Thinking of Africa - A Memorial to Honor Mom

Four years ago, I had just returned from Africa right before my 50th birthday.  I asked friends and family to help the desperately poor people that I had just left and from that was born a fund to give a boost to impoverished women in Burundi.  25 women were helped to start new businesses with that money and I also learned how difficult it is to oversee any project from so far away.  The past four years I've been learning how to "help without hurting" and doing my best to understand micro-finance (and which organizations do it well.)

During that trip I also had the delight of getting to know Steven and his wife, Providence, who care for a group of widows and a community of orphans in Rwanda.  (See earlier posts for more information.)  When I returned to Rwanda in 2010, we spent a good deal of time finding out about Steven's work and the best way to help them.  From that fact finding mission was born the non-profit, African Road.  This organization has worked with Rotary in Rwanda and in the USA to buy a piece of property, dig a well and build a community center.  It is not an understatement to say that life for Steven and all he cares for has changed dramatically.  The next step for this amazing organization is to build a house on the property for Steven, Providence and all the youngest orphans they care for.  From now until the end of the year, any money donated from new donors will be matched 2 to 1 with the goal of raising 30,000.00.  To date they've raised 14,000 and I thought it would be a fitting memorial for Mom to let people know about African Road (www.africanroad.org).  Thank you to those of you who've already donated and I encourage others to check out this opportunity as well.  A home for little ones - so very appropriate as a way to remember a woman who loved the little children.