Thank you. Thanks for finding this page and reading it and then donating to it ;-). Here's a place where you can donate to a lofty goal in the hopes of ameliorating a seemingly overwhelming problem... but really you get to just give some cash to someone you know who will give it to other real people through credible organizations. Of the first $3000 raised, 90 cents on the dollar will go to microcredit initiatives set up by Global Agents for Change, and distributed through Kiva. Above and beyond that, I'm going to help establish a microfinance initiative in Sub-Saharan Africa, aimed specifically at women. The eventual plan is that this project be established and run under the auspices of Global Agents for Change. It's a bold statement and a huge goal, but as I can't think of anything better to do, I'm going to give it a shot.
The bike ride:
The initial goal of $3000 is connected to The Ride to Break the Cycle; I, along with about 20 other people, am going to bike from Vancouver, BC to Tijuana, Mexico this June and July. The ride will be over 3000 kilometres and will take seven weeks. It's crazy. I'm scared. Yikes.
http://www.agentsofchange.ca/projects/riding-to-break-the-cycle/about-the-ride/
Why I'm Involved I recently returned home after a year in Southern Africa and am more than a little disillusioned about traditional development work. There are some fantastic NGOs - OLSET among them - and lots of less than brilliant development schemes. The top-down model isn't working. Microcredit seems the best answer so far... it's that whole teach a man to fish vs give a man a fish thing, only I want to teach the woman to fish and then lend them the money to buy the rods and tackle; that way, the whole village eats.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microcredit
If you are interested in my bio, education, work or what book I'm reading now (Khalil Gibran), please contact me with your questions: suzannahkelly@gmail.com
If you are interested in finding out more about Agents of Change or my progress specifically, I would be happy to set up a meeting. Thanks again! People rock.