. My carryon is a ridiculous weight and so is my backpack, but I feel lighter than I have ever felt here in the [...]
Listen on: AnchorFM / Spotify / iTunesPodcast Homepage The AFCA warehouse depends on donations of medical supplies and money to ship containers of supplies to program partners in Africa. Our warehouse, located in Lebanon, Pennsylvania is run by one of our extraordinary volunteers, Betsy Dorsey. In this episode, Jen chats with Betsy about her volunteer experience with AFCA, and what drew her to step into this role. If you'd like to help us pack a container, organize supplies or get in some service hour requirements, our warehouse will gladly accept your help. You can reach out to Betsy directly to schedule your time, or event at bdorsey@afcaids.org [...]
Have you wanted to travel and make a difference at the same time? It certainly feels like a difficult task. How can you travel, gain valuable experiences, and make an impact all at the same time? AFCA has opportunities available for you! AFCA runs a variety of sustainable traveling programs, including Climb Up and Vacation with a Purpose and managing other sustainability programs. These programs allow those interested to travel while also aiding in great causes. The Climb Up program encourages people to gather a party of 4 to 10 people to undertake a hike to some of the most beautiful locations on the planet, including but not limited [...]
Fundraising is easier than ever with the rise of the internet and the many different platforms people can use to raise money for a non-profit. With AFCA’s “Vacation with a Purpose” program, individuals are able to vacation to various different countries and have a direct impact on communities in need. All it takes is a little bit of fundraising to get you there! Here are five ways you can fundraise for your next amazing vacation with AFCA. Crowdfunding Ever heard of Indiegogo or Kickstarter? What about GoFundMe? With the help of social media it's easier than ever to source funds from various people on the internet. With just a [...]
Listen on: AnchorFM / Spotify / iTunes Podcast Homepage In this special Mother's Day episode, Tanya and Jen talk about their moms, being moms, and how to help mothers in other parts of the world. You don't even need to be a mom to nurture and care for others. The two talk about the importance adults play in the mentorship of children and celebrate the magic of mothers and the societal need for them to create stronger, healthier, and more sustainable communities here and globally.There are many ways in which AFCA supports mothers in our programs. Supplying medicine and medical supplies so moms can access what [...]
Harvest Family Village (HFV) was created to provide a safe space where children can live, grow and be nurtured. HFV now houses 22 children, and they are continuing to build housing for up to 96 children. AFCA has partnered with HFV in various capacities taking volunteer teams, building, setting up chicken coops, providing consulting, and now, helping build their sustainability by adding greenhouses on the land. Our first greenhouse was set up smack in the middle of the Covid pandemic, at a time when hunger had reached huge proportions for many people in the area and where markets were closed. Losing work and having no inputs to feed families caused [...]
Email received on August 25, 2021: “Dear great friend of Kilembe Mines Hospital, Tanya. I hope you are fine despite this COVID-19 pandemic globally. This is to inform you that on the 7th and 10th of May 2020, we were affected by floods that severely devastated and destroyed our hospital. Since then, we have been displaced/re-located to the premises of the Diocese of Kasese. This is where the hospital operates from currently. We know you also have challenges now in the USA, but we still beg you to mobilize for us some resources, to retool, build, restore and functionalize us again. We sincerely appreciate your kind-hearted humanitarian efforts. Thank [...]